KABUL - The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) welcomes the completion of the third phase of the country’s voter registration top-up exercise, with an additional three million Afghans now registered to take part in next year’s Presidential and Provincial Council elections.

The Independent Election Commission (IEC) of Afghanistan has reported that, overall, 3,007,668 people have been registered in the three phases of the top-up exercise so far. Of this total, more than a third are women voters.

The ongoing top-up exercise supplements previous registration exercises by issuing voter cards to those who are newly eligible, have moved location or returned to Afghanistan, and who have lost their cards - ensuring an inclusive franchise for the 2014 polls. The third phase was conducted at the district level and was completed on 11 November.

The registration exercise is expected to continue at the provincial level until shortly before election day on 5 April.

Afghan-led and Afghan-managed elections are at the very heart of the country’s political transition, and UNAMA reiterates the importance of public participation in order to ensure transparent, credible and inclusive elections.

UNAMA reaffirms its commitment to support the elections at the request of Afghan authorities and institutions as mandated by the UN Security Council.