The Government of the United Kingdom (UK), in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Guyana, has announced its support for the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to enhance institutional capacity and strengthen its electoral processes ahead of this year’s elections.

The UNDP announced that the Electoral Support Project, funded by the UK Government and implemented by UNDP, will provide high-level technical assistance, international expertise and best practices to support GECOM’s core activities in administering elections that meet international standards.

The project is designed to support both the immediate and longer-term needs of GECOM in managing the 2025 electoral cycle and will continue through March 2026. 

The British Government has allocated £750,000 to support the initiative.

It was explained that the partnership underscores the importance of international cooperation in bolstering national systems through the application of global best practices tailored to Guyana’s unique political and cultural context.

The UNDP noted that building on the lessons learnt during previous electoral cycles, there is strong commitment and renewed emphasis on fostering transparency, trust, and inclusive participation in the electoral process.

The project’s objectives include technical support for 2025 Elections, which would cover the deployment of senior international electoral experts, who will be based within GECOM, to provide technical advice and support to strengthen processes such as communications, operations and logistics, etc., for the preparation, management, and conduct of the elections.

It will also assist with capacity building and the improvement of communications and stakeholder engagement.

The British High Commissioner, Jane Miller said “the UK is pleased to contribute to efforts that supports Guyana’s electoral processes in line with international best practices. This project reflects the continued UK-Guyana partnership to strengthen institutions and promote good governance.”

The UNDP Resident Representative, Berdi Berdiyev emphasized that the project represents a strategic investment in strengthening democratic governance in Guyana. He noted that “the project aligns with key priorities of UNDP’s Country Programme Document 2022–2026 to strengthen mechanisms that support transparent and effective democratic processes and positively contributes to achievement of the SDGs on partnerships, peace, justice and strong institutions.”

At the signing of the agreement for the project, the GECOM Chairperson, retired Justice Claudette Singh said “support through strategic partnerships is always welcomed, particularly from institutions that stand on the pillars of governance, democracy and rule of law – which aligns to GECOM’s constitutional mandate for the execution of free, fair and transparent elections in Guyana.”

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