COBATEST Steering Committee is pleased to announce the COBATEST Steering Committee Member Elections 2025/2026!
Due to a resignation of a former Steering Committee member, there is currently 1 vacancy in the COBATEST Steering Committee for the 3-year term 2026-2028, starting on 1 February 2026 and ending on 31 December 2028. In accordance with the COBATEST Election Procedure and COBATEST Steering Committee Terms of Reference, the Steering Committee members are directly elected by the COBATEST members. This procedure ensures transparency and fair participation of the network’s members in the decision-making.
To maintain a balance of geographic representation, the call for candidates will be open only to member organization representatives from Eastern Europe and Central Asia, i.e. from one of the following countries not already represented in the Steering Committee: Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Estonia, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, North Macedonia, Russia, Serbia, Tajikistan, and Ukraine. All community-based or civil society organizations within the COBATEST Network are eligible to vote.
The election procedure will start on 18 November 2025 and end on 30 January 2026. It will include the following steps:
- 18 November 2025 – 16 January 2026: The call for candidates is open. There is one vacancy in the COBATEST Steering Committee at this round of elections. Each member organisation can nominate one representative to the Steering Committee (the application process is now open).
- 18 November 2025 – 16 January 2026: Members are invited to pre-register to vote in the elections. Each COBATEST member organisation can assign one person who has the authority to vote (pre-registration is now open).
- 19 January 2026: Candidates’ applications will be shared with the COBATEST member representatives who have pre-registered to vote in the elections. Members of the network will have the opportunity to learn about the candidates.
- 20 January – 27 January 2026. The voting will take place online via an anonymous voting tool. Each organisation will be able to cast one vote.
- 30 January: The Secretariat will share the results of the elections after the Steering Committee confirms them and the newly elected Steering Committee member accepts the seat.
Who can apply?
Steering Committee members attend on a personal title and in recognition of their personal expertise and secondly as representatives of a COBATEST member organisation.
In order to apply, you need to meet the following criteria:
- be committed to the COBATEST Network objectives;
- be affiliated with and selected as a representative of a civil society organisation that
- has been a member of the COBATEST network for at least 6 months;
- actively participates in the network and has submitted testing data at least once in the last 2 years;
- is located in Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA) region, i.e. in one of the following countries not already represented in the Steering Committee: Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Estonia, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, North Macedonia, Russia, Serbia, Tajikistan, and Ukraine;
- have a good working knowledge of English;
How to apply?
- Applications are accepted 18 November 2025 – 16 January 2026.
- The application needs to be completed with a CV, letter of motivation (not longer than 500 words) and a recommendation letter of the COBATEST member organisation represented.
- Applications should be sent to Ismar Hačam at ismar.hacam@aidsactioneurope.org with the subject line “Call for Candidates to the COBATEST Steering Committee 2025/2026”
Who can vote?
All COBATEST member organization is eligible for pre-registration to vote. Each organisation will be able to cast one vote. In order to be able to vote, the member organisation should fit the following criteria:
- be a civil society organisation
and - be pre-registered for voting.
According to the COBATEST Election Procedure, COBATEST member organisations that are part of a National Umbrella Organisation or a National Network are entitled to cast a single joint vote. This applies even if individual member organisations within the Umbrella Organisation or Network report their data separately. The process for determining how the joint vote is cast, is the responsibility of the member organisations within the National Umbrella Organisation or Network.
How to vote?
- Pre-registration for voting is open 18 November 2025 – 16 January 2026
- Each COBATEST member organisation can assign one person who has the authority to vote
- Once the election is open, the assigned person will receive the voting link to the email address entered at pre-registration.
Information about each of the next steps will be announced via email. If you have any questions, please reach out to Ismar Hačam at ismar.hacam@aidsactioneurope.org.
On the COBATEST website, you can find relevant COBATEST Governance documents:
- COBATEST Membership Terms of Reference
- Steering Committee Terms of Reference
- COBATEST Election Procedure
- Guidelines for Decision-Making by the COBATEST Membership
