ANND_logo_znakGrupa_Zagranica_logo_ENZagranica Group - Polish platform of development NGOs

and

ANND - Arab NGO network for Development

 

international conference

"Democracy and Development"

with special focus on North Africa and Middle East countries.

 

The conference “Democracy & Development” took place in Warsaw on 30th November 2011.

During the Polish Presidency in EU Council Zagranica Group is rising a debate about the interrelations between democracy and development. Polish CSOs derive mainly from the tradition of democratic opposition and “Solidarity” movement. Due to that they are mainly focused on sharing of the transformation experience, democracy support, local government, human rights, education, independent media, NGOs development, elections etc. Together with civil society organizations from partner countries we would like to build stronger understanding for this issues among European organizations, through stimulating a debate on those interrelations and added value of transition experience in the relation between development cooperation and so-called “democratization” activities.

The conference „Democracy & Development” aimed to discuss the possibility of the involvement of European NGOs in development cooperation projects linked to the promotion of democratization changes in the countries of North Africa and the Middle East. Therefore, special guests of the conference were the leaders of civil organizations from these countries. At the current situation – while we are witnesses of the revolution that started in Tunisia and is spreading to other Arab countries – the debate on the understanding of the links between democracy and development is very important in the whole EU, not only NMS.

Please find agenda here.

Conference materials here.

 
Post-conference publication "Democracy and Development" PDF Print E-mail

Publikacja_pokonferencyjna_Grupa_ZagranicaDuring Polish Presidency in the EU Council in the second half of 2011, Zagranica Group carried out the process of analyzing the relations between democracy and development.

The first action undertaken was gathering a task force consisting of experts and representatives of Polish NGOs, which concentrated on efforts to describe the relations between democracy and development, responding to needs of Polish NGOs interested in engaging in support for societies of the poorest countries. The work will result in a report. The preliminary draft of this report can be found in the first article of this publication Democracy and Development. Preliminary report.

The next stage was to take a look at this issue in the policy of the European Union. On November 17, the Zagranica Group together with the Institute of Public Affairs organized a seminar entitled Development and Democracy in EU External Policy. The highlight of these discussions on the mutual impacts of democracy and development was the international conference Democracy & Development. Its most special participants were the leaders and activists of civil society organizations, journalists and academics from countries such as Morocco, Libya, Egypt, Jordan, Tunisia, Lebanon, Palestinian Autonomy and Syria. This publication includes most important conclusions from the remaining conference session,as well as articles written by panelists.
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Who is the democracy owner? Report from the conference "Democracy&Development" PDF Print E-mail
Wednesday, 30 November 2011 23:01

"The EU can assist in the process of democratization of Arab countries, but on our terms" - said Kinda Mohamadieh from the Arab NGO Network for Development at the conference "Democracy & Development", held on the 30th of November in Warsaw. Conference was attended by activists from the countries of North Africa and the Middle East, and representatives of Polish NGOs involved in development cooperation and democracy support. The conference preceded a High-Level Conference on EU cooperation with countries of the South Neighbourhood (1-2 December, Warsaw), organized by the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
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