On Monday at the residence of Prime Minister Joseph Jouthe, the signing ceremony of a draft document on the protocol of technical and financial support to the electoral process took place between the Head of Government and Fernando Hiraldo, Permanent Representative of the Program of United Nations for Development (UNDP) in Haiti, in the presence of Mathias Pierre, Minister Delegate to the Prime Minister's Office in charge of electoral issues and relations with political parties and of the UNDP Technical Advisor Amor Boubakri as well as members of the Provisional Electoral Council (CEP).

With this signature, which follows its request to the United Nations, the Haitian Government undertakes, in accordance with the wishes of President Jovenel Moïse, to the holding in 2021 of democratic, transparent and free elections.

"This agreement allows Haiti to pay the first 20 million US dollars, the first contribution to the basket fund [common fund managed by the UNDP] for the conduct of the referendum and elections for the renewal of political staff, based on the principle elected officials must replace elected officials," Minister Mathias Pierre clarified on his official Twitter account.

"[...] Pending the contribution of our technical and financial partners, this Basket fund will be supplied by funds from the Public Treasury", Prime Minister Jouthe specified.

This agreement, which confirms United Nations support for the next elections in Haiti, will allow UNDP through the Office of Nations for Project Support Services (UNOPS) to provide technical support to the CEP for the referendum and the elections which will be organized during the year. This support should make it possible, among other things : to ensure the training of electoral system agents, to facilitate the transport of materials to the various points of the country and to secure sensitive electoral materials (ballot boxes, ballot papers, electoral registers and non- sensitive).

The Prime Minister took the opportunity to salute the work of the CEP, which, in a difficult context, managed to draw up an electoral calendar https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-32719-haiti-flash-complete-calendar-of-all-electoral-operations-2020-2022-official.html

HL/ HaitiLibre