§ 10. Mr. Eric Illsley (Barnsley, Central) (Lab)If he will make a statement on the funding of the proposed elections in Afghanistan. [183364]
§ The Minister for Trade and Investment (Mr. Mike O'Brien)The United Nations estimated total budget for the elections in Afghanistan is £106 million. The United Kingdom contributed £13 million of that. The UN has indicated that voter registration is now fully funded. It is confident that existing pledges from donors will cover the total cost of the election budget.
§ Mr. IllsleyWhen the Foreign Affairs Committee visited Afghanistan in May, we were somewhat surprised to learn that none of the funding that the United Nations had pledged in respect of the Afghan elections had materialised, given that voter registration is lower than was anticipated earlier this year and that the election timetable appears to be slipping. I urge my hon. Friend to put continual pressure on our international partners to ensure that the funding for those important elections materialises.
§ Mr. O'BrienThe UN has indicated that the funding is forthcoming. Not all of it has arrived but we hope that it will. Six million of the 9 to 10 million potential voters are registered in Afghanistan; 38 per cent. are women. The joint elections management board announced on 9 July the separation of the presidential and parliamentary elections. The presidential elections will be held on 9 October and the parliamentary elections will be held separately in spring 2005. The UN advised President Karzai that there was not enough time to organise more complicated parliamentary elections with 2,500 anticipated candidates. It was unrealistic in the time frame. However, we are satisfied that the presidential elections can go ahead and we hope that the parliamentary elections will take place in the spring.