Leaders from across West Africa met in Cabo Verde last month to discuss regional guidelines for democratic handovers of power after democratic elections. The November 21-22 gathering represented a significant and timely effort to begin developing international norms and standards around executive branch transitions.

NDI partnered with the Cabo Verde government to host more than 15 current and former government officials from eleven countries, including former Presidents Amos Sawyer of Liberia, Catherine Samba-Panza of Central African Republic and Pedro Pires of Cabo Verde. Representatives from Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Ghana, Mali, Nigeria and Senegal also participated in the two day conference, along with several international experts on executive transitions. Meetings focused on how to build upon good practices in political transitions throughout the region.

“The focus of this conference is so germane to the situations in African countries, particularly to Liberia -- one country that stands in anticipation of its first peaceful transition of power from an outgoing active administration to a newly elected and incoming one next year,” said Anthony Kesselly, who serves in the Office of the Vice President of Liberia.

While there are international standards for assessing the quality of the election process, from the campaign period until election day, an international framework for evaluating or improving the transition process does not exist. Political transitions are difficult, especially if the roles and responsibilities of the incoming and outgoing administrations are unclear. Uncertainty presents a host of potential triggers for conflict and dispute, diverting very limited human resources from the task of governing, during a period when expectations for citizens may be particularly high.

“We have to move away from the norm of ‘Who wins, wins everything and who loses, loses everything,’” said Pedro Pires, former President of Cabo Verde.

The participants brought a wealth of experience to the table for what is the first step in a longer process of developing internationally recognized standards around democratic transitions of the executive branch. They presented on specific topics of expertise, covering the mechanics and processes involved in areas such as: the legal and regulatory framework, governing executive branch handovers of power; approaches to engaging other branches of government on policy priorities such as economic stability and national security; inclusion and diversity in a new administration; and strategic communications, particularly for the first 100 days in office. 

The conference came at a time when there is particular interest in the ongoing executive branch transition in the US. NDI support for executive branch transitions is an important and growing element of Institute programing of NDI support for executive branch transitions --- both through the development of adequate legal and procedural frameworks for executive transitions and specific "transition team" assistance to potential incoming administrations.

“We live at a time where citizen demands of their government are extremely high. Newly elected presidents or prime ministers can’t afford to take months or even weeks to get up to speed and begin to govern. The negative impact of a slow, protracted transition -- or worse, serious missteps during an administration’s early days in office -- on lost economic development is something that most countries simply can’t afford,” said Scott Hubli, NDI’s director of governance programs.

The Principles on Democratic Executive Branch Transitions, which was agreed to by participants at the gathering in Cabo Verde, provides a crucial framework for transitions in the region and for future work by NDI and experts around the world to support the development of norms and standards for future incoming and outgoing administrations.

“The framework of principles, established by representatives of countries in the region, is an important step in providing a roadmap for governments to minimize the potential for disputes and to ensure respect for the voters’ preferences,” said Jodi White former Chief of Staff to Canadian Prime Minister Kim Campbell and President of the Public Policy Forum, who participated in the Cabo Verde conference.

NDI will convene an international symposium in Washington, D.C., to add additional perspectives and approaches on this topic beyond just the West African context. The Institute will bring experts from across the world who have experience with executive branch transfers of power and will seek to engage with executive transition initiatives of the following 2016 U.S. presidential election.

“A smooth and successful transition following an election, is of singular importance to the health of any democracy and to the public’s trust in its institutions,” White said.