The year 2020 has been quite a challenging year for many as the COVID-19 pandemic affected many aspects of everyday life. For this edition of ANFREL's newsletter e-Bulletin, we highlight our activities and programs not just for the last quarter of 2020 but our journey throughout the year.

The Asian Network for Free Elections would like to express our gratitude to our network and partners for the support and trust that would not have made our engagements possible.

From October to December 2020, we have continue our long-term engagement in Myanmar with various election stakeholders in time for the 2020 Myanmar General Elections. ANFREL conducted an international election observation mission and has released our interim report (EN|MM). Our final comprehensive report will be published in the first quarter of 2021.

We were also able to observe select provinces in Thailand for the 2020 Thai Provincial Administration Organization elections, the first local elections since the military-led coup took over the civilian government in 2014.

Meanwhile, ANFREL loss a dear friend and colleague with the passing of Mohammad Yousuf Rasheed, the executive director of the Free & Fair Election Forum of Afghanistan (FEFA) on 23 December 2020. He was targeted for his long-standing commitment and hard work to achieve real democracy in the country. ANFREL and a number of civil society organizations have condemned the attack and urged authorities to bring those responsible to justice. He will be dearly missed.

As we embark on another year, we look forward to a year of hope, courage, and renewed commitment towards advancing electoral democracy in Asia.

To know more about ANFREL news and updates, visit ANFREL Newsletter e-Bulletin (October-December 2020).