USAID & IFES Announce New Support for Liberia’s National Elections Commission (NEC)
USAID & IFES Announce New Support for Liberia’s National Elections Commission (NEC)- October 27, 2009
USAID-Liberia has awarded a five-year US$17.5 million grant to the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) for the conduct of the 2011 Liberian presidential and general elections and beyond to 2014. The grant will support programs whose overall goal will be to build sustained election management capacity and operations in Liberia. The programs will consist of multiple types of support to Liberia’s National Elections Commission (NEC) to conduct complex election-related exercises such as setting constituency boundaries according to the 2008 population census, conducting referenda on constitutional and electoral laws, voter registration, and civic education over the next couple years leading up to 2011.
The new programs also include comprehensive capacity-building for all NEC officials in every department, including the 19 electoral magistrate offices throughout Liberia. This award affirms US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's announcement of support for the NEC during her recent visit to Liberia.
Announcement of United States’ new support to Liberia’s NEC was made at a joint press conference Tuesday, October 27, at the Commission’s Media Center at its headquarters in Sinkor, Monrovia. Participating in the press conference were NEC Chairman James Fromayan, IFES-World President, William “Bill” Sweeney, IFES Regional Director for West Africa, Almami Cyllah, USAID–Liberia’s Acting Mission Director, Carolyn “Teddy” Brian, and Democracy and Governance Lead Officer, Sean Hall.
IFES President Bill Sweeney speaking at the occasion said, “It is a pleasure to resume our work in Liberia and to once again collaborate with the National Elections Commission;” adding, “IFES is committed to democracy in Liberia and to helping the country continue to make strides in developing its democratic systems, institutions and processes.”
US Ambassador to Liberia, Linda Thomas Greenfield said, “We look forward to working on this renewed partnership with Liberia’s National Elections Commission through IFES, and in cooperation with other international partners, notably the UN. Adding, “I said renewed because this support is a continuation of training and technical assistance provided on behalf of the American people to the NEC since 2004.”
Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield further noted that much progress has been made and this assistance will consolidate the NEC as a Liberian institution of good governance, expanding its capacity to fulfill its non-partisan and independent mandate to conduct voter education and free and fair elections all over Liberia.
USAID-Liberia is also providing support through UNDP for the upcoming November 10, 2009 senatorial by-election in Montserrado County to enable the NEC conduct public information outreach and prepare polling station materials for smooth operations on Election Day. In March 2010, USAID’s Liberia Community Infrastructure Program (LCIP) will hand over the new headquarters of the NEC currently under construction through another grant, valued at over US$2 million from the American people.