§ John BarrettTo ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what assessment he has made of the report of the Rwandan National Electoral Commission, with particular reference to the shortfall in funding for conducting the August presidential and September parliamentary elections. [126844]
§ Hilary BennWe support the Government of Rwanda and the National Election Commission's plans for the forthcoming presidential and parliamentary elections, They are important landmarks in the reconstruction of Rwanda.
For some time DFID has been working with both the NEC and a group of donors, chaired by United Nations Development Programme, exploring ways to best support the NEC's ambitious strategic plan. A multi-donor basket fund is to be set up, and early indications are that the resources can be found to implement the plan. We will support this and hope to decide the nature of our contribution shortly.