The CEO’s deputy spokesman Jawid Faisal on Friday said the National Unity Government (NUG) leaders have agreed on digitizing the election process and have started negotiations with donor countries and organizations. 

NUG leaders believe if the election process is digitized, it will prevent fraud.

“In order to hold a transparent election, we need to use technology and we have discussed this with UNAMA and the European Union,” said Faisal.

Unconfirmed reports, however, indicates that the United Nations Assistance Mission for Afghanistan (UNAMA) has had concerns about awarding the contract to digitize the process to a private company – especially as there is no competing company.

Institutions overseeing the election process however said the international community should not worry about this.

“Most donor countries want to somehow indirectly reject the digitization election process which the Afghan people want,” said Naeem Ayubzada, head of Free Election Foundation of Afghanistan.

“Technology can easily bring the process under control and individuals cannot change the process for their own interests,” said Abdul Aziz Aryaie, head of the Independent Election Complaints Commission.

UNAMA has since 2004 criticized Afghanistan over its election process.