- Japan to provide $ 5.9 million to ECP
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will get professional, technical and financial support from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and Japan government to ensure that the General Elections 2018 are fair and transparent.
The funding for long-term assistance will be made by the Japan government and some other international institutions, while the UNDP will execute the electoral support’s process.
In this connection, the Japanese Ambassador to Pakistan Takashi Kurai and Country Director of United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Pakistan Ignacio Artaza signed an agreement here on Wednesday.
Under the agreement, the Japanese government will provide dollar 5.9 million over three years (2017–2020) to support the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), and to further strengthen its capacity to hold elections.
This project will build upon UNDP’s longstanding commitment to developing the capacity of key democratic institutions including provincial and national assemblies and the ECP itself.
The ambassador said, “I believe that both the ECP and UNDP will play their role to make the upcoming election credible and transparent; which surely will be a great achievement of democracy and development for all people of Pakistan.”
“The long-standing partnership between the UNDP, Japan and ECP is instrumental in building a foundation for democratic governance and sustainable, inclusive development in Pakistan,” said Ignacio Artaza.
ECP Secretary Babar Yaqoob Fateh Muhammad said, “With the generous funding from Japan, this project will help build the institutional and technical capacity of the ECP to conduct credible and inclusive elections, enhance participation, especially by young voters and women, and work with UNESCO on building a media landscape in which election proceedings are covered accurately and objectively.”
“The ECP’s successful partnership with the UNDP under its electoral assistance project continues to enhance the professional capacity of the commission’s staff and election officials, in addition to further increase transparency of the process through the use of modern technologies.”
“We are pleased to continue our partnership with UNDP in our effort to conduct free, fair and transparent elections, and to help create an informed and motivated electorate,” the ECP secretary concluded.