Financial support to the elections : the basket is struggling to get filled up at all

The Electoral Cycle’s Support Project for Madagascar (locally called PACEM) is just as so effective as a certain crisis settlement roadmap. The deal between the HAT’s finance minister and the United Nations’ official representative is actually been held as the confirmation that the organization of any election in 2013 would require support. The transitional electoral commission, the CENIT, would need no less than US$ 71.3 million.

The European Union set the example by offering Euro 13.3 million. Its parliamentarian delegation led by Phillip Bolland emphasized the Union’s 27 members’ unanimous support, provided that the Malagasy ruling power substantially contributes to the whole process. The European deputy joined the island to assess the political, economic and social situations in Madagascar, and emphasized that “the elections deemed to take place in 2013 would be the single solution”, and that the European Union sticks to the implementation of the roadmap. He naturally called upon both opposing parties to reach an agreement and do away with the stumbling block created by the ruling power’s opposition to Marc Ravalomanana’s return from exile.

According to Fatouma Samoura, the UNDP’s top official in Madagascar, “the Great Isle’s recovery of constitutional order through free, fair and believable elections has to become the SNU’s as well as the International Community’s main target”. The World Bank agreed, and let it be clear in its economical report that “Madagascar needs a political solution as early as possible”. According to this major financial backer, the uncertainty will prevail in 2013 as long as the Transition does not come to an end, not to mention the economic fallbacks of such a situation. Pledging complete security against the resumption of such a crisis is paramount.

Norway dived head first by promising US$ 1 Million. Switzerland emulated, although in more modest terms, with 130 000 of its Swiss Franks. Major powers like the United States of America, the Federal Republic of Germany or the Japanese Empire are still addressing the issue. The year 2009’s putsch makers’ likely candidacy, and precisely that of Andry Rajoelina, provides with everything but a boost to the American engagement. And a far more inconvenient and far reaching hurdle happens to be the HAT’s ruling power inability to offer conclusive evidence of its financial contribution to the electoral process. The boasted US$ 3 million have already gone down like a lead balloon.

Although contributions remain so far merely verbal, the CENIT, the transitional electoral commission has at least US$ 30 million available. There are only US$ 41 million left to find. The year 2013’s elections are expected to cost US$ 2 per voter. Pre electoral operations will be the most expensive of all, for a good half of the funds is deemed to be dedicated to them. The presidential election’s first round and the legislative elections will cost US$ 13.7 million in all; the communal elections, some US$ 11.9 million; further post electoral operations will have to make do with US$ 5.5 million. Of course, everything remains a heap of maths on the paper as long as political uncertainties keep international partners to remain prudent