FOREWORD Elections are key pillars of democracies and have become the commonly accepted means to legitimize governance institutions in West Africa, on the one hand. On the other hand, elections are one key trigger of violence and insecurity in the region. A better management of electoral processes by key stakeholders – electoral management bodies being the most important ones- could enhance elections' credibility and acceptance, reduce the likelihood of violent conflict and thereby contribute to the consolidation of democracies in West Africa. To that end, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung(FES) facilitates regional exchanges of experiences and debates about the roles and responsibilities of key stakeholders in electoral processes. Without a doubt, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) provides the most appropriate forum for such a process. The ECOWAS Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance(2001) contains important prescriptions concerning the accession to political power and the conduct of elections in the sub region, and ECOWAS has been increasingly involved in election monitoring and assistance in the region. One welcome initiative was the formation of the ECOWAS Network of Electoral Commissions(ECONEC) in February 2008, which is mandated to facilitate experience sharing and to work towards the harmonization of electoral standards in West Africa. In August 2008, FES had the honor to facilitate the first meeting of the ECONEC SteeringCommitteeinAbidjan,Cote d'Ivoire. During the Abidjan meeting, FES presented its study“Electoral Commissions in West Africa – The Quest for Electoral Standards in the ECOWAS Region” conducted by Madior Fall in 2007 and early 2008. 4