Australia to provide further fund for Afghanistan's elections

The Australian government announced Wednesday that Australia will provide an additional 2 million dollars (1.42 million US dollars) for Afghanistan's presidential elections planned for October.

The aid, following the first aid of 2 million dollars in February, will be provided to the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), which is coordinating the electoral process in partnership with the Afghan Transitional Administration.

"This funding will assist Afghan electoral authorities with election and resource management, arrange for out of country voting, provide information and civic education to voters, assist with media monitoring and coordinate domestic and international election observers," Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said in a statement.

The money brings Australia's total assistance to Afghanistan since September 2001 to 110 million dollars (78 million US dollars), making it Australia's third largest humanitarian effort, exceeded only by East Timor and Iraq, according to the statement.

The presidential elections in Afghanistan will be followed by parliamentary elections planned for April 2005.

Source: Xinhua