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East Timor
>> Regional Overview >> East Timor Overview ACTIVITY DATA SHEET
PROGRAM: East Timor
TITLE AND NUMBER: Democratic Development Strengthened, 472-003
STATUS: New
PLANNED FY 2001 OBLIGATION AND FUNDING SOURCE: $11,414,000 ESF
PROPOSED FY 2002 OBLIGATION AND FUNDING SOURCE: $15,000,000 ESF
INITIAL OBLIGATION: FY 2001 ESTIMATED COMPLETION DATE: FY 2003Summary: The future development of East Timor depends on how the new government is designed and structured, and on the extent to which the East Timorese people are involved. Effective, efficient, and democratic government is imperative for development and national integration. Currently, East Timor lacks the institutional capacity necessary for a nation-state. It needs major investments and reform programs. This objective is composed of selected activities that develop democratic institutions and strengthen civil society organizations in creating a democratic and responsible government.
USAID will focus on the establishment of democratic institutions. General elections are planned for August 2001. Pre-election activities include identifying and training indigenous non-government organizations (NGOs) in voter education and election monitoring; encouraging platform development by political parties; and providing technical assistance to the election commission for election-day administration, and other activities. Post-election activities will include working with indigenous NGOs in designing longer-term civic-education strategies; developing training programs for newly-elected legislators and executives; diplomatic training; assistance to the election commission in drafting electoral regulations; and assistance to local newspapers and radio stations to develop stronger reporting skills.
East Timor must address vast reconstruction and development needs to build a sustainable nation-state. Well-coordinated and comprehensive donor assistance is crucial to meet these needs. The Joint Assessment Mission (JAM) to East Timor, coordinated by the World Bank, was endorsed at a meeting of donors, United Nations agencies, and East Timorese representatives in September 1999. Early deployment of the mission was driven by lessons of other post-conflict countries, where the lack of coordination between relief and development planning delayed the transition from emergency relief to more sustainable development support. The JAM identified priority short-term reconstruction initiatives and provided estimates of external financing needs. It recommended the establishment of two trust funds to facilitate a coordinated donor approach to supporting East Timor's recovery and reconstruction. The first is the World Bank-administered trust fund for East Timor (TFET) for reconstruction projects in all sectors. The second is the Consolidated Fund for East Timor (CFET) administered by the United Nations Transitional Authority for East Timor (UNTAET) for the costs of governance and building the capacity of the East Timorese to govern themselves and guide the direction of the new nation.
UNTAET's (CFET) ensures that basic public services continue and that East Timorese develop the skills to provide them. In FY 2000, most of the trust fund proceeds were used to pay salaries to public workers, most of them teachers and health care workers. In FY 2001, USAID will provide up to $4.5 million to CFET to support UNTAET efforts to strengthen the new Timorese government's ability to prepare for elections in August 2001.
In order to effectively monitor and manage all USAID activities in East Timor, USAID will use up to $1 million of program funding to cover operating expenses, as permitted under the FY 2001 Foreign Appropriations Act.
Key Results: USAID assistance will help prepare East Timorese democratic institutions to conduct free and fair elections. International and Timorese nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) will work together to provide voter education and to train election monitors to ensure that the election process moves forward in a timely manner. USAID and other donors will establish systems to identify and report any voting discrepancies as well as to resolve election conflicts. Political parties, with USAID support, will present platforms that are clear and in a language that the general population can understand. USAID will help train elections administrators and provide sufficient technical assistance to complete the election process transparently, credibly, and on time. USAID also will help train the media to report the results of the elections, and prepare newly elected legislators and executives to respond to their constituents' needs. Post-election activities will include a long-term civic education program and more targeted courses to ensure the election processes and outcomes are understood by this diverse community.
Performance and Prospects: In FY 2001, USAID intends to obligate $11.4 million in ESF to enhance citizen participation and transparency in election administration and the design of a constitutional assembly that will lead to the first elected Timorese government. Major anticipated activities include:
In FY 2001, USAID plans to provide $5 million for democracy and governance activities to assist the constitution-drafting and governance design processes, strengthen justice sector institutions, and support civil society and their role in local governance in the post-election period.
In FY 2001, USAID plans to provide $4.5 million to CFET to strengthen the new Timorese government's ability to assume management of the country.
In FY 2001, USAID plans to use up to $1 million of program funding to cover operating expenses.
In FY 2001, USAID also plans to provide $1 million to support a study on HIV/AIDS in East Timor and coordinate with UNTAET to design a potential program response. This amount will be notified under the ANE regional program, Stabilize Population Growth and Protect Human Health (498-022).
Possible Adjustments to Plans: The fragility of the operating environment and possibility of instability in the near term might slow project progress or warrant adjustment of the program.
Other Donor Programs: In December 1999, over 50 countries and international agencies pledged $522 million in bilateral and multilateral development and humanitarian assistance over the next three years. In June 2000, donors pledged their continued support for East Timor and reaffirmed their substantial pledges for the reconstruction and development of East Timor and the East Timorese national administration. Concerted attention to donor coordination will be essential for effective utilization of assistance to address East Timor's vast development needs. A high degree of donor coordination is vitally important to reducing duplication of effort and gaps between projects and for facilitating the involvement of East Timor's leadership in the decision-making regarding uses of donor funds.
Principal Contractors, Grantees, or Agencies: The International Republican Institute, the National Democratic Institute, Internews, The Asia Foundation, the International Foundation for Election Systems, and the Carter Center.
Selected Performance Measures: This is a new activity. Performance measures still are being developed, but are likely to include: the number of East Timorese democratic institutions able to provide election assistance; the number of East Timorese residents registered to vote; and the number of election administrators trained to conduct free and transparent elections.
U.S. Financing
(In thousands of dollars)
Obligations Expenditures Unliquidated Through September 30, 1999 0 DA 0 DA 0 DA 0 CSD 0 CSD 0 CSD 0 ESF 0 ESF 0 ESF 0 SEED 0 SEED 0 SEED 0 FSA 0 FSA 0 FSA 0 DFA 0 DFA 0 DFA Fiscal Year 2000 0 DA 0 DA 0 CSD 0 CSD 0 ESF 0 ESF 0 SEED 0 SEED 0 FSA 0 FSA 0 DFA 0 DFA Through September 30, 2000 0 DA 0 DA 0 DA 0 CSD 0 CSD 0 CSD 0 ESF 0 ESF 0 ESF 0 SEED 0 SEED 0 SEED 0 FSA 0 FSA 0 FSA 0 DFA 0 DFA 0 DFA Prior Year Unobligated Funds 0 DA 0 CSD 0 ESF 0 SEED 0 FSA 0 DFA Planned Fiscal Year 2001 NOA 0 DA 0 CSD 11,414 ESF 0 SEED 0 FSA 0 DFA Total Planned Fiscal Year 2001 0 DA 0 CSD 11,414 ESF 0 SEED 0 FSA 0 DFA Future Obligations Est. Total Cost Proposed Fiscal Year 2002 NOA 0 DA 0 DA 0 DA 0 CSD 0 CSD 0 CSD 15,000 ESF 11,500 ESF 22,914 ESF 0 SEED 0 SEED 0 SEED 0 FSA 0 FSA 0 FSA 0 DFA 0 DFA 0 DFA
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Last Updated on: May 29, 2002 |
