The United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID), and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), have agreed to continue to jointly support Nigeria’s electoral processes.
Already, the two agencies have amended a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to extend their joint funding of the country’s electoral processes through 2020, with an increased contribution from the DFID.
An additional £5.5 million pledged by the UK government brings DFID’s contribution to the joint funding plan which started in 2014 to $26 million, said Joe Abuku, the Press and Public Affairs Officer to the British High Commission in Nigeria.
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Mr. Abuku said the amount augments the $36 million provided by USAID since 2014, thus bringing the total funding support for free, fair, transparent, and peaceful Nigerian elections through the joint mechanism to $60 million over six years.
“The amendment update was signed at the U.S. Embassy by USAID Mission Director, Stephen M. Haykin and DFID Governance and Social Development Team Leader Oliver Blake,” a statement by Mr. Abuku indicated.
“It will continue support for programs in election administration, voter education, and nonpartisan civil society domestic election monitoring, for the 2019 elections and the post-election period.”
“Today’s signing is a reminder of the longstanding, shared commitment of the Nigerian, British, and American peoples to promoting democracy, in particular, peaceful and inclusive elections,” Mr. Haykin is quoted to have said at the signing ceremony in Abuja.
