Press Release: Iraq: Commission welcomes provincial elections and announces new €72.6 million assistance package

The European Commission welcomed the holding tomorrow of provincial elections in Iraq, which start an important elections cycle culminating in national legislative elections expected to be held end of 2009. Following a request from Iraq and building on the European Commission’s significant support during the 2005 elections, the Commission mobilized a wide range of instruments to assist Iraq in preparing the provincial elections. €20 million have been provided through the UN to assist the Independent High Electoral Commission for Iraq to strengthen its overall capacity including assistance from external electoral experts, assistance to enhance the role of civil society and support to election observation groups and media monitoring. In addition, the Commission deployed two electoral experts at the Electoral Commission in Baghdad to advise on confidence-enhancing steps during and after the elections. Furthermore, the Commission provided a new assistance package to Iraq of €72.6 million in support of the most vulnerable people and to help build the capacity of the Iraqi administration to provide basic services to the Iraqi citizens.

• Primary Source