Statement by UN Zambia RC Dr Coumba Mar Gadio Launch of the CSO grants to promote Voter Education and Stakeholder Engagement in the 2021 Electoral Process, Lusaka - 21 May 2021

• Your Excellencies and Ambassadors, High Commissioners and Members of the Democracy Strengthening in Zambia (DSZ) Project Basket Fund;
• Mr. Lionel Laurens, UNDP Resident Representative;
• Mr. Patrick Nshindano, Chief Electoral Officer of the Electoral Commission of Zambia and Co-Chairs of the Technical Committee of the DSZ Project;
• Mr. Yengwe Kakusa, Director of Governance, Ministry of Justice, the latter being Co-Chair of the DSZ Steering Committee and Technical
• Invited Guests;
• Colleagues from the UN;
• Colleagues from the Media;
• Ladies and Gentlemen

It is my honour and pleasure to participate in this event marking the Official Launch of the Civil Society Grants for Voter Education and Stakeholder’s Engagement in the 2021 electoral process.

Allow me on behalf of the UN System in Zambia, to thank the Zambian Government and People for inviting the UN to support the 2021 elections.

The UN received a request from the Zambia authorities in 2018 for the UN to render technical and financial support to the 2021 General Election. After a comprehensive needs assessment, the UN agreed to formulate, through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) a project now entitled Democracy Strengthening in Zambia (DSZ) which is a multi-year multi-donor basket fund to be implemented between 2020 and 2022.

I wish to thank UNDP, as our lead agency on democracy and governance, for putting together the DSZ project which seeks to promote electoral transparency, inclusion, accountability, integrity and peace, and also strengthen key institutions of democracy such as the Electoral Commission of Zambia, Zambia Police Service, Human Rights Commission, Judiciary, Parliament, political parties, media and civil society to deliver on their respective electoral mandates.  The UN’s vision through this project is to support elections which are democratic and credible as well as elections whose outcomes enjoy stakeholder trust and confidence and also widespread legitimacy.  We commend the Zambian people for trusting the UN with the responsibility to support to their 2021 elections. I also wish to thank the DSZ donors which are the European Union, France, Germany, Ireland, Sweden, United Kingdom and the United States for generously contributing the much-needed financial resources to the project.

Guest of Honour, ladies and gentlemen

Allow me to also congratulate and thank the 18 civil society organizations selected by UNDP to benefit from the grants to promote voter education and stakeholder engagement ahead of the 2021 general elections.

It is my hope that the work of the CSOs, across the 10 Zambian provinces, will enlarge the footprint of those currently providing voter education and public awareness about elections such as ECZ and non-state actors.

It is goes without saying that as we execute this assignment we should be seen to be complementing rather than duplicating efforts; synergize and collaborate rather than compete; ensure that we uphold the UN principles of national ownership, respect for national sovereignty which in this case is Zambia’s sovereignty; impartiality, gender and social inclusion, transparency and integrity.

The United Nations recognizes the importance of partnering with civil society because doing so advances its ideals and helps support its work. Civil society organizations including non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have been actively engaged with the United Nations (UN) since its inception in 1945.  

Article 71 of the United Nations Charter, which established the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), states that “ECOSOC may make suitable arrangements for consultation with NGOs on matters within its competence. Such arrangements may be made with international organizations and, where appropriate, with national organizations after consultation with the Member of the United Nations concerned”.  NGOs work with the United Nations Secretariat, programmes, funds and agencies in various ways, including in consultation with Member States. NGOs contribute to a number of activities including information dissemination, awareness raising, development education, policy advocacy, joint operational projects, participation in intergovernmental processes and in the contribution of services and technical expertise.

The above citation clearly underscores the symbiotic relationship between the UN and civil society.  The launch of the UNDP-CSO Grants today clearly shows the UN’s commitment to partnerships with Civil Society in line with the transformative 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), achieve, on the one hand, the UN’s pragmatic principle of Leaving No One Behind, which aims at ending discrimination, exclusion and reducing inequalities and vulnerabilities. On the other hand, the activity builds the institutional capacity of CSOs to contribute to Zambia’s socio-economic development and democratic consolidation, in line with Zambia’s 7th National Development Plan.

Guest of honour, Ladies and Gentlemen

Allow me at this juncture to thank you all for inviting me to join you today at this event. I wish you all our partners and stakeholders every success during the implementation of activities for which grants will be launched today as well as on other related activities ahead of the 2021 General Elections. As the United Nations, we look forward to transparent, inclusive and peaceful polls in Zambia this August.

I thank you.