Launch Talk | Digital Threats to Elections: Learning From What Has Worked in Africa

The relationship between digital technology and electoral integrity is increasingly fraught. Digital threats to elections (like like internet shutdowns, targeted disinformation campaigns and surveillance and hacking of human rights defenders) risks undermining electoral integrity and sparking electoral violence across the world.

This is especielyy problematic in vulnerable democracies, many of which are located in sub-Saharan Africa, the geographical focus of a new study by GPPi’s Fennet Habte and Abi Watson. Fennet and Abi spent the past year engaging with 100+ experts and practitioners who are involved in efforts to safeguard elections across Africa. These interlocutors came from CSOs, election monitoring bodies, international NGOs, and donor governments. Through these conversations, Fennet and Abi identified the shared traits of projects that successfully mitigated digital election threats in African countries.

What emerged from their research are four building blocks for success that also apply to the rest of the world. These can help funders and implementers develop more effective interventions ahead of future elections.

This is a recording of a launch talk that took place on July 9, 2024.

Speakers:
Sophia Armanski, German Federal Foreign Office
Dr. Fortune Agbele holds a PhD in Political Science from the University of Bayreuth, focusing on electoral participation. Her research focuses on elections, women's political leadership, and the impact of social media on elections, with practical experience in Ghana, Kenya and Liberia.

Abigail Watson is a Research Fellow at the Global Public Policy Institute.
Fennet Habte is a Research Associate at the Global Public Policy Institute.

The event is part of the GPPi Stablization Lab project on Digital Threats to Elections in Africa, funded by the German Federal Foreign Office.