Gram Matenga

Interesting statistics from the recently published State of Democracy Assessment in Sierra Leone, hardly discussed by policy and development leaders, indicate: Only 2% of Sierra Leone's elected MPs are under 30 years, even though young people constitute nearly 40% of the country’s population. Is it because the estimated cost of running a public office is USD 20,000 before campaigning, rallies and logistics? This is not just a barrier but a wall for the effective participation of young people in political and public life. The State of Democracy in Sierra Leone 2025 Report documents what participation looks like in practice beyond the headline voter turnout figures Read it here: idea.int/publications/c… #SierraLeone #YouthInPolitics #Democracy #Governance #Representation #AfricaDemocracy

As part of the EU-Lesotho-funded Inclusive Lesotho Project, International IDEA met with the Independent Electoral Commission of Lesotho (IEC). Led by Gram Matenga, Regional Head of Programmes, the delegation engaged with the newly appointed Commissioners and the Acting Director of Elections. The visit reinforced the strong partnership between International IDEA and the IEC and reaffirmed International IDEA’s commitment to supporting Lesotho’s electoral processes. Discussions centred on enhancing collaboration to strengthen institutional capacity and protect electoral integrity. The Commissioners expressed their firm commitment to working with International IDEA to advance credible, transparent, and inclusive elections in Lesotho.

Honourable Halifa Sallah highlights the two critical dimensions to this work, the inter-party and intra-party processes. We must also ensure that female candidates are equipped with strong civic education to effectively participate and lead. #WPPRGambia #Inclusivepolitics

Day 2 kicks off with a high-level panel of party leaders confronting commitments, challenges, and policy shifts needed to advance gender balance in politics. Our goal: more women candidates, enforceable quotas, and increased financial support for female candidates. #WPPRGambia

For us @IDEA_Africa, inclusion means everyone can participate equally and in dignity. At this conference, inclusion goes beyond words: we provide local language interpretation, sign language, & brailled materials. Everyone deserves to take part in this meaningful conversation.

Preparations are well underway for the National Conference on Women’s Political Participation and Representation. 🗓️ 15 - 16 December 2025 👫🏾 200+ Stakeholders 📍SDKJ International Conference Centre #WPPRGambia #InclusivePolitics #DemocracyForAll

On 12 December 2025, International IDEA signed a Host Country Agreement with the Government of the Kingdom of Lesotho. This marks a significant step in deepening our partnership to strengthen electoral processes, political participation, governance reforms, and inclusion.

Happening today Dec 9, 2025. International IDEA’s Africa and West Asia Regional Office is briefing @Int_IDEA Member States at the Embassy of Switzerland in Addis Ababa! @SwissAddisAbaba

🧵2/2 Discussions also explored the 2025 electoral processes and participation trends, the evolving constitutional landscape in Africa, climate security linkages, and @Int_IDEA's engagement with the AU and RECs. @SwissAddisAbaba

This is big. The final U.S. National Security Strategy was just published and the refocus on the Western Hemisphere (i.e. the Americas) is confirmed. The document clearly establishes this as the U.S.'s number 1 priority, saying that the U.S. will now "assert and enforce a 'Trump Corollary' to the Monroe Doctrine." In terms of military presence, they write that this means "a readjustment of our global military presence to address urgent threats in our Hemisphere, and away from theaters whose relative import to American national security has declined in recent decades or years." On China, a couple of points. The most striking aspect to me is that China is NOT anymore defined as "the" primary threat, "most consequential challenge," "pacing threat," or similar formulations used in previous such documents. It's clearly downgraded as a priority. Based on the document's structure and emphasis, the top U.S. priorities could be characterized as: 1) Homeland security and borders (migration, cartels, etc.) 2) Western Hemisphere (Monroe Doctrine restoration) 3) Economic security (reindustrialization, supply chains) 4) China and Indo-Pacific To be clear they don't define China as an ally or a partner in any shape or form but primarily as 1) an economic competitor, 2) a source of supply chain vulnerabilities (but also a trading partner) and 3) a player who regional dominance should be "ideally" denied because it "has major implications for the U.S. economy." Interestingly, I believe for the first time ever, they mention the possibility of being overmatched militarily by China: - They write that "deterring a conflict over Taiwan, ideally by preserving military overmatch, is a priority": "ideally" clearly means that it's ideal, but not necessarily a given. The fact that they call deterring conflict over Taiwan merely "a priority" also suggests, by definition, that it's no more a top strategic priority, or a vital interest. - On Taiwan they also clearly imply that if the U.S.'s "First Island Chain allies" don't "step up and spend - and more importantly do - much more for collective defense", then there might be "a balance of forces so unfavorable to us as to make defending that island impossible." They still maintain that "the United States does not support any unilateral change to the status quo in the Taiwan Strait" but, clearly, there's a widening gap between what the US says it opposes and what it's actually willing to do about it. Interestingly as well, contrary to previous such document, there is zero ideological dimension in the document when it comes to China. No "democracy vs. autocracy" framing, no "rules-based international order" to defend, no values-based crusade. China is treated as a practical issue to be managed, not an ideological adversary to be defeated. In fact the document explicitly mentions, I think for the first time ever as well, that US policy is now: - "not grounded in traditional, political ideology" - that they "seek good relations and peaceful commercial relations with the nations of the world without imposing on them democratic or other social change that differs widely from their traditions and histories" - and that they seek "good relations with nations whose governing systems differ from ours." Which is quite a stunning departure from the rhetoric of the past few decades. We all knew this but it's now amply clear that the era of missionary liberal internationalism in US foreign policy is dead and buried. The competition with China is primarily described in economic terms, explicitly so: they write the competition is about "winning the economic future" and that economics are "the ultimate stakes." Notably, they admit that the tariffs approach "that began in 2017" when it comes to China essentially failed because "China adapted" and has "strengthened its hold on supply chains." The new strategy, as described in the document, is to build an economic coalition against China that can exert more leverage than the US economy alone - a tacit admission that America just isn't powerful enough on its own anymore. The contradiction is however obvious: unclear how you build an economic coalition against China while simultaneously waging trade wars against your coalition partners, demanding they shoulder more of their own defense, and treating every allied relationship as a deal to be renegotiated in America's favor. At some point these "allies" will be asking a very obvious question: why sacrifice our economic interests to prop up an America that can no longer compete on its own - and that offers us less and less in return? The document can be found here: whitehouse.gov/wp-content/upl…

“Africa should not just be a consumer of technology — we can shape AI in ways that reflect our democratic aspirations.” — International IDEA Regional Head of Programmes, Gram Matenga (@MatengaG), speaking at the 27th ECF-SADC Conference in Eswatini.

ANAMALALA AFRICA: The Movement Power Tried to Crush and the Continent That Has Refused to Yield. diasporatimeskenya.com/anamalala-afri…

📢 SAVE THE DATE!!! @Int_IDEA and Partners will be organising a Two-Day National Conference on Women’s Political Participation & Representation in The #Gambia. 🗓️ 15 - 16 December 2025 👫🏾 200+ Stakeholders 📍@SDKJ_Center #WPPRGambia #InclusivePolitics #DemocracyForAll

Democracy in Africa and U.S. Policy cnas.org/publications/r… via @CNASdc

#LetFreedomSing If you steal , please do not come to the religious platforms and seek to offer products of unlawful and dishonest gain as blessings from God or whoever you believe in . Around Some things...please have shame , fear , reverence, or just a little bit of self-restraint .Huge amounts of power or wealth do not cure your lack of knowledge and understanding

"Gender equality is not a women’s issue, it is a societal imperative. Men must move from passive support to active engagement in advancing women’s leadership." Gram @MatengaG speaking at the 2-Day Dialogue on #MaleEngagement in promoting #GenderEquality

Earlier today @Drsharamo led a delegation to meet H.E. @Bankole_Adeoye to deepen our strategic partnership with the AU AUC DPAPS, and discuss key interventions supported by @EUtoAU and upcoming support from @NorwayAU. Together, we remain committed to advancing democracy in Africa

Here are five ways to protect your team's energy and maintain productivity despite difficult co-workers. trib.al/l5jNhfM

We had an inspiring time in Namibia, exchanging ideas and strategies to advance women’s representation in politics. From discussing legislated quotas to supporting women candidates, together, we’re building knowledge and momentum to #BoostHerVoice and ensure gender parity.