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

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 FoRS - Czech Forum for Development Cooperation ► Act on Development Cooperation and humanitarian Assistance - start of its drafting, but presentation in the government postponed ad infinitum

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) 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 FoRS - Czech Forum for Development Cooperation ► New Executive Board (7 members) and Supervisory Board (3 members) ► Capacity building of FoRS organisations - mainly focused on EC CfP on DE/AR of e.g. PCM trainings and seminar in cooperation with Trialog and Czech MFA

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 FoRS - Czech Forum for Development Cooperation ► Involvement in CONCORD and its Working Groups ► Cooperation with Trialog (e.g. Seminar „Preparing a project proposal for EU budget line “) ► 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

► 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) FoRS - Czech Forum for Development Cooperation ► 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 Czech Act on Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid - Key requirements pursued by FoRS ► Changes in several other Acts which influence ODA feasibility and effectiveness, including the Tax Law etc.

► Summary of 2006 FoRS - Czech Forum for Development Cooperation Increasing Participation of FoRS Organisations in Funding Opportunities → 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 CIDA- ODACE 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.

► Grant Programme of MFA - Results of approved projects (deadline for applications Oct 31, result on Dec 11) FoRS - Czech Forum for Development Cooperation FoRS Organisations and Projects in 2007 → 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

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

► Advocacy and lobbying FoRS - Czech Forum for Development Cooperation FoRS Plans for 2007 II → 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)

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 FoRS - Czech Forum for Development Cooperation

Useful Links ► FoRS - ► Czech MFA - ► GCAP campaing „Czechia against Poverty“ - ► Information webpage on development - ► Development Centre of IIR - FoRS - Czech Forum for Development Cooperation

Thank you for your attention. FoRS - Czech Forum for Development Cooperation FoRS Secretariat: Belehradska 92, Praha 2, Czech Republic Tel.: , Mob.: Board Contacts: Mr. Simon Panek, Chairman of the Board Tel.: , Ms. Dagmar Trkalova, Vice-Chair of the Board Tel.: , FoRS - Czech Forum for Development Cooperation