ANNUAL REPORT 2014 SUPPORTING DEMOCRATIC CHANGE
AWEPA ANNUAL REPORT 2014
Production Notes Text AWEPA staff
Editing Anastasia-Areti Gavrili, Emanuela Falzon Campbell and Theo Kralt
Photos UN Photos, Creative Commons, AWEPA Staff
Design Anastasia-Areti Gavrili
Translation Spectrum Translations
AWEPA International Prins Hendrikkade 48-G 1012 AC Amsterdam, the Netherlands Tel +31 20 5245678 Fax +31 20 6220130 amsterdam@awepa.org www.awepa.org Š AWEPA 2015
Cover Photo North Darfur Woman Votes in Sudanese National Elections. UN Photo/Albert Gonzalez Farran
Donors and Partners in 2014
Netherlands Organization for International Cooperation in Higher Education
Frisian Urban Sanitation Programme Schoon Water voor Mozambique
Specifically, AWEPA would like to express its gratitude for the core funding it receives from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) and Irish Aid, as well as the institutional funding from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).
Contents
Acronyms
7
Message from the President
9
About AWEPA
10
The European Programme
11
Programmes
14
Bridging the gap between Political Parties and Parliaments
16
Parliament of Burundi
18
Parliament of the Democratic Republic of Congo
20
Development Effectiveness
22
An Empowered and Effective East African Legislative Assembly (EALA)
24
Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C)
26
Parliamentary Forum of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (PF-ICGLR)
28
Strengthening Regional Parliaments towards Achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)
30
Strengthening Democratic Institutions in Mozambique
32
Network of Women Parliamentarians of Central Africa (RFPAC)
34
Parliament of Rwanda
36
South African Provincial Legislatures (SAPL)
38
Supporting Legislative Institutions in Somalia
40
South Sudan’s Legislative Assembly (SSLA) and Local Councils
42
Parliament of Zimbabwe
44
Partnership Council
46
Eminent Advisory Board
47
Governing Council
48
Executive Committee
49
Staff
50
AWEPA Offices
51
Financial Overview
52
Africanisation Policy
56
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Annual Report 2014 www.awepa.org
Acronyms ACP African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States ADA Austrian Development Agency AIDS Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome AJFAND African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development AWEPA Association of European Parliamentarians with Africa CAADP Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme CAR Central African Republic CBO Community Based Organisation CEASC Committee on Employment and Social and Cultural Affairs CEDAW Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women CEMAC Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa CEMAC-P Parliament of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa CIP Centre for Public Integrity COP United Nations Climate Change Conference DAC Development Assistance Committee DRC Democratic Republic of Congo EAC East African Community EALA East African Legislative Assembly EPP European People’s Party ECGLC Economic Community of the Great Lakes Countries ECOWAS Economic Community of West African States ECOWAS-P Parliament of the Economic Community of West African States EU European Union EFQM European Foundation for Quality Management FBO Faith Based Organisation FDI Foreign Direct Investment FGM/C Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting FUSP Frisian Urban Sanitation Programme GIABA Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa GLOBE Global Legislators Organisation GPEDC Global Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation HIV Human Immunodeficiency Virus HLM High Level Meeting HoP House of the People Annual Report 2014 www.awepa.org
ICGLR International Conference of the Great Lakes Region ICGLR-PF International Conference of the Great Lakes Region Parliamentary Forum ICT Information and Communications Technology JPA Joint Parliamentary Assembly MDC Movement for Democratic Change MDF Management for Development Foundation MDG Millennium Development Goal MPAC Municipal Public Account Committee MP Member of Parliament NAP Network of African Parliamentarians NEC National Elections Commission NEPAD New Partnership for Africa’s Development NFP National Federal Parliament NGO Non-Governmental Organisation NIMD Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy NLA National Legislative Assembly NPCA NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency NUFFIC Netherlands Organisation for International Cooperation in Higher Education ODA Official Development Assistance OECD Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development PAP Pan-African Parliament RBM Results-based Management REDD United Nations Strategy to Reduce emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation RFPAC Network of Women Parliamentarians of Central Africa SADC Southern African Development Community SADC-PF Parliamentary Forum of the Southern African Development Community SAI Supreme Audit Institution SAPL South African Provincial Legislature SAPST Southern African Parliamentary Trust SDC Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SIDA Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency SSLA South Sudan Legislative Assembly TD Member of the Irish Parliament ToT Training of Trainers UN United Nations UNFPA United Nations Population Fund ZANU-PF Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front Page 7
Annual Report 2014 www.awepa.org
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Message from the President In 2014, AWEPA celebrated its 30 year anniversary and, as we began in South Africa, it was a logical place to celebrate this special moment. We were therefore pleased when the President of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) offered to join us in organising and hosting a High Level Seminar at the PAP, in Midrand, South Africa. He proposed the theme of “Migration and Development” and Ms. Graça Machel, Chair of our Eminent Advisory Board, who was equally enthusiastic about the theme, agreed to give a key note address at the event. In October, therefore, parliamentarians from Africa and Europe came together in Midrand, under the auspices of our Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) programme - funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) -, to discuss the human tragedy of migration. We adopted a Communiqué, aimed at documenting the complexity of migratory trends within Africa and between Africa and Europe, and set out a series of recommendations that parliamentarians can pursue in their respective countries and regions to achieve mutually beneficial development outcomes and increased protection of human rights for vulnerable migrants. A major milestone for African politics during 2014 was the progress which took place within two of the continent’s key parliamentary institutions, the Pan-African Parliament and the Parliament of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS-P). Both institutions achieved enhanced legislative powers, which is an important outcome, and, as both PAP and ECOWAS_P are close partners of AWEPA, we were really pleased to witness it happening. Working in some of the world’s most fragile areas naturally requires AWEPA to have an ever-changing and itinerant response. Sometimes we see the rewards of our hard work and sometimes circumstance necessitates withdrawing. The biggest challenge of 2014 was the distressing humanitarian situation that beset South Sudan through most of the year, and left AWEPA, like so many others, unable to do more in the central parliament than watch from the side-lines. Nevertheless, whilst the situation wasn’t always easy for our staff, our work in the field with the South Sudan Local Councils continued to assist and empower local leadership Page 9
in these testing circumstances. At the same time, our programme in another fragile State, Somalia, went from strength to strength. AWEPA has been involved in the capacity-building of Somalia’s legislative institutions since 2002 and continues to offer valuable support to improve the functioning of the federal and the regional legislative institutions. 2014 was also the year of the AWEPA elections. The Governing Council elected a new Executive Committee comprising some former members and some new members. I also had the honour of being elected for a second term as President of AWEPA. I feel very confident that this new Executive Committee will build upon the successes of past Committees and play an important role in the implementation of AWEPA’s mission over the coming five years. AWEPA is grateful to all our donors for their contribution to the success of 2014. Without their support, AWEPA would not be able to carry out its work. Democracy is our core business; we offer an interactive, applicable response to parliamentary needs, and we are proud of our achievements over the last 30 years. With the dedication of our donors, our leadership, our members and our professional staff, AWEPA continued to offer hands-on practical assistance to many African parliamentarians through the course of the year, helping democracy to take a firmer hold in many regions, and human rights to be better championed, also for minorities. Ms. Miet Smet, Minister of State, President of AWEPA
About Minister of State Ms. Miet Smet As a member of the Belgian, European and Flemish Parliaments for over 30 years, 14 of which she served as Minister for the Belgian Government, Minister of State Miet Smet has played an important role in Belgian and European politics, especially in the fields of equality in politics, environment and labour. Her deep-rooted urge to see equal opportunities for all, not only regarding gender but in all areas of human dignity, brought her into contact with AWEPA where, having served two terms of office on the AWEPA Executive Committee, she was elected President in October 2009 via a unanimous vote of the AWEPA Governing Council. Widow of the former Belgian Prime Minister and former Vice President of AWEPA , Mr. Wilfried Martens, Ms. Smet resides in Belgium where, alongside her work for AWEPA, she continues to support society in a variety of ways. Annual Report 2014 www.awepa.org
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Elections lie at the heart of democracy. AWEPA works in partnership with African parliaments to strengthen democracy in Africa, keep Africa high on the political agenda in Europe, and facilitate African-European parliamentary dialogue. Photo / UN Archive
About AWEPA The Association of European Parliamentarians with Africa (AWEPA) works in cooperation with African parliaments to strengthen parliamentary democracy in Africa, keep Africa high on the political agenda in Europe, and facilitate the African-European parliamentary dialogue. It is the organisation’s firm belief that strong parliaments- in their role as arbiters of peace, stability and prosperity - lie at the heart of Africa’s long-term development. Accordingly, AWEPA strives to strengthen African parliaments, and promote human dignity by supporting complex democratisation operations across the continent. The key to AWEPA’s work lies in the organisation’s unique character and tools including: • An extended membership skills base of more than 1,900 European parliamentarians, who devote their wide-ranging expertise to peer-learning with African colleagues; • Long-term partnerships with African parliamentary colleagues, which ensure local ownership and accountability; Page 10
• An infrastructure of political and parliamentary entry points, which span nine African and two European offices, as well as 30 parliaments in Africa and 28 in Europe, including the PanAfrican Parliament (PAP) and the European Parliament. With these tools, AWEPA works to promote parliamentary competency and authority; good governance based on the separation of powers; the increased participation of women in decision-making; the participation of civil society in the political process; and an independent and qualified media, as a component of the democratic process. Strategic Vision and Mission AWEPA is driven by political leadership; and its leaders, both African and European, share a vision of reinvigorated parliaments as the foundations of future democracy, peace and prosperity. As such, they work together to support the realisation of human rights and development in Africa by strengthening these democratic institutions. AWEPA is an international parliamentary association that is strictly non-partisan. AWEPA has Special Consultative Status with the UN Economic and Social Council and is on the list of Official Development Assistance (ODA) Eligible Organisations of OECD/DAC. Annual Report 2014 www.awepa.org
The European Programme The European Membership and Sections form an integral part of AWEPA’s work and mission. AWEPA has a broad network of over 1,900 members consisting of current and former European parliamentarians from the parliaments of almost all EU Member States plus the European Parliament, Norway and Switzerland. The members constitute, where appropriate, a Section within their respective parliaments.
Page 11 EU Minister State2014 and AWEPA President Ms. Miet Smet addresses participants at the Parliamentary Dialogue in the Margins of the Hellenic AnnualofReport www.awepa.org Presidency, held in March 2014, in the Greek Parliament, Athens, Greece. Photo/ AWEPA Greece.
The Austrian AWEPA Section hosted an event on the topic of Human Rights and Economy entitled “Menschen, Rechte, Wirtschaft“ in November 2014 , within the framework of the NorthSouthDialogue programme. Photo/AWEPA Austria.
European Membership and Sections Donors Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) Irish Aid (IA)
Background Through its network of members, AWEPA has the unique opportunity to raise issues of common concern and act as a catalyst for policy dialogue. Considering their active role and efforts in the development, implementation and continuation of AWEPA’s work, members are key political contributors to AWEPA’s mission and progammes. AWEPA aims to strengthen its members and Sections in Europe and enhance their commitment to each of AWEPA’s programmes and related scope of work. Page 12
Annual Report 2014 www.awepa.org
Objectives Within each Section, members work to: •
Facilitate productive knowledge-sharing and strengthen cooperation between African and European parliamentarians, and among African parliamentarians, regarding capacity challenges in parliaments;
•
Address issues ranging from development cooperation to accountability for, and local ownership of, development programmes related to targeted themes;
•
Encourage and enable parliamentarians in Europe to increase parliamentary action in areas of development cooperation and to advocate for the important role of parliaments in these matters, thus contributing to sustainable and democratic development in Africa.
AWEPA’s efforts in relation to its membership and Sections are centred on a number of key areas: •
Building and maintaining parliamentary Sections in Europe’s national parliaments;
•
Increasing the strategic involvement of members with specific responsibilities in their respective parliament (e.g. those sitting on Foreign Affairs or Development Committees);
•
Ensuring a prompt reaction to the needs of each programme, in terms of support for European Members of Parliament; participation of EU members; relevant expertise regarding interactions with African partners; and facilitation of linkages between members and partners outside programme activities.
Type of activities Extensive efforts were made in 2014 to enhance the commitment of members to AWEPA’s mission and programmes, and to enhance the exchange between African partners and AWEPA members. Selected members were encouraged to play an active role in programmes and activities in Africa, while African partners participated in peer-learning and experience exchange activities (e.g. international seminars, study visits, etc.) in Europe. Other support to members and Sections, in relation to activities, included coordination of Annual Report 2014 www.awepa.org
Section meetings; membership recruitment; receiving African delegations; organising events; public outreach (press releases); keeping colleagues, relevant committees and government officials informed; and awareness raising during plenary sessions and debates (questions, bills etc.)
Impacts The main impacts of AWEPA’s work with the European parliaments and Sections in 2014 included: •
A more comprehensive and coherent understanding among members of capacity challenges in African parliaments and pressing development cooperation issues relating to the Millennium Development Goals, development effectiveness and the abandonment of Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C). This has led to various follow-up awareness raising actions;
•
Improved parliamentary exchange and dialogue between Africa and Europe through members’ engagement in AWEPA’s programmes and targeted activities. Members recognise that they have a shared responsibility in tackling problems in Africa and are committed to working together for a sustainable future. One example of this is the International Conference for AWEPA’s 30 year Anniversary in Midrand on migration and mobility within Africa and between Africa and Europe, and its implications and potential for development;
•
The regular inclusion and representation of AWEPA members in multilateral discussions in international fora. Members are now more regularly invited and represented at the discussion table on matters of international cooperation and development, and were present, for instance, at a parliamentary meeting organised by AWEPA and the IPU, and held during the first High Level meeting of the Global Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation in Mexico on 14 April 2014;
•
The strengthening and renewal of targeted Sections and political leadership positions in AWEPA following the parliamentary elections across Europe;
•
Support to AWEPA’s membership communications, delivered on an ongoing and structural basis; in specific terms, the experiences and reflections of members have been showcased more prominently throughout AWEPA’s communication tools, in particular the monthly e-newsletter.
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Programmes Throughout 2014, AWEPA worked with some 30 parliaments across Africa, including national parliaments, continental and regional parliamentary institutions, and decentralised authorities. Together with members of these bodies, AWEPA undertook a number of institutional and thematic capacity-building programmes. Through its institutional bilateral programmes, AWEPA aims to enhance the skills of parliamentarians to enable them to better execute their legislative, representative and oversight roles. Programmes are also carried out in post-conflict zones, where AWEPA seeks to strengthen the role of parliaments in promoting peace, reconciliation and good governance. The thematic programmes endeavour to inform and mobilise parliamentarians, empowering them to take action on development issues in their country or region. To this end, AWEPA organised a number of conferences, exchanges and publications with a primary focus on the following issues: development effectiveness, female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C), achieving the Millennium Development Goals and bridging the gap between political parties and parliaments. AWEPA’s Core and Institutional Funding Programme enables the organisation to function and continue its work. It covers costs related to communications, programme logistics, finance and human resources management, while facilitating the further professionalisation of the organisation through the enhancement of programme methodologies and ICT systems used by staff in Europe and in Africa.
Young girls watch a football game being played outside of their school during breaktime, in the Afgoye corridor, Somalia. UNAnnual Photo/Tobin Jones Page 14 Report 2014 www.awepa.org
Annual Report 2014 Please note: www.awepa.org
Political coordinators and Senior Parliamentary Advisors mentioned per programme reflect 2015.
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Over the Bridge to the Market, Cotonou. Parliaments are in the heart of AWEPA’s Programme, in Benin. Flickr Photo/ Geraint Rowland
Bridging the Gap Between Political Parties and Parliaments (Benin) Donor Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs via the Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy (NIMD).
Political Coordinator Mr. Henk Jan Ormel, the Netherlands
Background AWEPA officially joined forces with the Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy (NIMD) in 2011 in a strategic partnership aimed at strengthening political parties, parliaments and the party-parliament nexus. The overall objective is to contribute to the development of pluralistic democratic societies through a participatory decision-making process grounded Annual Report 2014 www.awepa.org
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in a solid multiparty system and the work of a strong parliament. The partnership between AWEPA and NIMD rests on the ambition to link two streams of democracy support, targeting: •
Democratic structure and procedural reform through parliamentary capacity building, and;
•
Political culture and behavioural change through support to political parties.
The programme follows a multiparty and non-partisan approach and is based on the principles of national ownership, flexibility and gender equality. Benin is the first country in which the strategic partnership has been launched.
Objectives The overall goal of the programme lies at the core of the AWEPA-NIMD partnership: contributing to the development and consolidation of a democratic pluralist society based on participative decision-making processes rooted in a solid multiparty system and a strong parliament. The approach adopted by NIMD and AWEPA is based on the reform of political systems, with interventions at different levels in order to contribute to effective and inclusive decision making in the National Assembly. A set of actions has been defined, and aims to address the political system of Benin as a whole, within three distinct intervention areas: •
Facilitation of a forum for discussion between parliamentarians and political parties with the expected outcome of opening a constructive dialogue between Beninese key politicians;
•
Capacity building of members of parliament, parliamentary staff, politicians and young political actors through skills trainings on relevant issues;
•
Enhanced interaction between political and civil societies through the organisation of multiple public hearings on a theme related to the multiparty dialogue and trainings.
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Type of activities From 2014 onwards, the differentiation between political party activities and parliamentary activities has been harmonised as AWEPA and NIMD decide jointly on the planning of activities and their methodology / approach. A number of activities were implemented in 2014, including training sessions for the staff of the Beninese National Assembly and public hearings across the country. Beninese parliamentarians participated in a regional conference on “Political Dialogue between Ruling and Opposition Parties” in Dakar. The exchange was held on the initiative of NIMD, and brought together parliamentarians from Benin, Senegal, Burundi and Mali to discuss the best practices to foster constructive relations between government and opposition parties. Moreover, in a series of public hearings, three food production plants were targeted in the southern part of Benin, where the parliamentarians were denied access on all occasions. However, they were able to hold productive working meetings with local authorities and resource persons living on site, which allowed them to gather valuable information on the operation of the plants. The parliamentarians then headed to the northern part of the country, where they visited cotton gin factories based in Parakou, Ndali, Bembèrèkè and Banikoara. The parliamentarians had the opportunity to interact with the staff and managers, as well as other participants, on the various challenges the plants are facing.
Impacts Since the inception of the programme in 2011, cooperation between NIMD and AWEPA has been successful, effective and efficient. In 2014, a highly qualified local consultant was recruited in order to enhance the programme’s performance and strengthen the presence of AWEPA / NIMD. Furthermore, the activities carried out in 2014 were welcomed by the steering committee of the joint NIMD-AWEPA programme, composed of political party members and parliamentarians. The willingness and local push for interparty dialogue has been increasing. On the parliamentary side, law drafting courses and tours of public hearings were organised around issues which caused concern among citizens.
Annual Report 2014 www.awepa.org
A voter casts her ballot during the July 2005 legislative elections in Cibitoke, Burundi. UN Photo / Martine Perret.
Parliament of Burundi Donor Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Political Coordinator Ms. Lydia Maximus, Belgium
Background The collaboration between AWEPA and the two chambers of the Parliament of the Republic of Burundi is enshrined in a series of cooperation agreements, renewed each parliamentary term, the first of which was signed on 17 October 1997. Since then, a number of programmes have been put in place to support the Burundi peace process. Following the signing of the Peace and Reconciliation Agreement in August 2000, AWEPA assisted the Parliament of Burundi in strengthening democracy based on a multiparty system and elections. Annual Report 2014 www.awepa.org
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The AWEPA programme in Burundi provides support to the National Assembly and the Senate in their constitutional functions of passing legislation and oversight of government activity. AWEPA is active in organising capacity-building activities; facilitating activities to promote dialogue between senators and locally elected officials; and organising meetings with other parliaments who have the potential to contribute to conflict resolution.
Objectives The 2014 programme objectives are set out in the current cooperation agreement between AWEPA and the Parliament of Burundi. As such, AWEPA aims to take action to: •
extend the political and technical knowledge of Burundian parliamentarians in order to enhance their work in the run up to the 2015 general elections;
•
strengthen the capacity of parliamentarians to exercise oversight of government activities, particularly regarding the monitoring of government programmes and projects in the fields of education and environmental protection;
•
encourage attitudes of responsibility and accessibility towards citizens to ensure good governance and the monitoring of laws on the Arusha Peace and Reconciliation Agreement.
Type of activities
liament of Burundi. Other activities included a workshop, organised by AWEPA in June 2014, to strategise for the success of free, democratic and peaceful elections in 2015; and a field visit made by the Standing Committee on Education, Youth, Sports and Leisure, Culture and Communication from 27 October to 7 November to the National Assembly in order to carry out a scientific assessment of the primary school system, which was established in 2013.
Impacts The Parliament of Burundi organised a number of parliamentary days, in collaboration with AWEPA, to set up transitional justice mechanisms, including the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. This Commission was established on 15 May 2014 for a term of four years. Its principle mission is to investigate, and establish the truth about, serious violations of human rights and infringements of international human rights law committed up to the end of the civil war (2008). The 11 members of the Commissions, who were elected on 3 December 2014 by the National Assembly, were sworn in by the President of the Republic on 10 December 2014 in ceremonies attended by the Political Coordinator of the AWEPA programme, Ms. Lydia Maximus. In view of the current political and security context in Burundi, activities covering conflict prevention/management are anticipated for the second semester of 2015. The current situation impels AWEPA to continue its work in supporting nationally and locally elected officials, as it has since 2008.
Since 2008, AWEPA has run a special programme for the Senate in order to provide support to the Permanent Consultative Framework and promote dialogue between senators and locally elected officials. AWEPA continued its support in 2014 by financing two meetings between locally elected officials and senators in Kayanza (February 2014) and Makamba (August 2014). During these exchanges, the participants made resolutions on questions of good governance and decentralisation, and achieved a number of concrete outcomes. As a result, two council areas from the Kayanza province (namely, Matongo and Gahombo) ranked among the top 20 (out of 129) best performing constituencies nationally in terms of good governance. The ranking was revealed by the Minister for Community Development on 13 December 2014. With regards to oversight of government activity, two standing parliamentary committees, namely the committees for the environment and for education, received support with field visits. Additionally, as part of her work in Burundi, the programme’s Political Coordinator attended consultations with local politicians and held discussions on AWEPA’s programmes with partners from the ParPage 19
Photo: “Primary school students of Nyakabiga during their 10 o’clock break.”Members of the Burundian National Assembly participated in a field visit and carried out a scientific assessment of the primary school system of the country, in November 2014. Annual Report 2014 www.awepa.org
Parliament of the Democratic Republic of Congo Donor Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Political Coordinator Hon. François-Xavier de Donnea
Senior Parliamentary Advisor Hon. Sabine de Bethune
A woman’s greeting at a Peace and Security Meeting in Goma, DRC. Since 2011, AWEPA has been undertaking activities to prevent conflictPage through 20 Annual Report 2014 www.awepa.org parliamentary diplomacy in Central Africa. UN Photo / Sylvain Liechti
Background The Parliament of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) occupies a central position in the Congolese political landscape. Its role has evolved considerably since the end of the Transition Period in 2006. Since 1997, AWEPA has been working in collaboration with the legislative institutions of the DRC to help to strengthening the capacity of the Parliament and a number of provincial assemblies. During more than 15 years of capacity building in the country, AWEPA has been able to adapt to the context of political and security crises both within the nation and across the region. For this reason, the AWEPA programme in DRC is now largely devoted to conflict prevention through parliamentary diplomacy.
Objectives In 2014, the programme’s general objectives were to contribute to conflict prevention and parliamentary capacity building. Specifically, the objectives for 2014 were: •
To facilitate the organisation of parliamentary oversight in the field of security;
•
To contribute to the capacity building of administrative staff on the issue of gender;
•
To assist in the organisation of bilateral and multilateral meetings with a view to contributing to conflict prevention and resolution;
•
To facilitate a high-level political meeting between a delegation from the Parliament of the DRC and the Belgian authorities to enable an exchange of opinions on the political and security environment, and on the action required to resolve current tensions in the DRC and in the sub-region of the Great Lakes.
Type of activities Throughout 2014, AWEPA organised a number of activities, which placed a particular focus on gender equality, parliamentary oversight and trans-boundary co-operation. Regarding gender equality, the Seminar with women MPs and the Seminar with the DRC Parliament staff on the Representation of Women in Parliament, both held in Kinshasa, provided an opportunity for parliamentarians to define stratePage 21
gies for the involvement of women in the development of the DRC and sensitise parliamentary officials on the issue. With respect to oversight, the Seminar on Parliament Oversight of the Security Sector served as an information day to facilitate the sharing of knowledge on best parliamentary practices and the role of parliamentarians in the oversight of the security sector. One particularly significant moment in the field of trans-boundary co-operation was the Meeting of Congo Republic Foreign Affairs Committees, held in Kinshasa from 12 to 14 November in view of the deterioration of relations between the DRC and the Republic of the Congo. AWEPA organised this meeting, which was attended by members of the Foreign Affairs Committees from both chambers of the two parliaments, with the objective of facilitating dialogue through parliamentary diplomacy; strengthening the bonds of friendship between the two countries; and serving as a forum for discussions on migration, defence and security.
Impact The year 2014 was a dynamic one for the AWEPA programme, which facilitated five high-level meetings and seminars. These tackled a number of key issues and led to concrete actions, including the creation of a Monitoring Committee during the Seminar with women MPs on 3 April 2014; and the presentation of a final declaration on the creation of a Parliamentary Network for the Protection of Border Areas in the Great Lakes Region, in Goma on 29 November 2014. Overall, each meeting and seminar constituted a real opportunity to establish a frank, constructive and sustainable dialogue, both within the DRC and across borders. In particular, the parliamentary diplomacy activities organised in the framework of the DRC Programme enabled reconciliation between parliamentarians from the DRC and the Republic of the Congo; contributed to a thawing of parliamentary relations, and led to a number of ambitious recommendations, adopted with the objective of helping political agreements to be reached quickly. Dialogue between these parliamentarians had never broken down completely thanks, in part, to the communication sustained in the Parliamentary Forum of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (PF-ICGLR), an initiative which has also been supported by AWEPA since the former’s creation in 2008.
Annual Report 2014 www.awepa.org
Tanzanian-Irish Joint Monitoring Team Builds Momentum. From left to right: Mr. Seán Crowe TD, Hon. Hamad Mohammed, Ms. Maureen O’Sullivan TD, Hon. Festus Limbu, Denis Naughten TD, Ms. Lina Kitosi of the Tanzanian parliament and Mr/ Anthony Lawlor TD.
Development Effectiveness Programme Donors Austrian Development Agency Irish Aid Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ)
Political Coordinators Lord David Chidgey, UK Hon. Maureen O’Sullivan, Ireland
Senior Parliamentary Advisor Hon. Claudia Durchschlag, Austria
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Background AWEPA’s Development Effectiveness Programme was developed in response to the experiences of the AWEPA parliamentary delegation to the Third High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness in 2008, in which it was made clear that parliaments were side-lined from discussions and plans on aid and development.
Objectives In 2014, the programme continued its focus on strengthening parliamentary oversight through peer-to-peer southsouth and north-south cooperation. Towards these ends, the programme worked closely with the Southern African Development Community Parliamentary Forum (SADC-PF) on issues of domestic resource mobilisation and the oversight of mineral resources, as SADC parliamentarians prepared to participate in the First High Level Meeting (HLM) in Mexico City. Irish parliamentarians worked closely with their Mozambican counterparts in strengthening the oversight of Official Development Assistance (ODA) through increased staff support to the Planning and Budget Committee. And, at the same time, Tanzanian parliamentarians worked closely with their Irish colleagues on enhancing the capacity of the Budget Committee to support efforts at Domestic Resource Mobilisation (DRM) in the fisheries sector. The programme has also invested in ongoing efforts to assure that parliaments and their role in the budget process are well understood by development partners, and that the institution forms part of emerging policies and plans forged by said partners.
Type of activities In April 2014, Parliamentarians took part in the first ever High-Level Meeting of the Global Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation and called for increased support to help them oversee and scrutinise all development resources more effectively. The plenary session saw parliamentarians presenting a joint communiqué formulated by AWEPA, the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the Mexican Senate. Ultimately, the marginalisation of parliaments in the discussions and debates served as an empirical demonstration of the urgency and relevance of institutional parliamentary strengthening and reform. The outcome of the Forum has also highlighted the importance of regular parliamenAnnual Report 2014 www.awepa.org
tary inputs and engagement in national and international matters, for the benefit of both the international community and the parliaments concerned. Moreover, in 2014, through Joint Monitoring Team (JMT) Meetings, Tanzanian and Irish Members were able to foster direct communication ranging from the highest political levels to local development actors on the Tanzanian fisheries industry, raising the profile of under-utilised, natural and abundant resources in the country. Tanzanian and Irish JMT Members are also in a position to better understand the relationship between official development assistance and developing country budgets, as well as how to monitor expenditure and results more effectively. At the same time, they have each gained a wide perspective on the challenges faced by their peers in overseeing the executive branch and developing sources of local revenue.
Impacts Project activities have deepened the conviction amongst parliamentarians and other stakeholders that parliaments play a crucial role in the budget process. As AWEPA’s partners have indicated over the course of the organisation’s activities, many challenges remain with regards to the meaningful engagement of SADC (and other) legislatures in the entire budget process. However, the process of including parliaments in development projects and plans continues to pose a challenge for international development practitioners. Through their engagement in the regional and continental activities of this programme, parliamentarians are also more aware of the changing development landscape and their role as legislators therein. In addition, joint teams of parliamentarians from Ireland and Tanzania are making significant progress in opening productive communication towards common goals. This awareness includes a deepened understanding of the shifting focus from external to domestic resource mobilisation and the common thread of the parliamentary role in overseeing all forms of development finance. This shift has been accompanied by an emerging momentum on the part of newly established budget committees, who are making tangible contributions to their country’s economic development, and, in Mozambique, by a renewed focus on enhancing the capacity of staff in budgetary matters.
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AWEPA’s programme with EALA seeks to empower the Assembly to effectively fulfil its legislative, representative and oversight mandate. Photo/EALA.
An Empowered and Effective East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) Donors Government of Sweden Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Political Coordinator Hon. Kerstin Lundgren, Sweden
Senior Parliamentary Advisors Hon. Kerstin Engle, Sweden, Ms. Katharine Bulbulia, Ireland Page 24
Annual Report 2014 www.awepa.org
Background Since 2002, EALA and AWEPA have been implementing programmes to develop EALA’s capacity in the region. EALA was founded in 2001 and functions as the legislative organ of the East African Community (EAC). EALA has 52 members, 45 of whom are elected to their position (nine from each of the five Partner States) and seven ex-officio members. The Third Assembly was inaugurated in June 2012 and seeks to consolidate the achievements of the previous Assemblies and to further the EAC integration agenda. The current EALA Capacity Development Programme runs from 2011 to 2015 and aims to contribute to accelerated, harmonious and balanced development, and continued democratisation in East Africa.
Objectives
region, and discussed the feasibility of a new vision on regional security and a sustainable and peaceful co-existence. A way forward was adopted with a list of recommendations.
Impacts During 2014, the leadership of the third EALA Speaker Hon. Margaret Zziwa was disputed by a number of other EALA members leading to frequent disruption of plenary sittings and focus being diverted to debates on internal issues. Hon. Daniel Kidega was appointed as the fourth Speaker in December 2014, which restored internal relations and EALA is back on track to deliver on its mandate. Despite the internal struggle, most of EALA’s committee work continued throughout the year.
The programme seeks to empower EALA to effectively fulfil its legislative, representative and oversight mandate, particularly in matters related to improving the EAC integration process and increasing cooperation among EAC Partner States in political, economic, social and cultural fields. More specifically, the programme aims to enhance EALA’s legislative and oversight role; realise effective outreach and representation of the interests of the East African people; increase the institutional and organisational capacity of EALA; and establish effective linkages with National Assemblies, other regional parliaments and internationally.
Type of activities The activities are clustered under five result areas, which contribute to EALA’s mandate, including capacity-building workshops for Committee Members; studies and public hearings on bills; and EALA participation at regional and international parliamentary seminars, and at a successful Inter-Parliamentary Relations Seminar (Nanyuki VIII). One representative activity is the conference on East African Societies and Regional Security, convened by EALA’s Committee on Regional Affairs and Conflict Resolution in collaboration with AWEPA and the African Leadership Centre, on 23-24 May in Arusha. Regional legislators, EAC Secretariat officials, government officials of the Partner States, policy partners and representatives of civil society deliberated on strategies to transform societies and contain insecurities in the region. Participants analysed the emerging security priorities, needs and challenges in the Annual Report 2014 www.awepa.org
Photo: EALA Member Hon. Mike Sebalu addressing the participants of the Regional Conference on Regional Security, held by the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) and the African Leadership Centre (ALC), in collaboration with AWEPA and the GIZ East African Community program, on 23-24 May 2014 in Arusha.
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Female Genital Mutilation (FGM/C) Donors Luxembourg Ministry of Foreign Affairs (through UNFPA/ UNICEF Joint Programme) Plan Nederland
Political Coordinator Hon. Els Van Hoof, Belgium
Senior Parliamentary Advisor Hon. Petra Bayr, Austria
More than 125 million girls and women, worldwide, are suffering the consequences of female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C), a practice that is recognised internationally as a violation of human rights. UN Photo/Sylvain Liechti Page 26 Annual Report 2014 www.awepa.org
Background
Type of activities and their impacts
Worldwide, more than 125 million girls and women are suffering the consequences of female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C), a practice that is recognised internationally as a violation of human rights. It is estimated that, if current trends continue, 30 million girls are at risk of being cut over the next decade. In addition, FGM/C has increasingly become an issue of concern in Europe. According to the European Parliament, approximately 500,000 girls and women living in Europe have undergone FGM/C and another 180,000 are at risk each year.
In December 2014, a high level workshop on FGM/C brought together the leadership from each committee of the National Assembly of Senegal, in order to further engage Senegalese Parliamentarians in this campaign, while encouraging committees - other than the Committee on Health, Population, Social Affairs and National Solidarity - to work towards abandonment. The seminar included lively debates and information was presented by a wide array of speakers, including experts and religious leaders. The workshop resulted in a first draft memorandum with specific requests to various ministries (the Ministry of Women, Children and Women Entrepreneurship, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education, among others). The President of the Health Committee noted during her opening remarks that it was the first time that so many high level representatives had gathered together on this issue.
AWEPA is uniquely placed to support parliamentarians as key catalysts for ending FGM/C, through its extensive network of parliamentarians both in Europe and Africa. AWEPA partners with civil society organisations as well as the government and the UN to roll out projects in a wide variety of contexts.
Objectives The FGM/C programme, funded by AWEPA’s Luxembourg section, aims to enhance the capacity of African parliaments to exercise their oversight, representative and legislative functions with regard to FGM/C. In particular, the programme contributes to increasing the capacity of parliamentarians to legislate around the protection of women and girls from violence, including FGM/C, as well as establishing links with communities requiring support towards abandonment. The objective of the AWEPA / Plan Nederland Programme – “Obligation to Protect (O2P): Agents of Change unite against FGM/C” - is to promote the abandonment of FGM/C within one generation in selected communities in Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya and Sudan by intensifying the legislative and budgetary actions taken by parliamentarians, as well as enhancing the capacity of the local government to influence behaviour change in target communities and to improve the implementation of existing laws through law enforcement mechanisms.
Annual Report 2014 www.awepa.org
In November 2014, AWEPA staff travelled for a consultation mission to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Productive meetings were held with the Honourable Speaker and four key parliamentarians. The O2P programme was presented during these speeches and the focal persons within the Ethiopian Parliament with whom AWEPA can work were identified. Relevant stakeholders were informed about the O2P programme in Ethiopia and areas of cooperation explored. Furthermore, the working relationship between AWEPA and Plan International Ethiopia (PIE) was strengthened and the division of tasks between the two organisations was further discussed. In addition, the monitoring framework (a document containing specific objectives based on the different context of each country with respect to the parliamentary component of the O2P programme) was finalised between AWEPA and PIE. The consultation meeting was a positive initial step in working with the Ethiopian Parliament, the Honourable Speaker and various parliamentarians.
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The Congo River at sunset in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Amongst the specific objectives of the AWEPA PF-ICGLR programme in 2014 was to contribute to peacebuilding in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo. UN Photo/Marie Frechon.
Parliamentary Forum of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR-PF) Donors Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Peacebuilding Service – S0.1)
Political Coordinators Ms. Thérèse Froesch Mr. Alain Destexhe
Senior Parliamentary Advisor Mr. Luc Dhoore Page 28
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Background In order to achieve lasting peace in the Great Lakes Region following the conflicts which have been developing there for more than 20 years, the Heads of State and Government of the region signed the Pact on Security, Stability and Development in December 2006, within the framework of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region. Through its work, AWEPA contributed to the ownership and the ratification of this Pact. The Parliamentary Forum of the ICGLR (PF-ICGLR) was established in 2008 as a result of the process. Since then, AWEPA has contributed to the organisation of the Forum’s activities in the field of conflict prevention, in collaboration with the General Secretariat of the PF-ICGLR and the member parliaments.
Objectives In 2014, the specific objectives of the AWEPA PF-ICGLR programme were: •
To contribute to peacebuilding in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as part of the process of monitoring the implementation of the Addis Ababa Agreement;
•
To express the solidarity of the parliaments of the member countries of the ICGLR with the victims of sexual and gender-based violence, and with displaced people in the Mugunga 2 camp in the province of North Kivu, DRC;
•
To work towards peace in the Central African Republic and in South Sudan through political consultation missions;
•
To strengthen the capacity of the General Secretariat and the Executive Committee of the Forum.
Type of activities Specific resolutions were adopted to combat violence against women in times of conflict, following the Forum’s plenary meetings in Kinshasha (January 2013) and Bujumbura (November 2013). The plenary meeting in Bujumbura had called for, in particular, a parliamentary visit to east DRC to meet victims of sexual and gender-based violence. This visit was undertaken by members of the Forum’s Executive CommitAnnual Report 2014 www.awepa.org
tee. AWEPA was also invited to attend the visit, during which the PF-ICGLR delegation addressed the tragedy which continues to unfold in east DRC. It was an opportunity to show compassion with the many victims, to understand their suffering and to provide them with assistance, while supporting the work of Dr. Denis Mukwege in treating rape victims.
Impacts The PF-ICGLR represents a platform for the exchange of knowledge and information between elected officials in the region, and aims to promote peace, stability and development in the Great Lakes Region. As such, it provided the opportunity for representatives of the people of the member countries to come together in 2014, when they launched initiatives such as the solidarity visits to rape victims and displaced people as well as political consultation missions, which allowed them to outline strategies for reconciliation based on parliamentary diplomacy. The Forum’s work in DRC, which is supported by AWEPA, helped to relieve tensions and provide reassurance to the different stakeholders on the commitment to finding lasting solutions based on an analysis of the underlying causes of conflict.
Photo: Hon. Sylvestre Ntibatunganya, President of the PF-ICGLR Executive Committee and Honorary President of Burundi (middle) awarding the PF-ICGLR certificate of recognition to Prof. Ellinor Adelrot, interim Medical Director at General Referral Hospital of Panzi, and to Mr. Maurice André Liwoke, Hospital Director.
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Hon. Bethel Amadi, President of the Pan-African Parliament welcomes participants to the “High Level Seminar on Migration and Development�, held in Midrand, South Africa, on 2-3 October 2014.
Strengthening Regional Parliaments towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals Donor Swedish International Development Agency (Sida)
Political Coordinator Hon. Holger Gustafsson, Sweden
Senior Parliamentary Advisor Hon. Wolfgang Pirklhuber, Austria
Background Africa has made great strides towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015. However, results are spread unevenly across countries and several goals will be missed. Good governance and, in particular, effective, open and accountable institutions are necessary to achieve the MDGs. This includes strong and effective parliaments that can live up to the standards set; contribute credibly to the equal distribution of public goods; and hold governments to account for dePage 30
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velopment fund allocation and policy implementation. Since its inception in 2010, the AWEPA programme “Strengthening Regional Parliaments towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals” has focused on strengthening Africa’s regional parliaments through strategic capacity development.
Objectives The overall objective of the programme is to contribute to achieving the Millennium Development Goals in Africa by supporting the capacity building of regional African Parliaments. These include the Pan-African Parliament (PAP), the Parliament of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC-P), the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA), the Parliament of the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS-P) and the Parliamentary Forum of the Southern African Development Community (SADC-PF). Through this programme, AWEPA seeks to enable regional African parliaments to develop and implement policy and legislation relevant to the MDGs, specifically with respect to parliamentary oversight and budgetary control. In addition, AWEPA works to strengthen parliamentary dialogue and exchange; to enhance parliamentary participation in international fora on MDG-related issues; and to promote a better understanding among European parliamentarians of the challenges to achieving the MDGs in Africa.
Impacts While challenges emerged as a consequence of the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, including the cancellation of regional events and lowered attendance of parliamentarians from the most affected countries, 2014 remained a succesful year for the AWEPA MDG programme. The main achievements of 2014 included the strengthened institutional capacity of regional parliamentary bodies, as highlighted by protocols granting enhanced powers to the PAP and the ECOWAS-P; dialogue between Europe and Africa on migration and development, with parliamentarians affirming their support for the protection of human rights and the freedom of movement as fundamental values that should be at the forefront of the migration debate; elaboration of regional parliamentary recommendations on how best to enhance agriculture and food security in Africa; identification of actions parliamentarians could take at the regional and national levels to respond to lake Chad’s de-watering trend; and strengthened parliamentary awareness of the possible intervention areas within the current mandate of the ECOWAS-P to address regional security concerns in a more comprehensive manner.
Type of activities The year 2014 was highly dynamic for the programme. Activities were successfully realised in cooperation with all five partnering regional African parliaments. One particularly significant activity was the high-level international seminar on “Managing Migration for Development: The Need for International Dialogue and the Role of Parliaments”. This was organised jointly by the PAP and AWEPA on the occasion of their 10th and 30th anniversaries respectively. The seminar sought to address migration within Africa, and between Africa and Europe, and its implications for development. Parliamentarians from Africa and Europe stressed the urgent need to act to protect the human rights of migrants, while capitalising on the potential of migration for development, as well as strengthening the dialogue between host countries and countries of origin.
Annual Report 2014 www.awepa.org
Photo from left to right: Hon. Prateebah Koomaree Bholah, MP from Mauritius and acting representative of the SADC-PF, Mr. Henk Jan Ormel, Vice-president of AWEPA, and Hon. Bethel Amadi, President of the Pan-African Parliament., at the Regional Seminar “Making Agricultural Investment work for Africa: a Parliamentarian Response to the Land Rush”.
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Outside the polling station in Namaacha County on the election day of 2009. Photo/The Commonwealth.
Strengthening democratic institutions in Mozambique Donors Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Royal Norwegian Embassy in Maputo) DIAKONIA (an intermediary of the Swedish Embassy in Maputo) Frysian Urban Sanitation programme (FUSP)
Political Coordinator Hon. Bodil Ceballos
Senior Parliamentary Advisor Hon. Maria Antonia Avilles
Background AWEPA has been supporting the democratic process in Mozambique since the Rome Peace Agreement was signed in the 1990s. Having started out implementing major civic education programmes and election observation projects, AWEPA shifted its focus to capacity-building programmes for elected organs, from the National Assembly to the newly established Provincial Assemblies, municipalities and political parties. In 2014, Mozambique held its fifth general election and its second elections Page 32
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for the Provincial Assemblies. 2014 was also the first working year for the mayors and members of Municipal Assemblies elected in 2013. AWEPA’s work was highly influenced by these political events, and ranged from organising introductory workshops for the new municipalities to getting political parties ready for the elections; and preparing the staff of the Parliament and Provincial Assemblies for the new legislature starting in 2015.
Objective The programme’s aim is to contribute to the development of a democratic process, with properly functioning democratic institutions, and a fair knowledge of, and respect for, the rule of law and human rights, for the benefit of the Mozambican citizens. AWEPA works to achieve this in cooperation with different partners, primarily with the Parliament, Municipalities, Provincial Assemblies and political parties, by building their capacities and by creating opportunities for the exchange of information and experiences regarding best practice.
Type of activities
Impacts AWEPA has endeavoured to support the revision of the Penal Code by carrying out a series of activities in this area. These activities were launched in 2010 and aimed to mobilise MPs, parliamentary staff, government officials, specialists in different technical areas, central statistical offices and journalists. As a major result, the new Penal Code was approved in July 2014 with substantial input from civil society and journalists. In addition, the draft zero of the Agriculture Law was prepared following a series of activities, including seminars, workshops and exchange visits, organised by AWEPA to contribute to the inclusive scrutiny of the drafting process of the Law. AWEPA, together with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), intends to support the Parliament further in this process, which will continue beyond 2015. One of the main outcomes so far of the work carried out under the Natural Resources Management Project is the approval of the new Law of Petroleum (21/2014) on 18 August 2014, which includes long-awaited amendments in this area. AWEPA contributed to the approval of these legislative amendments by creating the conditions to inform the members of Parliament about natural resources concepts with an emphasis on the extractive industry.
With the aim of contributing to free, fair and transparent elections, AWEPA organised two types of activities: •
Training seminars on new electoral legislation for members of political parties with a seat in Parliament;
•
Workshops, organised in partnership with the Centre for Public Integrity (CIP), to help journalists and local correspondents across the country to cover the elections and to include the findings in the Mozambique political process bulletin published by AWEPA/CIP.
Under its project “Towards Sustainable Natural Resources Management for Inclusive Growth: Parliamentary Capacity Building”, AWEPA facilitated several public hearings at local level with the Municipalities and the Provincial Assemblies. Moreover, in the framework of this project, a four-day seminar was held with the Committee of Constitutional Affairs, Human Rights and Legality, and the ad hoc Committee for the Revision of the Constitution to discuss the legislation on natural resources in relation to the Mozambican Constitution. Annual Report 2014 www.awepa.org
Photo: An interview is conducted during a three-day capacity building seminar for the recently appointed Local Councils in Mozambique, held in April 2014, in cooperation with the Frisian Urban Sanitation Programme (FUSP).
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Participants at the17th Meeting of RFPAC, held in May 2014, in N’Djamena, the capital city of Chad, on the topic of Fighting Violence Against Women.
Network Of Women Parliamentarians Of Central Africa (RFPAC) Donor Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Political Coordinator Ms. Magda De Meyer
Senior Parliamentary Advisor Ms. Els Van Hoof
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Annual Report 2014 www.awepa.org
Background In the early 2000s, AWEPA facilitated the organisation of a number of meetings between women parliamentarians. As a result, the women parliamentarians of Central Africa began to take action and, in March 2002, created the Network of Women Parliamentarians of Central Africa (RFPAC), an allwomen parliamentarian platform. RFPAC, whose activities are facilitated by its member parliaments alongside AWEPA, is made up of women parliamentarians delegated by their respective institutions. The following countries are members of the Network: Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Chad. The RFPAC statutes assimilate key statements including the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa; the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW); and UN Security Council Resolution 1325.
Objectives RFPAC strives to empower women and improve their access to positions of power. To this end, the Network of Women Parliamentarians of Central Africa (RFPAC) carries out indepth reflection on the challenges faced by women politicians and the steps to be taken to tackle these challenges, with the objective of helping women in general - and women parliamentarians in particular - to contribute to the development of their society. RFPAC’s specific objectives for 2014 included: •
developing mechanisms for the protection of vulnerable women and children;
•
engaging women parliamentarians in talks on the research into the causes of south-south and south-north migration.
Type of activities AWEPA facilitated two RFPAC meetings during 2014. The first activity was the 17th RFPAC annual conference, and took Annual Report 2014 www.awepa.org
place on 7-8 May 2014 in N’Djamena, Chad. It focused on the protection of vulnerable women and girls against violence. The second took place in Johannesburg, South Africa, on 1-2 October 2015 as part of AWEPA’s 30th anniversary celebrations. The annual conference in Chad addressed an important theme in the struggle against inequality. Participants in the activity examined the different forms of violence, highlighted the key features of effective legislation on the issue and outlined strategies for the implementation of a legal framework.
Impacts During each RFPAC meeting, follow-up is carried out regarding the previous activity. The head of each delegation is asked, at this point, to inform the assembly about the developments resulting from the previous activity in their respective parliament. During the follow-up on the annual conference on violence against women and girls, delegates from a number of countries shared their feedback with colleagues and superiors, as well as reporting back on the different activities carried out by their respective executive branch to contribute to the protection of vulnerable women and girls.
Photo from left to right: Hon. Marie Rose Melighe, Ms. Magda de Meyer and Hon. Estelle Angangou at the RFPAC Conference on Migration, Gender and Development, held on the occasion of AWEPA’s 30th anniversary,in Midrand, South Africa. Page 35
Parliament of Rwanda Donors Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Political Coordinator Hon. Alain Desthexe
Background AWEPA has been working with the Parliament of Rwanda since 2003. The terms of the collaboration have been agreed alongside the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate. The cooperation programme with the Parliament of Rwanda aims to strengthen the capacity of the Parliament and its members, as well as contributing towards peacebuilding in the country. Since 2011, a significant proportion of the programme’s activities has been dedicated to enhancing relations between Rwanda and its neighbouring States in the Great Lakes subregion. In addition to strengthening bilateral relations, the programme also recognises the importance of multilateral cooperation in helping to find solutions to the challenges posed by the situation of refugees, the protection of crossborder natural areas and regional economic cooperation.
Type of activities A number of different types of activities are organised in the framework of the Rwanda programme. On the one hand, information sessions, field visits by parliamentary committees and socio-political research contribute to capacity building and peacebuilding in Rwanda. On the other hand, the bilateral and multilateral meetings facilitated by AWEPA aim towards the prevention and resolution of both overt and covert conflicts.
Impacts The programme activities have produced results which demonstrate the effective functioning of the Parliament of Rwanda across all its functions and, in particular, with regards the drafting and implementation of legal norms and oversight of government activity. Indeed, a number of field visits, organised in collaboration with AWEPA, were taken into consideration when drafting new norms or amending those which required improvement. In 2013, a number of high-level bilateral meetings were organised with policy-makers from DRC in Kigali and Kinshasa. Today, the two parliaments continue to reap the rewards of these political meetings which opened the door to permanent and sustained dialogue.
Objectives The main objectives of the Rwanda programme are to contribute to parliamentary capacity building and conflict prevention through mechanisms of parliamentary diplomacy. The specific objectives of the Rwanda programme are: •
To facilitate field visits made by parliamentary committees to monitor the enforcement of laws;
•
To aid in the assessment of the impact of legal reforms intended to improve the business climate;
•
To help strengthen bonds of friendship with other parliaments.
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Voting in the Presidential election in Nyamirambo, Kigali, Rwanda. AWEPA’s cooperation programme with the Parliament of Rwanda aims to strengthen Page 37 Annual Report 2014 the capacity of the Parliament and its members, as well as contributing towards peacebuilding in the country. Flickr Photo/ Kigali Wire. www.awepa.org
Elections, South Africa, April 1994. Photo/AWEPA Archive
South African Provincial Legislatures (SAPL) Donors Swiss Agency for Development Belgian Embassy Flemish Representation
Political Coordinator and Senior Parliamentary Advisors Hon. Johan Verstreken, Flanders
Background Constitutional power in South Africa is shared between three spheres of government (national, provincial and local government), which are expected to function based on the principle of cooperative governance. In this framework, service delivery is located at the provincial / State level – and the provinces share concurrent powers with the national sphere to formulate and implement policies related to education, health, housing and social welfare, among others. The South African Provincial Legislatures (SAPL) have also had the additional responsibility of overseeing the performance of the provincial departments and facilitating public participation in governance processes. While the first-decade of post-apartheid South Africa was mainly dedicated to policy formulation, the second decade is chiefly devoted to the proper implementation of these policies through oversight and public participation. It is in the context of this second decade that the SAPL Programme has become even more relevant, now focusing on the promotion of service delivery and poverty reduction. Page 38
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In response to the call for the SAPL to exercise more vigorous and effective oversight, the programme has contributed to the capacity building of the Provincial Legislatures, and of those involved in public participation and law making.
es, namely Gauteng, Limpopo and Mpumalanga. The combined training and support enabled the Provincial Speakers Forum to better contribute to the revision and update of the 2014 Financial Management of the Parliament Amendment Bill.
Objectives
The programme has also assisted in the establishment and better functioning of Municipal Public Accounts Committees (MPACs) in the municipalities of the Northern Cape and Limpopo Provinces. In a number of municipalities in Limpopo, AWEPA training has also contributed to the establishment of ethics committees, in which members are obliged to declare their financial interests.
The main objective of the SAPL programme is to enhance the performance of the SAPL in their oversight and legislative roles, and to better facilitate public participation. As such, the programme initiates and supports training activities with the overall objective of giving members an understanding of how to conduct financial oversight; the rules and protocol of the legislature; the pathology of corruption; how to conduct oversight into matters that primarily affect the quality of life of women; and how to enhance results-based management.
Type of activities The SAPL programme has thus far capacitated 810 members and staff of Provincial Legislatures through a total of 16 activities. One key activity organised within the framework of the SAPL programme was a meeting for senior women parliamentarians from the Provincial Legislatures of Limpopo, Western Cape, Eastern Cape, North West, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu Natal, held on 30 September 2014. The meeting was also attended by a delegation of three European parliamentary members of AWEPA, and was facilitated by the South African Ambassador for Thailand, Ms. Ruby Marks. The meeting was an opportunity for the women parliamentarians to gain and share knowledge on the empowerment and protection of women, and the advancement of women’s rights. At the meeting, the Swiss and Flemish AWEPA delegates were informed on the state of play regarding the advancement and empowerment of women in the Provincial Legislatures. This was followed by an open exchange of ideas, views and experience, with a particular focus on laws supporting equal rights for women, and the status of women in the Parliaments of the two countries.
Impacts In 2014, the SAPL programme supported the establishment and better functioning of Speakers Forums in three provincAnnual Report 2014 www.awepa.org
Furthermore, the programme has provided an opportunity for the women’s caucuses of six Provincial Legislatures to interact with the public regarding the proposed Traditional Courts bill, which was viewed by many women parliamentarians as oppressive to women and contradictory to the National Constitution. The bill has now been scrapped. Further results of this activity include the strengthening of platforms for women parliamentarians to share and debate best practices and strategies as well as an enhanced ability among the women parliamentarians to conduct oversight into matters relating to women.
Photo: Ms. Therese Frösch, Hon. Maja Ingold, Prof. Ben Turok, Hon. Johan Verstreken and Swiss Consul Ms. Bernadette Hunkeler Brown at a Multi Party Women’s Caucus Meeting in Johannesburg.
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Supporting Legislative Institutions in Somalia Donors Delegation of the European Commission in Kenya
Political Coordinator Dr. Jan Nico Scholten, the Netherlands (until June 2015) Mr. Cees Bremmer, the Netherlands (from July 2015)
Senior Parliamentary Advisor Hon. Maria Martens, the Netherlands
Somali women members of the business community attend a meeting with foreign journalists in Kismayo, Somalia. UN Photo/Tobin Jones Page 40 Annual Report 2014 www.awepa.org
Background AWEPA’s “Supporting Legislative Institutions in Somalia” programme is based on and supports the National Federal Parliament’s strategic plan towards a parliamentary election in 2016. AWEPA has been involved in capacity building of Somalia’s legislative institutions since 2002, when a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed with the Speaker of the National Transitional Parliament. In 2006 and 2007, the programme was extended to the regional Parliaments of Somaliland and Puntland, respectively. The current programme with the Federal Parliament (the House of the People) was initiated through an MoU signed with the Speaker in August 2012. It follows a short term “Bridging Facility” to support the inauguration and capacity building of the New Federal Houses of Parliament (18 January to 18 April 2014).
Objectives The programme’s specific objectives are to support the improved functioning of the federal and regional legislative institutions by strengthening the capacities of the parliamentarians and parliamentary staff to carry out their representative, legislative and oversight functions more effectively, and to perform their constitutional duty of building a new Somalia founded on the principles of good governance. The programme focuses on building the capacities of parliamentary officials and staff; strengthening parliamentary administrative structures and systems; enhancing the effectiveness of the committee system and operations; supporting parliamentary public outreach and oversight; strengthening compliance to legislative procedures and practices; providing direct technical support to the Speaker of the Federal Parliament; and empowering women parliamentarians to champion gender-equality issues.
committee operations, minute-taking and report writing; •
Training in information and communication technologies and language proficiency skills;
•
Training, provided to women parliamentarians, in gender-awareness and empowerment, leadership and confidence-building skills;
•
Financial support provided to staff wishing to upgrade their academic qualifications;
•
Drafting of technical papers, such as Private Members’ Bills, motions and resolutions.
In particular, two workshops for women parliamentarians, held on 11-16 and 25-30 August 2014, provided a platform for a comprehensive analysis, discussion and visioning of the challenges and opportunities for more gender equality in a dominantly patriarchal society.
Impacts The programme has led to an improvement in the quality of legislative analysis and proposed amendments to bills; increased quality of legislative output and reporting; more parliamentary participation in budget development and oversight; increased awareness of the obligation for executive accountability and transparency; and improved quality of administrative and technical support to the plenary and the committees. The Somali Women Parliamentarian’s Association (SOWPA) workshops have created a demand for AWEPA to develop and implement a specific project proposal for “Empowering Somali Women Parliamentarians”.
Type of activities The activities implemented during 2014 include: •
Training, provided to parliamentarians and parliamentary staff, in committee systems and operations, the budget process, the legislative process, and effective parliamentary outreach and oversight;
•
Training, provided to parliamentary staff, in plenary and
Annual Report 2014 www.awepa.org
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AWEPA conducted a 6-day Training of Trainers(ToT) on the “decentralisation and local government system” in South Sudan, in November 2014.
South Sudan’s Legislative Assembly and Local Councils Donor Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands
Political Coordinators Mr. Johan Van Hecke, Belgium (living in Uganda) Jan Ormel Mr. Henk Jan Ormel, the Netherlands
Background The four-year capacity-building project for the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) and the local councils in Central Equatoria and Western Equatoria States of South Sudan was launched in July 2012 and will come to a close in June 2016. The programme was a continuation of capacity-building initiatives for the NLA, and a pilot project for the local councils with an initial target of ten counties across the two states.
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The programme serves the overall objectives of improving human security, strengthening the state of law and decreasing structural poverty. It works to achieve this through participatory leadership, good governance, accountability and improved service delivery by effective legislatures in South Sudan. The programme and its activities aim specifically to improve the capacity of the 13 local councils in Western and Central Equatorial States, on the one hand, and the National Legislative Assembly of South Sudan (NLA), on the other, to respond to the challenges they face in the discharge of their legislative, oversight and representative functions
Objectives The specific objectives of this programme throughout 2014 included: •
To generate deeper understanding and application of the principles of Ethics, Integrity and Human Rights in the context of South Sudan;
•
To build participants’ understanding of conflict, and its sources, and to develop their skills in conflict transformation and peace building;
•
To provide participants with a deeper and wider understanding and appreciation of the concepts of public finance management and development planning;
•
To provide and equip participants with tools and techniques for budget preparation, execution and oversight in the public sector;
•
To facilitate outreach and consultation between the local councillors and the local communities that they serve;
•
To enable councillors in the three counties of Ezo, Najero and Tombura to acquire an understanding and appreciation of the concept of decentralisation and local governance in South Sudan; as well is its operation.
Type of activities In 2014, in the framework of the “Training of Trainers on Ethics, Integrity and Human Rights” programme, AWEPA organised a module on “Public Finance Management and Development Planning”; training on the first module of “Background Annual Report 2014 www.awepa.org
to Decentralisation and Local governance in South Sudan”, based on a request from the State’s Local Government Minister; and, community outreach for councillors in five of the ten counties.
Impacts In 2014, the project underwent a period of uncertainty due to the insecurity that arose as a result of the political and civil unrest in South Sudan in December 2013. However, the activities planned for the year were successfully executed, apart from those for the NLA whose critical position in the crisis made it the implementation of AWEPA activities impossible. As a result of the training in “Public Finance Management and Development Planning”, the councillors were able to scrutinise county budgets and hold country administrations to prioritise key service delivery programmes for their communities. The outreach programmes enabled the councillors to hold sessions in which resolutions were adopted to improve on service delivery and administration of their respective communities. They also facilitated consultation and on-spot monitoring of government projects by the local councils. The country officials were therefore conscious of the oversight role of the country councils.
Photo: AWEPA Staff on its way to a local council training between Mvolo and Mundri County had to drive across a river, because the bridge was broken. The journey lasted eight hours, instead of two hours, while others remained stuck there for more than four days. Page 43
Voters in Harare queued from before dawn, to take part in Zimbabwe’s 2013 presidential election, July 31st 2013. Photo Flickr/ Jerome Starkey
Parliament of Zimbabwe Donors Delegation of the European Commission in Zimbabwe Swedish International Development Agency (Sida) Netherlands Organisation for International Cooperation in Higher Education (NUFFIC).
Political Coordinator Hon. Maria Martens, the Netherlands
Background The AWEPA Parliament of Zimbabwe Support Programme ran between 2012 and 2014. The programme aimed to contribute to strengthening the systems, institutional processes and mechanisms that promote democratic governance; the peaceful resolution of conflicts; gender equality; and the rule of law.
Objectives The objective of the AWEPA programme “Parliamentary Support to the Parliament of Zimbabwe” is to help the Parliament of Zimbabwe to achieve its vision of becoming an open and participatory Parliament that excels in carrying out its duties of Page 44
Annual Report 2014 www.awepa.org
oversight, law-making and representation, and, importantly, maintains peace and good governance in Zimbabwe. The programme provides capacity-building support for both Parliamentarians and staff.
Type of activities AWEPA’s activities of support and assistance in Zimbabwe feature two main components. On the one hand, AWEPA facilitates capacity building of parliamentarians and parliamentary staff; on the other hand, AWEPA capacitates a Zimbabwean-based civil society organisation, the Southern African Parliamentary Trust (SAPST), to offer domestic support in terms of legislative analysis and drafting and the enhancement of oversight in regards to human rights and gender equity. The assistance to parliamentary staff provided by the programme takes the form of study exchange visits to gain further knowledge about best practices concerning facets of parliamentary business such as research, dissemination and storage of information, public participation, drafting legislation and improved oversight and monitoring.
Impacts The programme has been successful in fulfilling its key objectives by facilitating activities such as exchange visits between parliaments; enabling parliamentarians to attend international meetings on the key thematic area of climate change; and organising a Zimbabwe-Zambia Senior Parliamentary Staff Seminar to assist parliamentarians in the implementation of a new socio-economic blueprint for Zimbabwe. This blueprint, the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation (Zim Asset), aims to reinvigorate the economy; support the organisation of training workshops for parliamentarians involved in gender, constitutional and legislative analysis, human rights and rule of law, or economic literacy; and enhance the capacity of parliamentarians to analyse financial statements and reports. As a result of AWEPA’s extensive parliamentary communication network, the programme has also contributed towards enhancing diplomatic communication between Zimbabwe and Europe which, in turn, has led to potentially positive political developments such as the curbing of existing sanctions.
es for members of the ruling and opposition parties. These spaces have contributed to an enhanced collaboration between the parties around the key thematic areas of gender and climate change. This has led to proposed legislation to establish a national Gender Commission and a Zimbabwe Chapter of The Global Legislators Organisation (Globe International) which aims to utilise the diplomatic standing of Zimbabwe within the regional economic body, the Southern African Development Community (SADC), to lead a regional legislative drive towards constructing a unified parliamentary response to climate change. Moreover, the programme has provided a neutral platform from which political parties have been able to interrogate each other’s proposed policies and actions, and has therefore contributed to a more accountable and transparent level of parliamentary oversight. In addition, the programme has supported the capacity building of staff through exchange visits with other African parliaments. The visits have enhanced knowledge surrounding information management, specifically the preparation, storage and dissemination of parliamentary outputs such as reports, Hansard, proposed bills, questions, etc. This has also contributed to a more functional parliamentary website which, in turn, allows for greater transparency and accountability. The programme has capacitated 210 parliamentarians and 74 staff.
Photo: Eight members of the Parliament of Zimbabwe and three parliament clerks participated in an exchange visit to the Parliament of Rwanda, in March 2014, as part of AWEPA’s capacity building programme with the Zimbabwean Parliament.
The programme has also provided political discursive spacAnnual Report 2014 www.awepa.org
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Partnership Council AWEPA’s Partnership Council serves as its advisory body. It is jointly chaired by the Chair of the Eminent Advisory Board, Ms. Graça Machel and the President, Minister of State Ms. Miet Smet. The Council aims to convene once a year to discuss issues of a strategic and visionary nature, where northern and southern stakeholders meet to dialogue around issues that play a part in Africa’s right-based development. The Partnership Council consists of: Pan-African Parliament (PAP)
The establishment of the Pan-African Parliament is informed by a vision to provide a common platform for African peoples and their grassroots organisations to be more involved in discussions and decision-making on the problems and challenges facing the continent. Pan-African parliamentarians represent all the peoples of Africa. The ultimate aim of the PAP is to evolve into an institution with full legislative powers whose members are elected by universal adult suffrage.
East African Legislative Assembly (EALA)
As an organ of the East African Committee (EAC), EALA aims to legislate, perform oversight and represent the people of East Africa in a bid to foster economic, social, cultural and political integration. The Assembly is committed to fostering the following core values in its operations: effectiveness, ethics and integrity; transparency and accountability; objectivity and impartiality; professionalism and team work; unity in diversity; as well as allegiance to EAC ideals.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament
The ECOWAS Parliament is a forum for dialogue, consultation and consensus for representatives of the peoples of West Africa in order to promote integration. It provides advisory opinions on issues covering a wide range of areas that are of crucial importance to the integration process. These include respect for human rights, the interconnection of communication and telecommunication links, health, education, and revisions of basic community texts.
Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa Parliament (CEMAC-P)
The Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa Parliament (CEMAC) facilitates free exchange and movement across borders for the development and the infrastructural and economic integration of the region. Its parliament was officially inaugurated in 2010 in Malabo after a ten-year transition phase to sensitise local populations to democratic processes. The CEMAC Parliament includes 30 members from six countries: Chad, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea and the Republic of Congo. Its mission is to promote the harmonious development of member states through the establishment of a true common market.
Southern African Development Community Parliamentary Forum (SADC-PF)
SADC PF is a delivery-focused, people-centred institution that accelerates and promotes parliamentary participation in regional decision making for the benefit of the citizens of SADC. The SADC Parliamentary Forum’s mission is to facilitate strategic partnerships within the SADC region, promote information sharing, initiate and implement projects that enhance regional integration and promote effective and professional parliamentary practice.
NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency (NPCA)
The NEPAD NPCA is responsible for coordinating the preparation of projects and programmes of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD). This includes mobilising technical and financial support; facilitating and supporting implementation; providing information; promoting the programme in Africa and internationally; liaising with development partners; mobilising private sector participation; representing the programme at development forums; and monitoring and reporting on progress.
Network of African Parliamentarians (NAP)
With a membership of engaged parliamentarians across Africa, the NAP is a unique initiative which meets to report back on NEPAD parliamentary actions in regional and national parliaments, and which keeps members informed about NEPAD and development issues through regular information bulletins. Page 46
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Eminent Advisory Board AWEPA is guided by the constructive and inspiring advice of the Eminent Advisory Board. This Board meets annually to discuss the policy and programmes of AWEPA and to make suggestions for future priorities regarding developments in Africa. The board members are appointed for an indefinite period of time:
Archbishop Desmond Tutu (Honorary Chair) A theologian and educator, Archbishop Desmond Tutu served as Archbishop of Cape Town and Head of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. He now plays a leading role in The Elders; an independent group of eminent global leaders who support peace building and promote the shared interests of humanity.
Ms. Graça Machel (Chair) Ms. Graça Machel, founder of the Graça Machel Trust, is a renowned international advocate for women and children’s rights. Following the independence struggle, Machel served as Education Minister of Mozambique. She currently serves in various capacities in several organisations, among them the Elders, the Africa Progress Panel, and the UN Millennium Development Goals Advocates Panel. She is Chair of the Board of the African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes.
Prof. Ruth Oniang’o A former Member of the Kenyan Parliament, founder and executive director of the Rural Outreach Africa , the founder and editor-in-chief of the African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition, and Development (AJFAND), and also a food and nutrition scientist, Professor Ruth Oniang’o has dedicated a great deal of her time over the past three decades to poverty and hunger eradication, nutrition, health and gender issues and the restoration of human dignity.
Ms. Mary Robinson Ms. Mary Robinson was a member of the Irish Parliament from 1969 to 1989 and became a member of AWEPA in the 1980s. She was elected the first woman President of Ireland (1990-1997) and served as United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (1997-2002). A human rights advocate, she established the Mary Robinson Foundation - Climate Justice in Dublin.
His Excellency Mohamed A. Sahnoun H.E. Mohamed Sahnoun, the former Ambassador of Algeria to the United Nations, to the United States and to Morocco, has served as Special Representative for the Great Lakes region of Africa since 1997. Sahnoun is also a member of the Special Advisory Group of the War-torn Societies Project and served as the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General on the Eritrean-Ethiopian conflict.
Dr. Jan Nico Scholten Dedicated to humanitarian solidarity, Scholten was Mayor and Chair of a District Council before joining the Dutch Parliament (house and senate) as well as serving as a member of the Benelux-Parliament and the Assembly of the Council of Europe. In 1984 he took the initiative in the founding of what is now called AWEPA. He served as Executive and non-Executive President for AWEPA’s first 25 years and is still actively involved.
Prof. Albert Tevoedjre Professor Albert Tevoedjre has been the Special Envoy for the United Nations Secretary-General to the Ivory Coast since 2003. Before his current responsibility, Tevoedjre chaired the Commission on the “Millennium for Africa” Project. Tevoedjre also played a prominent role as Head of Government in Benin. A political scientist by training, he was awarded the Prix de la vie économique, for his book Poverty, Wealth of Mankind. Annual Report 2014 www.awepa.org
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Governing Council AWEPA’s highest policy body is its Governing Council, comprising some 40 representatives from AWEPA’s Sections within the European Parliament and the national parliaments of Europe. Every five years, the Governing Council elects the President of the organisation and an Executive Committee, who are accountable to this Council. The Governing Council operates as a general assembly for a five-year term and meets at least once a year. The Council determines the organisation’s overall policy and direction, and is chaired by AWEPA’s President. As the highest policy organ in the structure of AWEPA, as per article 4 of its statutes, the Governing Council is responsible for approving the Annual and Financial reports; and determining policy and procedures on the objectives; the budget for the upcoming year; and the appointment of members not representing a Section on the Governing Council. AWEPA has a broad network of parliamentarians and former parliamentarians from across Europe, with over 1900 members. Each European Parliament that forms an AWEPA Section appoints a Head of Section who is the first contact point for AWEPA, and functions as their Section’s first representative on the Governing Council unless they delegate otherwise. The Heads of Sections are: Austria: Hon. Petra Bayr Belgium: Ms. Magda De Meyer Estonia: Hon. Mart Nutt European Parliament: Hon. Bodil Ceballos Finland: Hon. Jani Toivola Flanders: Hon. Johan Verstreken Greece: Mr. Theodossis Georgiou Hungary: Hon. Gàbor Harangozó Ireland: Hon. Maureen O’Sullivan Italy: Hon. Lia Quartapelle Latvia: Ms. Ingrida Circene Lithuania: Hon. Egidijus Vareikis The Netherlands: Hon. Marit Maij Poland: Hon. Tadeusz Iwiński Portugal: Hon. Fernando Mimoso Negráo Romania: Hon. Minodora Cliveti Spain: Hon. Josep Maldonado i Gili Sweden: Hon. Kerstin Lundgren Switzerland: Hon. Maja Ingold United Kingdom: Lord David Chidgey
Head of Sections mentioned in this report reflect 2015. Page 48
Annual Report 2014 www.awepa.org
Executive Committee AWEPA’s Executive Committee is the executive board of the organisation and meets four times a year. It is elected by the Governing Council for a period of five years to prepare and execute AWEPA policy. It is composed of the President and VicePresidents of AWEPA, as well as observers. President and Chair: Minister of State Ms. Miet Smet (Belgium) Vice President: Hon. Petra Bayr (Austria) Vice-President: Hon. Alain Destexhe (Belgium) Vice-President: MEP Godelieve Quisthoudt-Rowohl (Europe) Vice President: Hon. Olivia Mitchell (Ireland) Vice President: Mr. Henk Jan Ormel (the Netherlands) Vice-President: Hon. Kerstin Lundgren (Sweden) Vice President: Hon. Maja Ingold (Switzerland) Observer: Hon. Dr. Egidijus Vareikis (Lithuania) Observer: Hon. Prof Tadeusz Iwiński (Poland) Observer: Hon. Josep Maldonado I Gili (Spain)
The Executive Committee 2015-2019. Back row left to right: Hon. Dr. Egidijus Vareikis (observer), Hon. Alain Destexhe, Hon. Petra Bayr, Mr. Henk Jan Ormel. Front row left to right: Hon. Kerstin Lundgren, Hon. Maja Ingold, Hon. Olivia Mitchell, President Minister of State Ms. Miet Smet, Hon. Prof. Tadeusz Iwiński (observer) and Hon. Josep Maldonado i Gili (observer). Page 49 Annual Report 2014 www.awepa.org
Staff and AWEPA Offices Management Team Mr. Theo Kralt Chief Administrative Officer Dr. Jeff Balch Director Research & Evaluation Ms. Kris Debref
Financial Officer
Head of Office
Ms. Gül Mert
Mrs. Jackie Kaaria
Junior Financial Officer
Project & Logistics Officer
Mr. Henk van Maanen
Mr. John B.K. Gathecha
Internal Controller
Senior Programme Manager Ms. Joyce Mbatha Lucas
Human resources
Deputy Director Bilateral Programmes
Ms. Martien Meenhorst
Ms. Kudzai Leslie Makombe
Human Resources Officer
Deputy Director Bilateral Programmes & Partner Relations
Secretariat Ms. Yvonne van Amersfoort
Ms. Marion Verweij
Events & Logistics Officer
Head of President’s Office
Ms. Shukri Abdulkadir Desk Officer
The Netherlands Project Department Ms. Liselot Bloemen Programme Manager Ms. Tatjana Woesthoff - van den Ham Programme Manager Mr. Loïc Whitmore Programme Manager Ms. Ingrid Johansen Project Officer
Ms. Ludivine Bry Office Assistant ICT Department Mr. Ronald Borggreve
Communications Department Ms. Anastasia-Areti Gavrili Communications Officer Ms. Emanuela Falzon Campbell Communications Intern Finance Department Mr. Martin Smeding
Team Coordinator Finance Department / Senior Financial Reporting Officer Ms. Sahila El Fahsi Page 50
Ms. Tine Hemelings Programme Coordinator Ms. Anoek van der Vinne Programme Officer Ms. Geraldine Rwekaza Programme Assistant
Mozambique Ms. Elisa Muianga, Acting Head of Office and Project Officer Ms. Amarilia Mutemba, AWEPA Representative and Project Officer
Belgium
Ms. Zaida de Pena Beete, Finance and Administrative Officer
Mr. Patrick Mpoyi Luabeya, Programme Coordinator
Burundi Mr. Gérard Mfuranzima Head of Office / AWEPA Representative Ms. Angeline Nahimana Project and Administrative Officer
DRC Ms. Gertrude Bamba Makabi, Project Officer / AWEPA Representative
Ms. Rosita Alberto, Project Officer Ms. Alzira Muchanga, Project Officer Ms. Telma Mahiquene, Programme and Administrative Assistant Ms. Ivete Antonio Tivane, Office Attendant Mr. José Matavele, Driver
South Africa Ms. Kudzai Leslie Makombe Deputy Director Partner Relations
Senior Financial Officer Mr. Erick Hoekzema
EALA Office, Tanzania
ICT Officer
Mr. Antoine Brasset Project Officer
Office Assistant
Kenya (Somalia Programme)
Ms. Alexandrina P. Wonani
Mr. Chris Kaija-Kwamya
Mr. Richard Kurt Pfaff
Programme Coordinator Ms. Peninah Ogeto
Head of Office
Staff mentioned in this report reflects 2015. Annual Report 2014 www.awepa.org
Project Officer Ms. Kristen Heim Programme Manager
South Sudan
Mr. Jackson Baa Project Officer Mr. Peter Elamu Administrative Officer Mr. Andrew Namara
Mr. John Simon Yokwe Operations Support Officer Mr. Simon Jude Zikusooka Finance Officer / Accountant
Project Coordinator
Uganda
Ms. Kris Debref
Mr. Moses Bainipai Oliver
Ms. Jeniffer Kwarisiima,
Deputy Director Bilateral Programmes / Programme Coordinator
Legislative Officer
Project Officer / AWEPA Representative
Mr. Herbert Ariko Programme Manager/HR Expert
Mr. Umar Turyakira Logistics Assistant / Project Officer
AWEPA has offices in Africa and Europe, with its headquarters located in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. A second European office is situated in Brussels, Belgium. In Africa, AWEPA operates a regional office located in South Africa, and nine local offices: Mozambique, Kenya, Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania, the DRC and South Sudan.
Amsterdam Office
Brussels Office
Burundi Office
Prins Hendrikkade 48 - G 1012 AC Amsterdam The Netherlands Tel: +31 20 524 5678 Fax: +31 20 622 0130 Email: amsterdam@awepa.org
Huis der Parlementariërs Leuvenseweg 21, bur. 1310 1009 Brussels, Belgium Tel: +32 2 501 77 27 Fax: +32 2 501 78 85 Email: brussels@awepa.org
BP 2442 Immeuble NEW SPACE Avenue du 18 Septembre N°2 Bujumbura, Burundi Tel: +257 22 24 54 69 Fax: +257 22 24 54 70 Email: burundi@awepa.org
Congo Office (DRC)
Kenya Office
Mozambique Office
Av. de la Justice 2721 Bâtiment ABC Kinshasa/Gombe, DRC Tel: +243 81 00 44 270 Email: rdc@awepa.org
Chaka Place, 2nd floor, Argwings Kodhek/Chaka Road, PO Box 1189, 00606 Nairobi, Kenya Email: kenya@awepa.org
Rua Licenciado Couthino 77 CP 2648 Maputo, Mozambique Tel: +258 2141 86 03 Fax: +258 2141 8604 Email: mozambique@awepa.org
Rwanda Office
South Africa Office
South Sudan Office
Parliament of Rwanda C/O Chambre des Députés B.P. 352 Kigali, Rwanda Tel: +250 788306488 Fax: +250 583975 Email: rwanda@awepa.org
16th floor Plein Park Building 69 Plein Street Cape Town, South Africa 8001 Tel: +27 21 46 21 767 Fax: +27 21 46 22 918 Email: southafrica@awepa.org
South Sudan National Legislative Assembly Parliament Building Juba, Sudan Tel: +249 123 248218 +249 918 689 835 Email: southernsudan@awepa.org
Tanzania Office (EALA)
Uganda Office
EAC EALA Wing G22 EAC Close P.O Box 8064 Arusha, Tanzania Tel:+255 786 691 873 +255 754 806 923 Email: tanzania@awepa.org
(Eastern Wing) Room E-2-14 Parliament of Uganda 7178 Kampala, Uganda Tel: +256 414 254 947 Fax: + 256 414 254 947 Email: uganda@awepa.org
Annual Report 2014 www.awepa.org
Page 51
Financial Overview 2014 Income per Donor in â‚Ź Grants
2014
2013
Income and grants received from: 85.717
236.584
661.345
712.892
82.837
63.861
1.406.684
1.668.750
128.615
180.571
65.379
192.886
2.272.194
1.357.928
Netherlands - NIMD
143.415
163.303
Norway - Embassy Dar es Salaam
515.213
243.109
Norway - Embassy Maputo
451.119
476.080
Sweden - Diakonia
617.630
651.688
1.021.960
1.361.571
Switzerland - SDC
239.234
366.515
Others (including benefits in kind)
216.575
101.083
7.907.916
7.776.821
Austria - ADA Belgium - Ministry of Foreign Affairs Belgium - Flanders European Commission Ireland - Irish Aid Luxembourg UNFPA Netherlands- Min. of Foreign Affairs
Sweden - SIDA
Total
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Annual Report 2014 www.awepa.org
Diagram Showing Income per Donor Received in 2014
Annual Report 2014 www.awepa.org
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Expenditures - Income and Grants Spent per Programme
Grants
2014
2013
Income and grants, spent in country/programme: Development Effectiveness
214.332
352.155
Bridging the gap between political parties and parliaments
143.415
148.444
Parliament of Burundi
155.078
162.459
Core and institutional funding
368.800
525.154
Parliament of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)
204.747
149.324
EALA - East African Legislative Assembly
799.737
788.917
FGM/C - Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting programme
105.566
192.886
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) programme
471.673
518.732
1.088.147
1.170.125
RFPAC - Network of Women Parliamentarians of Central Africa
114.908
87.498
Parliament of Rwanda
101.843
158.177
SAPL - South Africa Provincial Legislatures
159.631
123.012
1.292.554
602.953
128.408
238.043
2.207.732
2.345.770
-
2.650
Parliament of Zimbabwe
194.355
183.711
Various (Including benefits in kind)
156.990
26.811
7.907.916
7.776.821
Mozambique Strategic Vision programme
Supporting Legislative Institutions in Somalia PF-ICGLR - Parliamentary Forum of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region South Sudan Parliament of Uganda
Total
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Annual Report 2014 www.awepa.org
Diagram Showing Expenditures - Income and Grants Spent per Programme in 2014
Annual Report 2014 www.awepa.org
Page 55
Africanisation policy During 2014, AWEPA’s internal Africanisation policy has been furthered in its Africa-based offices. A new regional AWEPA Office was opened in Kampala, Uganda and a Deputy Director was appointed for AWEPA’s bilateral programmes in Central, East and West Africa. The AWEPA Office in Cape Town, South Africa, was restructured for AWEPA’s bilateral programmes in Southern Africa, while a Deputy Director Bilateral Programmes & Partners Relations was appointed for Southern Africa. Bilateral and national parliamentary capacity-building programmes are run from the African offices and from the Brussels office. In addition, a limited number of thematic programmes are run from Amsterdam headquarters in close cooperation with the African offices, wherever relevant and possible. In most cases, headquarters plays a facilitating, advisory and supporting role with regards to finance, logistics, human resource management, communications, and programme management and reporting. This situation is partly different for programme interventions in West Africa and some areas of Central Africa, where AWEPA does not currently have a local presence. Bilateral programme implementation is done completely by the African offices in Juba, Nairobi, Kampala, Arusha, Kinshasa, Kigali, Bujumbura, Maputo and Cape Town together with a Political Coordinator and Senior Parliamentary Advisor from Europe.
AWEPA has been awarded the first level of certification titled Committed to Excellence from the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) Excellence Model.
AWEPA is on the list of Official Development Assistance (ODA) Eligible Organisations of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development/Development Assistance Committee (OECD/DAC).
The annual report of AWEPA is mainly presented in a digital format, allowing us to save money and paper and making it more readily available. The annual report can be found online at www.awepa.org.
AWEPA has Special Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council.
Back Photo A group photo at the AWEPA High Level Seminar on “Migration and Development”, held in Midrand, South Africa, on 2-3 October 2014.
AWEPA International
Prins Hendrikkade 48-G 1012AC Amsterdam, the Netherlands t: +31 20 524 5678 f: +31 20 622 0130 e: amsterdam@awepa.org
Belgium
brussels@awepa.org
Rwanda
rwanda@awepa.org
Burundi
burundi@awepa.org
South Africa
southafrica@awepa.org
DRC
rdc@awepa.org
South Sudan
southernsudan@awepa.org
Kenya
kenya@awepa.org
Tanzania
tanzania@awepa.org
Mozambique
mozambique@awepa.org
Uganda
uganda@awepa.org
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