The Government of Japan has signed an agreement with UNDP to provide $3 million to the multi-partner programme – Supporting Elections for Ethiopia’s Democracy Strengthening (SEEDS).
The $40 million multi-partner SEEDS programme seeks to strengthen the institutional capacity of the National Electoral Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) to efficiently deliver on its mandate to enhance public trust and confidence in the election process.
The financing agreement was signed by Ambassador Daisuke Matsunaga of Japan and UNDP Ethiopia’s Resident Representative Mr. Turhan Saleh in the presence of the Chairperson of NEBE, Ms. Birtukan Mideksa.
Japan’s financial support will go towards the procurement of ballot boxes and indelible ink markers to avoid double voting, in line with internationally approved standards, to enhance the credibility and transparency of Ethiopia’s election scheduled for 2020.
Ms. Birtukan on the occasion noted that the transparency of the ballet box was symbolic of the commitment of NEBE to ensure a transparent election process that would make everyone proud.
She recalled that in previous elections, Ethiopia had not used transparent ballot boxes and this had been a cause for complaints and suspicions.
Ambassador Daisuke Matsunaga expressed his hope that the upcoming election will help to improve the lives of the Ethiopian people.
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