The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is funding an upcoming Carter Center election observation mission to Zimbabwe. The grant provides $3 million over three years and will fund the deployment of core staff and observers to assess elections anticipated in July 2023. The Center plans to open its office in capital city Harare this summer. The team will provide an early Carter Center presence in the country to monitor pre-election activities. Two long-term observers will deploy to Zimbabwe this fall to support the Harare-based team to assess the anticipated boundary delimitation process, known as redistricting in the United States. Additional long-term observers will join the team in spring 2023 to assess pre-election dynamics throughout the country.
This long-term presence will be supplemented by a diverse short-term observation delegation composed of 40 regional and international experts and high-level leadership during the immediate election period. The mission will then transition to a locally led team to continue in-country collaboration for advocacy and reform. The Center will work with local civil society partners throughout its mission and with the Electoral Support Network of Southern Africa — a regional network of election observation organizations — to conduct a pre-election assessment, allowing the team to highlight early concerns to the government of Zimbabwe and the election commission.
The Carter Center sent a small group of experts to Zimbabwe in 2018 and issued a report of its findings.
USAID is a longtime supporter of The Carter Center, also funding several peace and health programs, including the River Blindness Elimination Program.
Please sign up below for important news about the work of The Carter Center and special event invitations.
