UNDP cites quiet overhaul of GECOM’s machinery

Nov 24, 2025 News

---

— says 2025 elections mark Guyana’s biggest leap in electoral modernisation

(Kaieteur News) – The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has revealed the extent of its behind-the-scenes support to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), describing the 2025 General and Regional Elections as a turning point in electoral modernisation, communication, and institutional resilience in Guyana.

According to a report regarding its involvement in the September 1, 2025 elections, the UNDP highlighted the deep structural upgrades inside GECOM that strengthened its internal systems, improved engagement with the public, and enhanced long-term trust in the electoral process.

Funded by the Government of the United Kingdom, UNDP’s technical mission worked alongside GECOM for months leading up to the poll, introducing modern IT solutions, crisis-ready communications tools, and inclusive voter-education mechanisms that spanned the entire country, the report noted. The UNDP said that the 2025 General and Regional Elections were more than just a civic exercise; they were an opportunity to strengthen public confidence in the democratic process. The UN agency said that its role in Guyana reflected its broader global expertise, noting that in recent years, UNDP has supported electoral processes in more than 60 countries, bringing agile and experienced experts with comparative insights and adaptive solutions.

“UNDP’s support to GECOM enhanced transparency and resilience within the country’s electoral framework. By providing strategic advice, strengthening communications, introducing innovative IT solutions, and enhancing operations and logistics, the support reinforced GECOM’s role as a trusted guardian of Guyana’s democratic values. Engagement with diverse stakeholders fostered inclusivity and dialogue, while the technical assistance implemented ensured credibility and public confidence. These efforts reflect Guyana’s rich diversity and enduring commitment to democratic governance, enabling citizens to participate meaningfully in shaping the nation’s shared future.” Leading a multidisciplinary team of experts, the Electoral Support Project ensured that UNDP’s assistance was practical, timely, and responsive to GECOM’s needs, the report stated. “The focus was not just on conducting elections but on building institutional capacity and resilience, enhancing stakeholder engagement and transparency, together with long-term trust.”

Regarding elections day, the UNDP said that elections, as reported by local and international observers, were calm and peaceful. The tabulation process, despite recount challenges, was conducted in an organised manner with results being given within days of polls closing and all political parties accepting the results. “The conduct of the election, despite its challenges, is attributed in large part by the professionalism and direction taken by the Guyana Elections Commission. As team leader of UNDP’s technical assistance to GECOM, it is reassuring when your strategic advice is highly appreciated and implemented to unlock bottlenecks throughout the process.” – Team Lead, UNDP Electoral Technical Support to GECOM,” the report stated.

Communications

The UNDP said with its support, GECOM developed, adopted and implemented a comprehensive Communications Strategy, Branding Manual and Crisis Communication Protocol, ensuring timely and consistent public information.  It noted that a Media Code of Conduct and Media Policy were introduced, and over 100 journalists were trained on electoral legislation, procedures, and ethical reporting. “UNDP further supported GECOM in enhancing inclusivity and accessibility by facilitating collaboration between organisations representing persons with disabilities and election officials. This ensured that polling day staff received specific guidance and training on how to effectively support persons with disabilities during the voting process. UNDP also supported the graphic design with integration of inclusive messaging across GECOM’s voter information and social media campaigns, reflecting Guyana’s cultural and racial diversity and ensuring visibility of persons with disabilities, youth, senior citizens, women, and men,” the report states.

Furthermore, UNDP said it supported GECOM in strengthening its engagement and dialogue with political parties, civil society, observer groups, and media. These forums provided platforms for open discussions and fact-based updates, helping to build trust in a sometimes-polarised environment. “Civic and voter education campaigns also reached citizens throughout Guyana, from hinterland villages to urban centres, using multiple media channels and introduced a feedback framework to capture and address common concerns and misinformation during community outreach. These tools enabled GECOM to deliver clear, fact-based information, counter misinformation, and engage proactively with the public and media. The establishment of a Media Centre on election day provided journalists and observers with a central hub for press briefings and real-time data updates,” the UNDP said.

“The people of Guyana reflect a remarkable and diverse tapestry, each with their own histories, traditions, and voices. All electoral communication was therefore aimed to be tailored to speak to all communities in a way that was clear, impartial, and inclusive. With UNDP’s technical support, communication became the bridge that could unite communities, build trust, curb misinformation, and foster a culture of tolerance and responsibility. The strengthened engagement with all electoral stakeholders ensured the electoral process was more inclusive, credible, and widely accepted,” said  Electoral Communications Specialist, UNDP Electoral Technical Support to GECOM.

Keeping the wheels turning

Meanwhile, UNDP said Guyana’s elections reflect both the resilience of its people and the complexity of administering polls across a diverse and expansive territory. However, with UNDP support, GECOM successfully assessed 2,790 polling stations nationwide, strengthening accessibility for communities in coastal, hinterland, and riverine areas.  13,925 polling officials were trained to uphold fairness, transparency, and efficiency. Sensitive materials, including ballots, ballot boxes, indelible ink, forms and others, were securely procured, verified and dispatched under strict oversight by party agents. These efforts reinforced Guyana’s democratic values, ensuring that every citizen – across its multicultural and resource-rich society, could participate meaningfully in shaping the nation’s collective future.

“Delivering elections in Guyana is an operational and logistical challenge and a profound civic duty. With UNDP’s technical assistance and support, GECOM strengthened systems to ensure secure materials, well-trained officials, and accessible polling across coastland, hinterland, and riverine communities. Yet beyond operations and logistics, what stood out was the commitment of citizens who came forward to participate. Their resilience, diversity, and determination gave meaning to every ballot cast, demonstrating that credible elections are about empowering people to shape their common future,” said the Operations and Logistics Specialist, UNDP Electoral Technical Support to GECOM.

Technology

The UNDP report also noted that technology should meet practical requirements in an efficient and sustainable way, providing value that exceeds the costs of obtaining and maintaining it. It said that in 2022, GECOM underwent significant legal reforms which enabled technology to play a groundbreaking role in advancing transparency throughout the electoral process. “GECOM’s in-house Statement of Poll Upload system was strengthened with cybersecurity safeguards, ensuring results were uploaded seamlessly even during temporary public website outages. At the same time, an upgraded Results Tabulation application was deployed across 20 counting centres and praised by observers for its clarity and user-friendliness.”

“In the digital age, information technology is no longer just a tool—it is the backbone of credible, inclusive, and resilient elections. By investing in capacity building, we empower electoral bodies to harness secure systems, manage data responsibly, and respond swiftly to emerging needs & challenges. Technology in elections must be aligned with an Electoral Management Body’s (EMB) existing law, regulations & procedures and assist the EMB to, amongst others, enhance transparency, trust, reduce human errors, uphold accountability and provide traceable audit trails. Appropriate technology aids an EMB in ensuring that every vote counts and every voice is heard – without partisanship or political bias. When stakeholders – from voters to political party agents – are actively engaged and understand the individual electoral activities & their supporting technologies, then trust flourishes. And in that trust lies the strength of democracy: a system where informed citizens shape their future with confidence, clarity, and collective purpose”– UNDP IT Specialist said.

According to the UNDP, the impact of its technical assistance allowed GECOM to improve institutional credibility, strengthen operational capacity, enhance voter education, and unprecedented levels of transparency in results reporting. “Election observers highlighted GECOM’s openness, professionalism, and responsiveness, reinforcing public trust in Guyana’s electoral process across its diverse and resilient society. UNDP Guyana remains committed to supporting democratic institutions, building resilience, and strengthening governance in Guyana in this new developmental age. As we move forward, our partnership with GECOM and other institutions will continue to uphold the values of transparency, inclusion, and trust, ensuring that democracy in Guyana grows stronger with every election,” the report concluded.

---

• 2025 elections, electoral modernisation, GECOM, UNDP

---