On 1 February 2017, Italian Ambassador Mauro Massoni and the United Nations Representative in Kenya Siddharth Chatterjee signed the Agreement that ratifies Italy’s 1 million euro contribution to the Programme Strengthening the Electoral Process in Kenya (SEPK) in view of the elections that will be held next 8 August.
The contribution, which will be disbursed by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation, adds on to the contribution made by several other donors including the European Union, the U.S.A. and Ireland. The programme consists in providing central institutional support to the IEBC (Independent Elections and Boundaries Commission) and, at local level, to all the public administrations involved in the election process; it also envisages strengthening existing conflict resolution mechanisms.
Italy’s contribution is particularly aimed at favouring the active participation of women, youth and disabled people in the election.
“I would like to conclude by wishing all Kenyans to have, above all else, peaceful elections. It is useless to repeat that it is not through violence that this Country’s problems can be solved,” said Ambassador Massoni.