Beirut, 20 May 2022: The Government of Germany and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have signed a new partnership agreement to further support the parliamentary and the municipal electoral processes in Lebanon. The funding assistance of 1.5 million Euros by the Government of Germany will support electoral management bodies in the procurement of electoral materials and services and for the organization and conduct of post-parliamentary elections activities as well as for the upcoming municipal elections taking place in May 2023.

In the wake of the Lebanese parliamentary elections which took place on May 15, additional needs have been identified by the electoral management bodies in terms of technical and operational support. The current funding assistance by the Government of Germany will ensure the procurement of some electoral materials, equipment and software, including support to the results management system. In preparation for the municipal elections, the contribution by the Government of Germany will cover the procurement of some of the electoral materials, equipment, and software required for the implementation of the operational and logistics plan.

“The conduct of elections in the midst of a profound crisis speaks to the resilience of the Lebanese people. But the preliminary findings of electoral observers show that widespread irregularities remain a major challenge. Germany is therefore delighted to partner with UNDP in helping to improve the electoral process at the national and municipal level”, said Andreas Kindl, German Ambassador to Lebanon.

Based on the request from the Ministry of Interior and Municipalities, UNDP has been supporting elections in Lebanon since 2004, covering assistance to the 2016 municipal elections and the 2018 parliamentary elections during the first electoral cycle. In the current electoral cycle, UNDP with funds from the EU, USAID, Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie, and now Germany, provides technical assistance and expert advice to the electoral management bodies. The technical assistance consists mostly of support to the electoral process covering; voter and candidates’ registration, voter education and training of polling officials, operations room support, electoral hotline management as well as the promotion of an inclusive electoral process that covers women, youth and persons with disabilities. For the preparation and organization of the 2022 parliamentary elections, UNDP also supported in the procurement of electoral materials such as: indelible ink, ballot boxes, polling booths, and various items required for elections day.

“We are delighted to partner with Germany for the support of the electoral process in Lebanon. Working throughout the electoral cycle and preparing for the municipal elections is very important to help in increasing public trust in the electoral administration and the process itself. By working together, we aim to strengthen institutions and processes for the conduct of transparent and inclusive elections in Lebanon”, said Melanie Hauenstein, UNDP Resident Representative.

UNDP’s largest government contributor since 2017, Germany is an indispensable and vital partner in UNDP’s mission to end extreme poverty, reduce inequality, build resilience to crisis and shocks and accelerate structural transformations to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. In Lebanon, UNDP with the support of Germany is working on supporting host communities, peacebuilding and conflict resolution, democratic governance as well as support to Palestinian gatherings.

For more information, please contact

Rana Moughabghab |rana.moughabghab@undp.org | +961 81146841
 

About the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP):

UNDP is the leading United Nations organization fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and planet.