The National Electoral Board of Ethiopia holds discussions with stakeholders on the upcoming national election
The National Electoral Board of Ethiopia held talks with government stakeholders last week on preparations for the upcoming national elections. During the meeting, ministers from concerned sectors were present and discussions were held on the key collaborations expected from each ministry. The discussion was attended by the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Peace, the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Science and Higher Education and the Central Statistics Authority.
According to the discussion, the Ministry of Finance will release the additional budget required, and provide special assistance to election officials in the procurement and supply of personal protective equipment for covid 19.
The Ministry of Health will evaluate and provide expert advice on measures to be taken by the Board regarding Covid 19, provide professional input to the Board on its preparation of guidelines and statements, provide detailed information on the composition of data on epidemic`s national and regional conditions, and preparing future plans on pandemic vulnerability during election.
The Ministry of Peace will be responsible to set up a joint forum to assess the security risks of the election, create a system for resolving grievances related to the activities of political parties and conduct of law enforcement bodies during the election, providing capacity building trainings, provide the Board with the necessary and up-to-date information and directions for the election operation, and to provide the Board with up-to-date information on the displacement of internally displaced persons.
The Ministry of Defense will be responsible to provide necessary information to establish especial polling stations, provide the necessary logistics and security services, provide special security support for election operations in special areas with security problems.
The Ministry of Science and Higher Education will provide the necessary information regarding voter Registration voting process about students in each institution.
The Central Statistics Authority will provide information that can help for the recruitment and dissemination of election officials, share experiences and information related to polling stations, administrative changes, and new demographics across the country.
On the other hand, the National Electoral Board of Ethiopia has requested the House of Federation for more information and clarification on the request to organize a referendum. These include documents and information that may be used to assess the request and other documents that may be used to make a decision, as well as the needs of the people in each zone and special woreda, or in general. Then the Board will make a decision based on this information.
National Electoral Board of Ethiopia
