Gaborone: The President of Botswana, Duma Gideon Boko, praised on Thursday in Gaborone the role of the SADC Electoral Commissions Forum (ECF) in strengthening citizens' trust in democratic processes and political stability in the region. According to Angola Press News Agency, a press release accessed by Angola Press News Agency, it was expressed during an audience that the statesman granted to the Chairman of the Angolan National Electoral Commission (CNE) and the ECF-SADC, Manuel Pereira da Silva, accompanied by members of the organization's Executive Committee and Secretariat. On the occasion, the Head of State of Botswana praised the role played by the ECF-SADC in promoting regional cooperation between electoral bodies. He also encouraged the organization to continue its efforts to strengthen democratic institutions in Southern Africa. Duma Gideon Boko went on to highlight the importance of the forum for deepening citizens' trust in electoral processes and maintaining the political stability of SADC mem ber states. On behalf of the ECF-SADC, the President of the South African Electoral Commission and head of the Executive Committee, Mosotho Moepya, stated that it was a singular honor and a deep privilege for the Forum President, Manuel Pereira da Silva, to lead the delegation on this historic courtesy visit. The Executive Committee leadership also conveyed its warmest institutional greetings to President Duma Gideon Boko and expressed deep gratitude for the availability in granting this audience to the Forum of SADC Electoral Commissions. Mosotho Moepya emphasized that the visit represents the first formal high-level meeting between the executive leadership of the Government of Botswana and the ECF-SADC, constituting a timely renewal of the deep institutional ties that bind the Forum to this important member state of the region. The Chairman of the Executive Committee also congratulated President Duma Gideon Boko on his election and investiture as the 6th President of Botswana, following the historic Gen eral Elections held in Oct 2024. He added that the visit is, above all, an opportunity to celebrate, on behalf of the 15 Electoral Management Bodies of the SADC region, the democratic values that guide regional cooperation. In the audience granted by the leader of Botswana, the Chair of the Angola Electoral National Commission and of the ECF-SADC, Manuel Pereira da Silva, was accompanied by the vice-president of the Forum and head of the Independent Electoral Commission of the DRC, the president of the Electoral Commission of South Africa, in his capacity as leader of the Executive Committee, the Executive Secretary, among other entities. Also on Thursday, Manuel Pereira da Silva, worked at the headquarters of the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) of Botswana, with a view to strengthening institutional ties between the Electoral Management Bodies of the Southern African region. On the same day, he also met with members of the Executive Committee and the Secretariat of the SADC Forum of Electoral Comm issions, learning about the functioning of the regional organization. During the consultation meeting, issues related to the functioning of the Secretariat and the Executive Committee of the Forum were also addressed, as well as matters linked to strengthening the institutional capacities of the electoral bodies of the SADC member states, aiming at consolidating democratic electoral governance in the region.