Last Updated on Friday, 9 May 2025, 18:22 by Writer
The United Kingdom (UK) is funding a £750,000 (US$997,825.71) project, which would be implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), to help the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) hold elections that meet international standards, the three entities said in a joint statement on Friday.
“This partnership underscores the importance of international cooperation in bolstering national systems through the application of global best practices tailored to Guyana’s unique political and cultural context.
Building on the lessons learnt during previous electoral cycles, there is strong commitment and renewed emphasis on fostering transparency, trust, and inclusive participation in the electoral process,” the UNDP, British High Commission and GECOM said.
The money would be used to enhance institutional capacity and strengthen electoral processes ahead of the 2025 General and Regional Elections in Guyana.
The Electoral Support Project will provide high-level technical assistance, international expertise and best practices to support GECOM’s core activities in administering elections that meet international standards, the UN agency said.
The project is designed to support both the immediate and longer-term needs of GECOM in managing the 2025 electoral cycle and will continue through to March 2026.
The key objectives of the project are:
- Technical Support for 2025 Elections: Deployment of senior international electoral experts, who will be based within GECOM, to provide technical advice and support to strengthen processes such as communications, operations and logistics, etc., for the preparation, management, and conduct of the elections.
- Capacity Building: Institutional strengthening of GECOM’s operational systems, human resources, and technical capacity for sustainable electoral administration.
- Improved Communications and Stakeholder Engagement: Enhancing public information strategies and fostering more inclusive engagement among electoral stakeholders to promote transparency and trust.
Through this collaboration, partners reaffirm their commitment to supporting and enhancing Guyana’s electoral processes and procedures and fostering social cohesion.
In welcoming the launch of the project, British High Commissioner, Jane Miller noted “The UK is pleased to contribute to efforts that support Guyana’s electoral processes in line with international best practices. This project reflects the continued UK-Guyana partnership to strengthen institutions and promote good governance.”
Speaking on the significance of the initiative, UNDP Resident Representative a.i., Berdi Berdiyev emphasized that the project represents a strategic investment in strengthening democratic governance in Guyana.
He noted that “the project aligns with key priorities of UNDP’s Country Programme Document 2022–2026 to strengthen mechanisms that support transparent and effective democratic processes and positively contributes to achievement of the SDGs (United Nations Sustainable Development Goals) on partnerships, peace, justice and strong institutions.”
GECOM Chairperson, Retired Justice Claudette Singh emphasized that “support through strategic partnerships is always welcomed, particularly from institutions that stand on the pillars of governance, democracy and rule of law – which aligns to GECOM’s constitutional mandate for the execution of free, fair and transparent elections in Guyana.”
GECOM has over the years been criticised for delivering election results too late and failing to interact with the media sufficiently.
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