USAID Equipment Donation to Help
Constituent Assembly Registration, Vote

March 10, 2007

The U.S. Mission to Nepal, through USAID’s Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI), has provided more than $200,000 in technical equipment to Nepal’s Election Commission to support a successful voter registration campaign and timely Constituent Assembly elections, a senior U.S. diplomat said today.

Henrietta H. Fore, Under Secretary of State for Management, made the announcement at a brief ceremony at the Election Commission in Kathmandu, where she presented a deed of equipment donation to Chief Election Commissioner Bhojraj Pokharel.   Under Secretary Fore was in Nepal today and Friday to review developments in Nepal and visit the new U.S. Embassy, which is being readied to open this summer.

“The United States is convinced that a legitimate and inclusive election process is critical to moving the peace process forward in Nepal,” the senior diplomat said.

Since 1999, USAID/Nepal, the humanitarian and development assistance arm of the U.S. Mission to Nepal,  has supported programs strengthening elections processes, including support to the Election Commission to strengthen its capacity to credibly plan, manage, and conduct national and local elections that conform to international standards and best practices. Among other achievements, the program, effective in more than 30 districts, resulted in increased awareness of election procedures and the electoral process among district election officials, local political party and civic leaders, and general voters.

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Note:  A text of Under Secretary Fore’s statement is attached.

                                                         
 
The U.S. Government, through USAID, extends assistance from the American people to peoples of other countries struggling to build better lives. This support ranges from helping to recover from a natural disaster to working to create a free and democratic nation. For 56 years, USAID/Nepal has provided assistance to the people of Nepal in the areas of conflict mitigation and peace building, democracy and governance, health and family planning, economic growth, and disaster and humanitarian aid.