UNITAR Online Catalogue
Election Officers Workshop on the UN Organs
Multilateral Diplomacy
Background
The Election Officers Workshop is an annual training event organized by UNITAR, designed to build capacity among diplomatic staff at Permanent Missions to the United Nations. The workshop takes place on 6 May 2026, 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM, at UNHQ (conference room TBC). This workshop targeted for Election Officers aims to cover two main topics: 1) overview of principal UN organs and elections conducted by the General Assembly for members of the other principal organs, its subsidiary organs and other bodies as well as 2) rules and procedures related to elections and voting at the UN Economic and Social Council and subsidiary organs.
6 May 2026
10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Venue TBC
Event Objectives
The workshop aims to equip Election Officers at Permanent Missions with the technical knowledge and practical tools needed to navigate UN electoral processes — covering both the General Assembly and ECOSOC election frameworks, as well as the digital systems that support them.
Content and Structure
The workshop runs across three sessions.
Session I covers the landscape of UN organ elections — how the General Assembly elects members to principal organs, subsidiary bodies, and other entities. Session II drills into the specific rules and procedures governing ECOSOC elections to its subsidiary and related bodies. Session III, the most expanded element compared to 2025, shifts from institutional mechanics to practical strategy — focusing on how to run successful election campaigns in a digital environment, anchored by peer insights from Election Officers from Lebanon and Slovenia. The programme closes with open Q&A.
Targeted Audience
Election Officers at Permanent Missions to the United Nations — diplomats responsible for managing their country's candidatures and electoral campaigns across UN bodies. The expanded programme and the new digital campaigning session suggest the 2026 edition is designed to serve both newer officers building foundational knowledge and more experienced practitioners looking to sharpen their campaign strategy.