Ouagadougou, 10 November 2020 : The Delegation of the European Union in Ouagadougou and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Burkina Faso, represented respectively by Ambassador Wolfram VETTER and Mathieu CIOWELA, signed an agreement on the cost-sharing of implementation of the Support Project for Electoral Processes (PAPE) of Burkina Faso.

The signing of this Contribution Agreement by the two parties will make it possible to contribute 5.9 billion FCFA (9 million euros) to the common basket of the Project to Support the Electoral Processes 2020-2021 in Burkina Faso. Financed from the 11th European Development Fund, this contribution, representing 60% of the UNDP project, aims to consolidate democracy in Burkina Faso through an optimal conduct of the coupled presidential/legislative elections of November 2020 and local (communal and regional) elections of 2021, recognized as free, transparent, credible and inclusive, in line with international best practices.

The financing of the European Union is retroactive from 1 June 2020, which allows the expenses incurred in the preparation of the coupled presidential/legislative elections of 22 November 2020 to be covered.

This programme builds on the lessons learned from the previous elections in 2015 and 2016, the report and recommendations of the 2015 European Union Election Observation Mission and the post-election capitalisation workshops. The IPO has five components: (i) Support for capacity-building and electoral operations ; (ii) Support for civic education and awareness-raising for greater citizen participation; (iii) Support for the prevention and management of electoral conflicts; (iv) Support for the political participation of women and youth and (v) Coordination and support for post-electoral activities.

Under the terms of the agreement, the Delegation of the European Union undertakes to contribute €9 million (approximately US$10,542,098, or CFAF 5,903,613,000) for the organisation of the 2020 presidential and legislative elections, and municipal baskets of 2021 in Burkina Faso, through the common basket managed by UNDP.

An additional UNDP contribution of CFAF 367 million will be earmarked to support the preparation and holding of the 2021 local elections and will follow the holding of the coupled elections.

The overall budget of the electoral support project is US$ 17,555,991.

The IPO's intervention strategy is in line with the vision of the National Economic and Social Development Plan (PNDES) and is part of the overall objective of supporting and strengthening good governance supported by technical and financial partners including the European Union and UNDP. It aims, specifically, to support national actors to acquire the capacities to organize and manage electoral cycles that meet international norms and standards.

In addition to the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI), the PAPE project also supports the Ministry of Territorial Administration, Decentralization and Social Cohesion as well as other institutions in the electoral process: the Constitutional Council, the Council of State, the Superior Council of Communication and the National Human Rights Commission.

The IPO is funded by Denmark, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Switzerland, the European Union and UNDP.

For more information, please contact :

European Union:

  José SANCHEZ ALEGRE, Political Advisor, [email protected], Tel : + 226 25.49.29.00
  Christophe CASAS Program Manager/Governance Team, [email protected] Phone : +226.57.07.83.47
  Dimitri KABORE, Press and Information Assistant, [email protected], Tel : + 226 25.49.29.00

UNDP :

  Flavien Misoni, [email protected], Senior Technical Advisor PAPE – Phone : +226 64.24.28.85
  Dieudonné Kini, dieudonné[email protected], Head of Team Governance – Phone : +226 75.87.00.14 -
  Jim Moumini Ouattara, [email protected] ,Communication Expert - Phone : +226 76.06. 69.76