KABUL - Ján Kubiš, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Afghanistan, met yesterday with the Independent Election Commission (IEC) Chairman Fazl Ahmad Manawi.

They discussed the renewed mandate that the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) received from the United Nations Security Council on 22 March particularly regarding support for the electoral process. At the request of the Afghan authorities, UNAMA will support the organisation of future elections and strengthen, in support of government efforts, the sustainability, integrity and inclusiveness of the electoral process.

The IEC Chairman outlined the IEC’s plans for public consultation on electoral issues with a wide spectrum of stakeholders. Manawi also drew attention to the need to work to strengthen voter registration.

“I plan on being an active partner of the government, the institutions and the civil society of Afghanistan in working to strengthen the integrity of future polls,” stated Mr. Kubiš while acknowledging that the Afghan authorities were in the lead.

Special Representative Kubiš noted the IEC’s suggestions for a new Electoral Law and the IEC’s recent meeting with President Hamid Karzai on these issues.

Electoral planning and preparations are long-term processes. A comprehensive and inclusive approach is vital in working toward the next round of elections as mandated by the Constitution.

The United Nations also provides technical assistance to the IEC through the United Nations Development Programme’s ELECT II capacity building project. This focuses on development of the institutional, technical and operational capacity of the IEC during the period between elections.