Prime Minister Kevin Rudd today announced Australia will provide $5 million to support the 2009/2010 Afghanistan elections.
The Prime Minister made the announcement after returning from his visit to Tarin Kowt in the Oruzgan province, where he met Australian personnel on deployment to Afghanistan.
The Australian Government will provide $3 million to the United Nations Development Program to help the Afghanistan Independent Election Commission (AIEC) build a national voter registration campaign which will sign up more than 2 million new voters.
Further, the Government will provide $2 million towards the Asia Foundation's work with the AIEC and civil society partners to implement electoral education and public outreach programs in Afghanistan.
The 2009 Presidential and Provincial Council elections and the 2010 Parliamentary elections are crucial to international efforts to help build a stable and democratic Afghanistan.
It is vitally important that efforts continue to strengthen democratic governance and to promote economic development in Afghanistan, to build on the successes of Australia's troops and other security forces.
For the elections to be considered free, fair and credible, the international community needs to ensure that the Afghanistan Independent Election Commission is sufficiently resourced.
Ensuring there is broad and equitable participation by all Afghans, including women and displaced persons, is critically important for building the legitimacy and credibility of the election process.
The Asia Foundation had been helping to deliver Australia's assistance to the AIEC since 2005 through:
* Providing short-term training of staff at the Australian Electoral Commission;
* Running an observation mission to the 2007 Australian federal elections; and,
* Providing direct support to AIEC offices.
The Australian Government, through the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID), will continue to provide assistance to Afghanistan in partnership with the Afghanistan Government.
In 2008-09, AusAID will provide an estimated $62 million of much needed development assistance to Afghanistan.