DILI, 17 march 2022 (TATOLI)-The National Elections Commission (CNE) and the United Nation Development Programme (UNDP) announced the official launching of the CNE ‘s National Tabulation Center & Digital Transformation Platform were developed in cooperation with the UNDP COVID – Resilient Elections in Timor – Leste (CORE- TL) Project in order to improve the capacity of Electoral Management Bodies (EMBs) to deliver electoral information efficiently and effectively during the upcoming elections.
The new digital information platform is expected to improve access to more than 10,000 citizens to fair and accurate information on election and COVID prevention measures.
“The upcoming election is going to be carried out under the pandemic situation. Effective communication is critical for the elections, we must ensure to provide enough information to voters and polling staff to prevent COVID- 19,” the UNDP Resident Representative Munkhtuya Altangerel made a comment to reporters in CNE ‘s office Cai- Coli, Colmera, Dili, on this thursday
“The National Tabulation Centre & the Digital Transformation Platform are significant systems in which all citizens have access to important information on elections and COVID- 19,’’ added.
At the same place, Ambassador of Japan in Timor–Leste Masami Kinefuchi expressed “Fair elections are the basis of democracy. This is why Japan has been supporting the election in Timor-Leste for more than 20 years since the referendum in 1999″.
“We are proud of our continuous assistance. The 2022 Presidential Election is the first election to be held under the pandemic, and different preparations are required in order to respond to the COVID–19 situation. Considering that, Japan decided to support on the UNDP Covid- Resilient Election in Timor – Leste (CORE- TL) project, funded USD 4 million from the people of Japan’’ he proud.
Meanwhile, the President of the National Elections Commission, José Agustinho Belo, on behalf of the Government of Timor–Leste thanked the donation from the people of Japan through its Embassy in Timor–Leste and to UNDP which always working together with CNE in running the 2022 Presidential elections by supporting the technical assistance and logistic to CNE during this time.
“We hope that CNE National Tabulation Center & Digital Transformation Platform Event, CNE will ensure the fair and transparency elections, CNE will also utilize this material to transform the information about the 2022 Presidential elections to the public and CNE also will ready to receive the constructive input to improve the 2022 Presidential elections success,’’ the President of CNE, José Belo said.
Under the agreement between the UNDP and CNE, the CORE- TL Project support the Commission with various activities, namely CNE’s Website update including the latest COVID- 19 information, 10 computer supply to the National Tabulation Center, a seminar on electoral education to 100 first time voters by Universidade Nacional Timor Loro Sa’e (UNTL) and Waseda University in Japan, and Staff training on COVID- 19 prevention in elections conducted.
All activities of the UNDP CORE – TL project are funded by the Government of Japan, in pursuit of the COVID – Resilient, informed, and inclusive elections at the national and municipal levels.
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Journalist: Camilio de Sousa
Editor : Rafy Belo
