The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) awarded its new elections and parliamentary strengthening project in Timor-Leste on July 1, 2016.  USAID welcomes its new partner of the Consortium for Elections and Political Process Strengthening (CEPPS), who will implement USAID’s Strengthening Inclusive Elections and Political Processes Project over the next three years (June 1, 2016 to May 31, 2019).

USAID’s new project is working to build electoral bodies capacity to foster inclusive participation in the electoral process; support domestic and international stakeholders to conduct oversight of Timor-Leste’s 2017 elections; work with political parties to design and conduct inclusive, issue-based campaigns; and the capacity of the National Parliament to more fully undertake its constitutional roles.

The CEPPS partners, International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), the International Republican Institute (IRI) and the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI) closely coordinated their Marking Plans to maximize the impact of USAID’s assistance to Timor-Leste during the program.

The CEPPS partners will work in collaboration to address USAID’s objectives for the Strengthening Inclusive Elections and Political Processes in Timor-Leste program. Specifically, CEPPS/IFES will take the lead on providing technical support to the election management bodies (EMB) and support to civil society to conduct voter and civic education efforts. CEPPS/IRI will take the lead on the international election observation mission, pre and post-election political party support, and support to the National Parliament through training workshops and support to a local NGO to conduct oversight efforts. 

USAID’s Strengthening Inclusive Elections and Political Processes, will focus on training and deploying domestic observers through a sub-award to a local NGO and will provide both long-distance and in-country technical assistance through a senior debate specialist from CEPPS/NDI’s long-time partner the U.S.-based Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) to assist the CNE and other potential partners to organize nationally broadcast presidential debates.