Funds went, in large part, to support literacy projects, election monitoring, training for civil society, and the improvement of electoral procedures.

Under pressure from the Carter group, the Nicaraguan Government has just released some funds for election monitoring.

The challenge is to build the best digital tools to address community challenges in areas ranging from healthcare to education and government transparency to election monitoring.

But China asked for all references to election monitoring and human rights verification to be removed from the text.

Many diplomats, religious leaders and opposition figures say that after months of political turmoil and intimidation around the country extensive election monitoring is essential.

Meanwhile, the police have begun tracking known gunmen, who are hired by the parties during campaigns to carry out their own form of election monitoring.

The $4 million would ostensibly be used for activities like election monitoring, voter registration and get-out-the-vote efforts.

This would include election monitoring and voter registration but not political campaigning.

The latter two organisations should be given priority when it comes to election monitoring and the protection of human rights within Europe.

That soft power is growing, as demonstrated by our election monitoring, observation, democracy campaigns, and so on.