Czech NGDO Platform:
Overview of 2006
and Main Plans for 2007
FoRS - Czech Forum for Development Cooperation
Presented by:
Jana Krczmářová, Director of FoRS Secretariat
FoRS - Czech Forum for Development Cooperation
Context of the Czech
Republic in 2006
► Difficult political situation due to the election - Civic
Democratic Party (ODS) won but did not reach full majority in
Parliament, long negotiations with Social Democrats and other
parties resulted in 8 months without approved government by
the Parliament
► Paralyzed political environment - difficult for any changes
► Czech system of ODA remaining fragmented among 9 line
ministries
► Act on Development Cooperation and humanitarian
Assistance - start of its drafting, but presentation in the
government postponed ad infinitum
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FoRS - Czech Forum for Development Cooperation
FoRS Goals in 2006
► Strengthening the FoRS platform and increasing
cooperation inside the FoRS platform
► Enforced cooperation and increasing influence of FoRS
platform externally (vis-à-vis institutional partners and public
in the Czech Republic and abroad)
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FoRS - Czech Forum for Development Cooperation
Key Achievements of FoRS
- Internal Development
► Increasing number of FoRS member organisations (from 22
to 26) and observers (from 4 to 8) of FoRS during 2006
► Institutional reform - establishment of the new permanent
FoRS Secretariat
► Larger communication and cooperation among members
► Second year of GCAP campaign Czechia against Poverty „Cesko proti chudobe“ - tens of activities all over the country
► New Executive Board (7 members) and Supervisory Board
(3 members)
► Capacity building of FoRS organisations - mainly focused
on EC CfP on DE/AR of 21-02-03 - e.g. PCM trainings and
seminar in cooperation with Trialog and Czech MFA
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FoRS - Czech Forum for Development Cooperation
Key Achievements of FoRS
- External Development
► Partnership with institutional partners - Department of
Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid of MFA and
Development Centre - regular consultations, participation in
drafting the Act, good relations
► Involvement in CONCORD and its Working Groups
► Cooperation with Trialog (e.g. Seminar „Preparing a project
proposal for EU budget line 21-02-03“)
► Continuation of project in Regional Partnership Programme
with Austria and its neighbouring countries
► International events - FoRS members took part in 28
international seminars, conferences and meetings
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FoRS - Czech Forum for Development Cooperation
Czech Act on Development
Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid
- Key requirements pursued by
FoRS
► Establishment of the Czech Development Agency with the
responsibility to manage all the stages of the ODA project cycle
except for Programming (responsibility stays at the MFA and the
Government)
► Establishment of a specific ODA budget line within the State
Budget
► Change from one-year funding scheme to the whole project funding
► Strengthened role of NGDOs (including participation in ODA
“Advisory Council”)
► Evaluation as an integral part used for programming
► Changes in several other Acts which influence ODA feasibility and
effectiveness, including the Tax Law etc.
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FoRS - Czech Forum for Development Cooperation
Increasing Participation
of FoRS Organisations in
Funding Opportunities
► Summary of 2006
→ 13 out of 18 projects in total approved within the grant
programme of the Czech MFA by FoRS members.
→ 6 projects in total approved within the MFA call for trilateral
projects – 5 of these by FoRS members and 1 by an
observer.
→ 2 out of 5 projects approved within the MFA and CIDAODACE call were by FoRS members.
→ 2 out of 7 projects approved by the Presidency fund in
2006 were from the Czech Republic, both by the FoRS
members.
→ 6 projects approved by RPP – Czech MFA programme, all
from FoRS members.
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FoRS - Czech Forum for Development Cooperation
FoRS Organisations and
Projects in 2007
► Grant Programme of MFA - Results of approved projects (deadline
for applications Oct 31, result on Dec 11)
→ Budget line Capacity building – 11 projects approved, out
of these 7 carried out by FoRS members and 1 by FoRS
observer
→ Budget line DE and AR – 9 projects approved, out of
these 8 carried out by FoRS members
→ Budget line platforms: 1 project approved – FoRS.
► CfP of the Czech ODA for bilateral cooperation - in process
► Participation in EC CfP on DE/AR - we anticipate more than 20
concepts notes for projects have been submitted
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FoRS - Czech Forum for Development Cooperation
FoRS Plans for 2007
► Increase ownership by members
→ Identification of common priorities for EU Presidency
→ Ongoing campaign Czechia Against Poverty
→ Involvement of more members in common activities + enhancement
of all-ways information exchange
→ New enlargement - both members and observers
► Stabilization of FoRS management
→ 1st year of professional (full time) Secretariat, new office, new
responsibilities - strengthening the structure and procedures
→ Strengthening of national (FoRS) and international (CONCORD)
Working Groups
→ Preparation of new FoRS vision and mid-term strategy, code of
conduct
→ Develop and use external expertise
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FoRS - Czech Forum for Development Cooperation
FoRS Plans for 2007 II
► Advocacy and lobbying
→ Support to institutional and legislative changes in the Czech
Republic (MFA + Development Centre / Agency)
→ Pressure on transparency (including publication of evaluation
results)
→ Pressure on MDG commitments (a.o. raising budget for ODA)
→ Common positions of NGDOs, NMS and of CONCORD
► Capacity building for projects (DE and development)
→ National and international trainings on DE and development projects
management (including trainings on administration of EC projects and
reporting to EC)
→ Organizational and technical / advisory support for trilateral projects
(including RPP and EU)
→ International cooperation (among platforms, organizations, countries)
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FoRS - Czech Forum for Development Cooperation
Acknowledgements
for Support
► Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic and
Development Centre of the IIR for partnership and grant programs
► Trialog and Regional Partnership Programme of Austria and
Neighbouring Countries for cooperation and support to NMS
► CONCORD for enhancing influence on EC decisions
► CIDA / ODACE for support to trilateral projects of the Czech ODA
► … and active FoRS members and partner organisations
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FoRS - Czech Forum for Development Cooperation
Useful Links
► Czech MFA - www.mzv.cz/pomoc
► Development Centre of IIR - www.rozvojovestredisko.cz
► GCAP campaing „Czechia against Poverty“ www.ceskoprotichudobe.cz
► Information webpage on development - www.rozvojovka.cz
► FoRS - www.fors.cz
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FoRS - Czech Forum for Development Cooperation
Thank you for your attention.
FoRS - Czech Forum for Development
Cooperation
FoRS Secretariat:
Belehradska 92, 12 00 Praha 2, Czech Republic
Tel.: +420 222 522 480, Mob.: +420 777 756 700
Email: [email protected]
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Board Contacts: e-mail: [email protected]
Mr. Simon Panek, Chairman of the Board
Tel.: +420 226 200 400, [email protected]
Ms. Dagmar Trkalova, Vice-Chair of the Board
Tel.: +420 272 930 683, [email protected]
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