KABUL - To discuss preparations for parliamentary and district elections, President Ghani met with Mr. Tadamichi Yamamoto, the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan.

“The National Unity Government is fully committed to electoral reform and to holding free and fair parliamentary and district elections,” President Ghani told the UN envoy and others in attendance. “We will pursue electoral reform with full respect to parliament’s role.”

The National Unity Government’s Chief Executive, Abdullah Abdullah, along with other government officials and several ambassadors representing Afghanistan’s international partners, participated in the meeting.

During the meeting, the UN envoy said he welcomed the efforts by the National Unity Government to make progress on holding elections. The UN Special Representative, along with other members of the diplomatic community, expressed support to the government’s efforts to hold elections, and asked the government to outline a realistic timeline.

President Ghani expressed gratitude for the support, and said he has assigned working groups to prepare for the financial and security aspects of the elections. He announced the allocation of US$10 million from the Afghan budget to assist with preparations.

“I welcome your continued support so that we can move swiftly once parliament adopts the electoral law, hopefully next week,” the president said to those in attendance.

Mr. Yamamoto told the president that the United Nations is fully prepared to support an Afghan-owned and Afghan-led elections process, and stands ready to assist at the request of the government.

Those in attendance agreed to meet regularly to review progress and preparations.