Japanese Government provides funds to support STAE in the electoral activities

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Japanese Government provides funds to support STAE in the electoral activities

The Government of Japan held a signing ceremony on 24 September 2009 at Technical Secretariat for Electoral Administration (STAE) for the Project for Strengthening Voter Education Activities for Community Leaders Elections 2009 in Timor-Leste.

The Government of Japan will support the Timorese voters in the coming Community Elections on 9 October with a contribution of a total of 57,760 US dollars under the Grant Assistance for Grass-roots Human Security Project (GGP).

As happened in previous electoral processes in Timor-Leste, the Government of Japan will support some crucial electoral areas such as Voter Education and Public Information through the bilateral cooperation.

The Government of Japan had a very important role in the previous Community Leaders Elections in 2004/2005 and in the General Elections in 2007, by providing funds to STAE to support voter education materials and activities, in order to inform and explain the voters the electoral process and procedures, which will contribute to promote the participation of more voters in the electoral process leading to a peaceful and democratic elections 2009.

Present in the signing ceremony was H.E. Mr. Iwao Kitahara, Ambassador of Japan to Timor-Leste and Mr. Tomas do Rosario Cabral, Director of STAE. Ambassador Kitahara stated that was with great pleasure that the Government of Japan will be able to support voter education activities to enforce democracy for people of Timor-Leste. In addition, He also stated that the Japanese Embassy staff will have a direct participation at the Election Day, on the 9 of October as electoral observers. He also extended that he sincerely hoped this project would serve to further strengthen the relationship between the people of Timor-Leste and the people of Japan.