Dili, 14/04/2022 – The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) with the financial support of the Government of Japan, procured STAE more than 800,000 protection items for preventing COVID-19 during the second round of the presidential election. 

On Thursday, April 14th, in a ceremony held at the STAE office, UNDP under the COVID-Resilient Elections in Timor-Leste (CORE-TL) project, handed over essential COVID-19 protection equipment to the Secretariado Técnico de Administração Eleitoral (STAE) to ensure COVID-resilient election during the second-round presidential election on April 19th.

The procurement for the second-round presidential election included COVID-19 protection items such as 16,000 boxes of disposal masks (800,000 pieces in total), 60 gallons of disinfectant, 6,000 bottles of sanitizer, 30 pump machines, 660 sets of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), and 1,600 Thermo scanners.

During the event, attended by representatives from the Embassy of Japan, UNDP, CNE, and STAE, Ms. Munkhtuya Altangerel, UNDP Resident Representative, remarked on the uninterrupted support of the CORE-TL project in conducting COVID-Resilient elections in the country.

“The COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread globally, and Timor-Leste is no exception. UNDP, with the financial support of the Government of Japan, continues to contribute to ensuring the protection and health of citizens while guaranteeing the exercise of the right to vote in the second round of the presidential election.” expressed Ms. Munkhtuya Altangerel.

Furthermore, Mr. Acilino Branco, General Director of STAE, appointed: “These essential items provided by UNDP and the Government of Japan, will increase public confidence to participate in elections.”

On the other hand, Ms. Kazumi Yamada, the Deputy Chief of Mission of the Embassy of Japan in Timor-Leste states: "It's a great pleasure to be a part of efforts to achieve inclusive and safe election in cooperation with STAE and UNDP by providing these PPEs. We hope they will be used widely and effectively to protect the voters as well as the voting station staff to realize free, fair and inclusive election."

The UNDP CORE-TL project is established with financial support from the Government of Japan with $4 million and financial contribution from the Government of Timor-Leste and UNDP with $360 thousand. Through the strong partnership with the Government of Japan, the Government of Timor-Leste, STAE, and CNE, the CORE-TL project strives for COVID-Resilient, informed, and inclusive elections in Timor-Leste.

For further details, please contact the STAE and UNDP’s official in charge at:

1. Noimar Chosta – Communication Department, STAE: 76157177
2. Mariano Redondo – Communication Specialist, UNDP CORE-TL Project: 77566742