The Elections Commission of the Maldives (ECM), represented by Vice President Abdul Rahman Salah Rasheed, participated in the International Pre-Conference on Countering Disinformation and Information Manipulation on 22 September 2026, followed by the Conference and International Roundtable on Political Finance Transparency and Oversight, held from 23 to 24 September in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

The events were convened by the General Election Commission of Mongolia in support of United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) Resolution 11/7, in partnership with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), International IDEA, the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), Transparency International, the Open Society Forum Group and the Open Government Partnership (OGP).

The programme opened with the pre-conference at the Open Society Forum, which brought together around 30 Mongolian and international participants from factchecking, research, strategic communications, civil society and media. Discussions examined Mongolia’s information threat landscape and international approaches to countering foreign information manipulation and interference, as well as coordinated domestic disinformation. Participants also explored ways to strengthen coordination among government institutions and collaboration with civil society, culminating in recommendations to support Mongolia’s preparations for its upcoming local and parliamentary elections.

 

Building on these discussions, the International Roundtable on Political Finance Transparency and Oversight was held at Galleria Ulaanbaatar from 23 to 24 September. Convened as a follow-up to UNCAC Resolution 11/7, adopted at the 11th Conference of the States Parties in Doha, the roundtable focused on strengthening political finance oversight, enforcement, institutional coordination and risk-based approaches.

The two-day meeting brought together election management bodies, anti-corruption institutions, financial intelligence and audit authorities, legislatures, civil society and media organizations, political parties, academic institutions, and international and development partners. Representatives from countries including Australia, Canada, India, Japan, Latvia, Moldova, Montenegro, Norway, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, South Africa and the United Kingdom, alongside stakeholders from across Asia, exchanged experiences and emerging practices in political finance oversight.

As part of the discussions, participants also prepared a draft “Ulaanbaatar Statement on Political Finance Transparency and Oversight”. The statement outlines principles relating to transparency, internal democracy, equal opportunities, a level playing field, state neutrality, accountability and enforcement, cooperation and inclusive participation. It further calls for strengthened digital disclosure, independent oversight, inter-agency cooperation, measures to prevent political finance risks, greater attention to emerging risks in the digital environment, and enhanced public and international cooperation in implementing UNCAC Resolution 11/7.

Throughout the programme, Vice President Salah Rasheed participated in plenary sessions, thematic discussions and parallel sessions, engaging with representatives of election management bodies, anti-corruption agencies, audit institutions, civil society organizations and international experts. These engagements provided an opportunity to exchange institutional experiences and discuss practical approaches to political finance oversight and countering information manipulation.

The programme concluded with a short-day trip around Ulaanbaatar, titled “Beyond the Roundtable”, which offered participants an opportunity to explore the city and gain insights into Mongolia’s unique culture, history and heritage.

ECM’s participation provided an opportunity to exchange knowledge and experiences with electoral stakeholders from across the region and beyond, strengthen institutional networks, and gain comparative insights into political finance oversight and responses to information manipulation.

The Commission continues to participate in international and regional electoral forums to strengthen professional knowledge, institutional cooperation and the exchange of electoral practices among peer election management bodies.