In recent years, a debate has emerged among those who view democracy assistance programs as too idealistic and those who view them as too bellicose, conflated with regime change and nation-building, as in Iraq or Afghanistan. In the latest issue of the Harvard International Review, NDI President Kenneth Wollack looks at both sides of the debate and offers a third possibility — that democracy assistance continues to advance U.S.

Noting the flaws in Afghanistan’s electoral system and tensions resulting from allegations of fraud and other irregularities, NDI called for a formal and comprehensive review of the country’s electoral system that would lead to reforms. Unless such actions are taken, public confidence in Afghan elections and governance will continue to erode, the Institute said.

The 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement that ended Sudan's civil war gives Southern Sudanese the opportunity to vote next January on whether they want to secede from the north and create their own country. The credibility of this historic election will depend in part on thorough and professional election observation during the pre-, post- and election day periods to help ensure that the referendum is carried out in a transparent way.