The UN and the Ministry of Interior chair the second meeting of the Electoral Forum in Beirut – Lebanon

The United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Joanna Wronecka, and the Minister of Interior and Municipalities, Bassam Mawlawi, today chaired the second Electoral Forum to take stock of preparations for the legislative elections scheduled for May 15 .

Hosted at the Ministry of Interior and Municipalities in Beirut, the Electoral Forum brought together government officials, including representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Election Monitoring Commission, civil society and the international community.

Emphasizing respect for constitutional deadlines, the Special Coordinator stressed the importance of holding the elections on time. As the Cabinet considers the election budget today, the Special Coordinator said, “I hope that the Cabinet will approve the election budget, both for its domestic and overseas components, so that preparations can move forward expeditiously. and that no shadow of uncertainty hovers. on the election.

The Special Coordinator highlighted the role of public awareness campaigns, intensifying voter education as well as more updates on voting abroad. She called on the Lebanese authorities to equip the Supervisory Commission in all possible ways so that it can fulfill its mandate which is eminently important for the integrity of the electoral process.

Statements by ambassadors and civil society representatives at the Forum demonstrated the continued attention paid to the elections in Lebanon. The meeting also confirmed the significant financial, material, technical and political support already provided by the international community to the Lebanese electoral process.

The Special Coordinator looks forward to continued dialogue between the Government, national stakeholders and the international community in support of the elections.