The African Union is emerging as a prominent actor in election assistance and observation. Considering the continued centrality of the electoral process to democracy-building efforts in Africa, African continental and regional organisations are increasingly monitoring elections and taking the lead in election observation processes across the continent. This paper contributes to the African agency literature by showing how agency is operationalised and implemented through international election observation. Focusing on Malawi’s recent electoral history (2004–2020), this paper argues that the African Union is institutionalising its election observation protocols and challenging the dominant position of western international actors, through enacting the role and agency of continental and regional actors. It critically assesses the African Union’s ability to undertake these efforts and how it has addressed elections, and the politics surrounding them.

非洲联盟正在成为选举援助和观察方面的重要参与者。考虑到选举进程在非洲民主建设努力中仍然占据中心地位，非洲大陆和区域组织越来越多地监测选举并在整个非洲大陆的选举观察进程中发挥带头作用。本文通过展示机构如何通过国际选举观察来运作和实施，为非洲机构文献做出了贡献。本文重点关注马拉维最近的选举历史（2004-2020），认为非洲联盟正在将其选举观察协议制度化，并通过发挥大陆和区域行为体的作用和机构来挑战西方国际行为体的主导地位。