Context of the Czech Republic in 2006

1. Czech NGDO Platform:Overview of 2006 and Main Plans for 2007FoRS - Czech Forum for Development CooperationPresented by:Jana Krczmářová, Director of FoRS Secretariat

2. 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 www.fors.cz

3. 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) www.fors.cz

4. 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 www.fors.cz

5. 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 www.fors.cz

6. 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. www.fors.cz

7. 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 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. www.fors.cz

8. 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 www.fors.cz

9. 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 www.fors.cz

10. 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) www.fors.cz

11. 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 www.fors.cz

12. 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 www.fors.cz

13. 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: sekretariat@fors.cz www.fors.cz Board Contacts: e-mail: czech.fors@fors.cz Mr. Simon Panek, Chairman of the Board Tel.: +420 226 200 400, simon.panek@peopleinneed.cz Ms. Dagmar Trkalova, Vice-Chair of the Board Tel.: +420 272 930 683, dagmar.trkalova@educon.cz www.fors.cz