CID News

Delegation from Jordanian Parliament Studies Lebanese Parliament’s Voting and Bill Tracking Systems

The State University of New York in Jordan (SUNY/Jordan) led a delegation of six key Jordanian members of Parliament and staffers on a study tour to Beirut, Lebanon from November 23 to 26, 2005. SUNY/Jordan’s Chief of Party, Mark Leverson, led the delegation that included Fayez Ali Shawabkeh, Secretary General of the Parliament. The trip’s primary objective was to examine the Lebanese Parliament’s electronic voting system, observe its transcription system, and engage in frank discussions about how the Jordanian Parliament should proceed with its plans to upgrade and modernize systems in the plenary chamber. The group was also able to study the bill-tracking system being employed in Beirut and obtain critical lessons learned in how to re-engineer legislative processes and procedures.

According to the Jordanian delegation, the trip assisted participants to reach consensus concerning necessary technical upgrades, as well as how best to implement its reform strategy for the lower chamber. The delegation met with the key representatives of the Lebanese Parliament, including the Secretary General, the General Secretary for Committee Session, MPs, and the librarian. Additionally, they met with SUNY/Jordan’s implementing partner for information technology, the SUNY Center for Legislative Development, that is based in Beirut.

In July, 2005, SUNY/CID established a two-year legislative strengthening program, under a $7.2 million contract from USAID, to assist the Jordanian Parliament. SUNY staffers are working closely with Jordanian MPs and staffers to strengthen the effectiveness, transparency, accountability, and responsiveness of the legislative process in Jordan. The two-year project also aims to increase public outreach by the Jordanian parliament. [Top of the page]

On Tuesday October 4, 2005 the Political Section of the U. S. Embassy in Morocco and the U.S. Agency for International Development in Morocco, through the State University of New York's Parliamentary Support Project, assembled in Rabat at an unprecedented forum for a discussion and debate process on key legislation entitled: "Open Forum on the Political Party Bill". Almost 60 persons attended the event, including a dozen Members of Parliament, key political figures in Morocco, academics and renowned leaders of civil society with significant interest in providing their input on this legislation. The Open Forum successfully provided Members of Parliament and leaders of the civil society community with timely information on the political party legislation that was under discussion in Parliament. The audience's comments during the discussion and debate that followed the experts' presentations revolved around fundamental issues that relate to specific aspects of the legislation such as Article 22 of the bill that called for transparency in the number of women and youth in a political party. There was criticism of the role of the Ministry of the Interior in the organization, administration and financing of political parties; and significant commentary on political party financing and fiscal transparency. This type of activity has a significant impact in promoting advocacy efforts on key legislation before the Parliament and in improving the quality of this legislation under discussion and review in Parliamentary Committees since they benefit from expert testimony and civil society input. This ultimately strengthens the Moroccan Parliament to more effectively and democratically perform its legislative functions. [Top of the page]

U.S. State Department project includes NYS Legislature, government official meetings

ALBANY — The State University of New York Center for International Development (SUNY CID) today announced it is hosting a 14-member Jordanian delegation in the State Capital from Nov. 16 to 18 as part of the U.S. Department of State sponsored International Visitor Program.

“This delegation is interested in gaining a better understanding of the structure and process of American government, with special emphasis on the federal system and the separation of powers, as well as exploring the legislative process at all levels,” said SUNY CID Director James Ketterer. SUNY CID is hosting the visit in cooperation with the International Center of the Capital Region.

The 14 members of the Parliament of Jordan will discuss ideas and best practices with Assemblyman John J. McEneny and Albany Common Council President Helen Desfosses, as well as others from New York State government, the State University and citizens’ groups.

Earlier this year SUNY CID was awarded a $7.2 million contract from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to help the Jordanian parliament to fulfill its important role as a key democratic institution by expanding its legislative capacity and becoming more accessible to citizens. SUNY CID staff members based in Amman, Jordan, are working with key constituent groups to strengthen the effectiveness, transparency, accountability and responsiveness of the legislative process in Jordan by helping members of parliament increase their knowledge and understanding of their representative, legislative and oversight responsibilities. The two-year project also aims to increase public outreach by the Jordanian parliament.

More than 186 current and former heads of state, 1,500 current cabinet-level ministers, and many other distinguished world leaders in government and the private sector have participated in the International Visitor Program, which seeks to increase mutual understanding through communication at the personal and professional levels. The visitors, who are current or potential leaders in government, politics, the media, education and other fields, are selected by American embassy committees.

Located in Albany, New York state’s capital city, the SUNY CID draws upon the State University’s vast intellectual and technical resources and serves as a key component of the university’s overall commitment to excellence in international education, cross-cultural exchange and sustainable development.

The Center’s approach is international and interdisciplinary, working as part of a global community of scholars, technical experts, government officials, and community leaders. Since 1986, the Center has implemented more than $130 million in international development projects on five continents in the areas of democratization, economic development, and environmental policy. The Center is among the world’s most active university centers in international development, with implementation and research activities funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development, the Organization of American States, the Inter-American Development Bank, the United Nations Development Program, the U.S. Information Agency, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, and the Andrew W. Mellon, Tinker, Ford, and Soros Foundations. For more information see www.cid.suny.edu. [Top of the page]

ALBANY — Two former U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) officials with extensive experience in Africa and Asia joined the staff at The State University of New York’s Center for International Development (SUNY CID), a university-wide institution that works to enhance the capacity of developing nations to meet critical challenges.

“Charles R. Cutshall and Paul Mason bring a wealth of experience in such diverse areas as democracy and governance, policy reform, administration of justice, natural resources management, poverty reduction and anti-corruption,” said James Ketterer, director of SUNY CID based in Albany. “As senior associates at SUNY CID they will be responsible for overseeing projects in Africa, the Middle East and Asia.”

With both a Ph.D. and law degree, Cutshall is a graduate of Binghamton University and a former post-doctoral research coordinator at the University at Albany. Cutshall’s 25 years of international experience includes work in Southern, West and East Africa as well as in South America. He is fully conversant with USAID’s approach, regulations and guidelines, having joined the agency in 1991. Cutshall served most recently as senior democracy and governance technical advisor, USAID/Nigeria.

Mason’s international work encompasses all aspects of economic growth and development. Prior to joining USAID in 2003, he worked for such organizations as the World Food Program, World Bank, CIDSE Cambodia, and the Australian Agency for International Development. An expert in international agricultural development and rural economics, Mason earned his bachelor’s degree in Biology from the College at Oneonta. His international work experience includes projects in Asia, the Middle East and Oceania.

Located in Albany, N. Y., the state’s capital, SUNY CID draws upon the State University’s vast intellectual and technical resources and serves as a key component of the University’s overall commitment to excellence in international education, cross-cultural exchange, and sustainable development. The Center’s approach is international and interdisciplinary, working as part of a global community of scholars, technical experts, government officials, and community leaders.

Since 1986, the Center has implemented more than $130 million in international development projects on five continents in the areas of democratization, economic development, and environmental policy. SUNY CID is one of only five organizations nationwide that are able to compete for $100 million in USAID projects to improve the capacity and performance of foreign legislatures under the Deliberative Bodies Indefinite Quantity Contract (IQC) announced in May 2004.

The Center is among the world’s most active university centers in international development, with implementation and research activities funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development, the Organization of American States, the Inter-American Development Bank, the United Nations Development Program, the U.S. Information Agency, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, and the Andrew W. Mellon, Tinker, Ford, and Soros Foundations. For more information see www.cid.suny.edu. [Top of the page]

September 30, 2005

The Consulate's Public Diplomacy Section hosted Julia Demichelis of the State University New York Center for International Development on an intensive program entitled "NGO Management and Capacity Building." Ms. Demichelis drew upon her background and experience in Bosnia and Iraq to address NGO directors, and facilitated lively discussions on the needs of the Palestinian NGO community and challenges to building an effective Palestinian civil society.

The program included a two-day workshop on strategic planning and management with leaders from 30 grassroots NGO that form the Palestinian National Committee for Non-governmental institutions (PNIN). Ms. Demichelis also led working sessions with the steering committee of the newly established Palestinian Youth Network on "Working Together, Building Alliances, and Moving Forward," and joined a working lunch hosted by the Public Diplomacy Officer for directors of NGO cultural centers. On September 29th, the Consulate and and Embassy Tel Aviv's American Center hosted a joint workshop for leading Palestinian and Israeli NGO activists in peace education, co-existence and inter-religious affairs. The workshop focused on creative ways to work toward common goals and build alliances.

The program facilitated contact among diverse sectors of the Palestinian NGO community, from newly formed grassroots organizations in rural villages to well-established co-existence foundations. While each session was tailored to suit the particular audience, all participants gained from the discussions of how to build bridges between NGOs to increase effectiveness, working with donors to ensure future funding, identifying needs of targeted communities, and working through conflicts within and between NGO outfits. Participants appreciated the workshops, requested more Consulate outreach, and pledged to follow up on the new ideas generated during the program. [Top of the page]

USAID project includes meetings with NYS Department of Economic Development, other government officials

ALBANY — The State University of New York Center for International Development (SUNY CID) today announced it is hosting in Albany through Wednesday a five-member delegation from Bolivia as part of a $2.9 million contract from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)/Bolivia to expand its legislative modernization project in the South American nation.

“This project is a component of Bolivia’s continuing effort to build an effective and representative government,” said James Ketterer, director of the Albany-based SUNY CID,. “As part of that process, the Bolivian Congress must acquire the institutional capacity to act as a full partner in Bolivia’s developing democracy, and SUNY CID’s project is working to support that goal.”

The observational study visit opened in New York City and Washington, D.C., with orientation activities and discussions focused on the relationship between the federal government and indigenous groups. The five Bolivian legislators are in Albany, where they are meeting with NYS Department of Economic Development officials and representatives of the NYS Small Business Development Centers. The Bolivian delegation will also tour the Oneida Nation in Oneida, N.Y.

SUNY CID has a strong presence in South America. The Center has managed democracy projects in Bolivia since 1992, totaling over $9 million. Since 1989, SUNY CID has directed 13 projects in 10 South American countries including Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Nicaragua, Paraguay and Peru.

SUNY CID is on a list of just five organizations nationwide that are able to compete for $100 million in USAID projects to improve the capacity and performance of foreign legislatures. To date, SUNY CID has won every project for which it has competed for under the USAID Deliberative Bodies Indefinite Quantity Contract (IQC) announced in May 2004.

Located in Albany, New York state’s capital city, SUNY CID draws upon the State University’s vast intellectual and technical resources and serves as a key component of the University’s overall commitment to excellence in international education, cross-cultural exchange, and sustainable development.

From July 23-30, 2005, SUNY/Afghanistan Project staff accompanied members of the National Assembly Secretariat on an observational study visit of the Indian Parliament. The Afghan delegation was headed by Dr. Lodin, Secretary General of the Parliament. The trip included observational visits to the main departments of the parliament and meetings with several heads of departments to discuss many topics including; budgeting, media and publications, public relations, human resources, administration and recruitment processes, legislative processes and privileges of members, roles and responsibilities of committees, library services, the responsibilities of the international relations department, and the structure and role of the security department.

In addition, the delegation observed working sessions of both houses of the Indian Parliament, the Lok Sabah and Rajya Sabah, over a two day period. All involved found the visit to the Indian Parliament very fruitful. As a result of this trip, the Deputy Speaker of the Indian Parliament and the Secretary General of National Assembly of Afghanistan agreed to strengthen the relationship between the two institutions and collaborate very closely in the future. Also, representatives of the Indian Parliament proposed to send experts and professionals to Kabul to assist the Secretariat prior to and after the September elections. [Top of the page]

U.S. State Department project includes NYS Legislature, government official meetings

ALBANY - The State University of New York Center for International Development (SUNY/CID) today announced it is hosting a delegation from Serbia-Montenegro as part of the U.S. Department of State sponsored International Visitor Program.

"This delegation is interested in meeting with their U.S. counterparts to discuss best practices in state and local level law making, working with the executive branch, and cooperation with federal and local levels of government," said Robert Gosende, Director of SUNY/CID. "Various individuals from New York State government, the University and citizens' groups will share ideas and best practices with the members of the Parliament of Montenegro."

Montenegro is the southern republic of Serbia-Montenegro on the Adriatic Coast nestled between Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia, Kosovo and Albania and across the Adriatic Sea from Italy. As it emerges from the Wars of Yugoslav Succession, its leaders face a series of challenges in political reform and economic development as it prepares for membership in NATO and the European Union.

The International Visitor Program project for Montenegro opened in Washington, D.C., with orientation activities and discussions focused on the relationship between state governments and the federal government. The delegation is in Albany until Tuesday, Aug. 2, where they will meet with members and staff of the New York State Legislature. The visitors will also meet with the University at Albany's Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Public Policy, and city, county and federal officials in Albany and Schenectady, and will attend a game of the Tri-City Valley Cats. The program will continue in Kansas City, Kan.; Bozeman, Mont., and San Diego.

More than 186 current and former heads of state, 1,500 current cabinet-level ministers, and many other distinguished world leaders in government and the private sector have participated in the International Visitor Program, which seeks to increase mutual understanding through communication at the personal and professional levels. The visitors, who are current or potential leaders in government, politics, the media, education, and other fields, are selected by American embassy committees. [Top of the page]

Chuquisaca, Bolivia: 70% of the Legislative Agenda Implemented using SUNY/CID Methodology

The July 26, 2005 edition of the Bolivian newspaper El Correo del Sur reported that the multiparty Congressional caucus of the State of Chuquisaca in Bolivia has implemented 70% of their legislative agenda during the past year. Furthermore, the daily credits this success to using participative tools developed by the SUNY/CID Project, Program to Assist Representation in Congress (PARC), to craft and monitor the state's legislative agenda. Project staff helps state caucuses work across party lines to be more responsive to citizens concerns by prioritizing regional demands and bringing them to national attention. The achievements of the Chuquisaca caucus were brought to the limelight at a seminar on regional budget impacts, regional development, and analysis of the national budget as it pertains to their state. [Top of the page]

June 11-19, 2005 Project Manager Toby Cole and Chief of Party for Iraq Julia Nawar, traveled to Berlin Germany on an Iraq Study Tour in order to, "explore the concept of federalism in Germany and the relationship between the Bundestag and the legislatures at the provinces level." The program was funded and coordinated by SLLF in Berlin. The tour was hosted by Mr. Alphons Schops, Director of SLLF in Berlin. In attendance was Mr. Hartmann von der Aue, Director at the Berlin State House of Representatives, and Mr. Alaa A. Hussain Al-Hashimy the Iraqi Ambassador. The focus of the tour was to learn about Germany's experience on setting up(changing) their constitution, as well as assistance with the country's economic situation. Topics of interest included the chance of danger for the concerned parties, and how Germany can assist the Iraqi Embassy. Highlights included: A visit to the State Parliament of Lower Saxony in Hanover, Two full-day visits to the Bundestag, a guided tour through the library of Parliament. [Top of the page]

For immediate release: June 24, 2005
ALBANY — Chancellor John R. Ryan today announced The State University of New York Center for International Development (SUNY CID) was awarded a $7.2 million contract from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to help the Jordanian parliament fulfill its important role as a key democratic institution by expanding its legislative capacity and becoming more accessible to citizens.

“For SUNY to continue to grow as a great state university, it must engage the world beyond New York’s borders,” Ryan said. “As the world flattens, we must continue to create expanded global opportunities for SUNY students and faculty and work in partnership with other great universities around the globe. This latest award is another example of SUNY fulfilling its public service mission.”

SUNY CID staff, based in Amman, Jordan, are working with key constituent groups to strengthen the effectiveness, transparency, accountability, and responsiveness of the legislative process in Jordan by helping members of parliament increase their knowledge and understanding of their representative, legislative and oversight responsibilities. The two-year project also aims to increase public outreach by the Jordanian parliament.

The State University of New York is at the forefront of international programs and this project adds to its Middle East/Muslim world portfolio. SUNY CID is on a list of just five organizations nationwide that are able to compete for $100 million in USAID projects to improve the capacity and performance of foreign legislatures. To date, SUNY CID has won every project awarded under the USAID Deliberative Bodies Indefinite Quantity Contract (IQC) announced in May 2004.

“CID has earned a worldwide reputation working in partnership with government institutions and universities around the world,” said James Ketterer, director of SUNY CID. The Center is also working on major projects in Afghanistan, Bolivia, Guatemala, Iraq, Kenya, Morocco, Tanzania and Zimbabwe.

SUNY CID governance project activities are designed to develop more effective and successful governmental and non-governmental interaction in target countries. The Center assists parliaments, legislatures, local governments and courts, as well as citizen groups.

SUNY CID is a university-wide institution that designs and implements international technical assistance projects, conducts policy-oriented research, and contributes to both the theory and practice of international development. Through its in-country development projects, conferences, publications, research, and outreach activities, the Center works to enhance the capacity of developing nations to meet critical challenges. Located in Albany, New York state’s capital city, the Center draws upon the State University’s vast intellectual and technical resources and serves as a key component of the University’s overall commitment to excellence in international education, cross-cultural exchange, and sustainable development.

The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive university system in the United States educating more than 413,000 students in 6,688 degree and certificate programs on 64 campuses. To learn how SUNY creates opportunity, visit www.suny.edu. [Top of the page]

SUNY/CID implemented a USAID-funded legislative strengthening project with the National Congress of Peru from 2002 to 2004. Given the positive history of collaboration between the two institutions, during the summer of 2005 the Congress of Peru is hosting graduate student Mr. David Miljoner, recipient of the 2005 SUNY/CID Arthur J. Sist Development Fellowship. Mr. Miljoner is conducting applied research and other work in the Citizen Participation Office of the Congress on representation mechanisms that range from public hearings to departmental citizen interest forums. This opportunity will provide Mr. Miljoner, a master's degree student in Latin American studies at the SUNY's University at Albany, with outstanding hands-on practical experience to extend his classroom studies. Furthermore, the experience will enrich his teaching capacities in Latin American studies when he returns to the University in the fall of 2005. [Top of the page]

SUNY/CID hosted a 10-member delegation of state legislators from Brazil as part of the U.S. Department of State sponsored International Visitor Program. The delegation was in Albany April 17-20, 2005 and met with members and staff of the New York State Legislature. The visitors also met with the University at Albany’s Center for Technology in Government, the University at Albany’s Nanoeconomics Division, as well as city and federal officials. The final stop of their program was Montpelier, Vt., where the group met with members and staff of the Vermont State Legislature.

SUNY/Morocco Holds Parliamentary Trainings

In March/April 2005, SUNY/Morocco held seven days of back-to-back training sessions with both houses of the Moroccan Parliament in Rabat, Morocco. Ten different training sessions included such technical subjects as legislative committee report writing and budget analysis skills for committee staffers, as well as sessions analyzing the 2004 budget for the MPs in both Finance Committees, plus a joint event with staffers from both the House of Councillors and the House of Representatives. [Top of the page]

Senior Associate Dr. Mark Baskin delivered two lectures at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill on 31 March and 1 April 2005. On 31 March, he delivered a lecture at the Center for Slavic, Eurasian and East European Studies that was entitled “Balkan Lessons for Baghdad”. On 1 April, he held a symposium with a research group on post conflict developments on “Governance After Conflict.” Both groups of graduate students and faculty came from departments of sociology, history, political science and geography, as well as from the Center for Slavic, Eurasian and East European Studies. Dr. Baskin observations were based on his own experience in the field and his own original research. He addressed the complexities of building stable, authoritative and democratic institutions the Balkans, Iraq and other countries emerging from violent conflict.
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Tanzania has begun to make the necessary preparations for upcoming general elections to be held in October 2005. To that end, the government had scheduled to table the 14th Constitutional Amendment Bill at the February 2005 Parliamentary Session. The parliament sought assistance from the SUNY/Tanzania team to help mount a series of five public hearings in all over Tanzania in the towns of Arusha, Mbeya, Mwanza, Tabora and Zanzibar. The hearings ran simultaneously on January 13 and 14, 2005.

The aim of the hearings was to get opinions, views and comments from different stakeholders on the Constitutional Amendment Bill. Some of the key issues contained included: increasing the number of women in parliament from 20 percent to 30 percent; the composition of the presidential appointees list; human rights; state and religion; Electoral Commission membership; and the proposed establishment of a National Advisory Council.

SUNY/Tanzania's support enabled Tanzanian citizens to be truly engaged in the bill processes. Concurrently, SUNY/Tanzania is developing a training tool to be used within the parliament; this tool will be a valuable source of advice and guidance on how to conduct public hearings at a constituency level.

The 14th Constitutional Amendment Bill was subsequently approved and is now awaiting presidential assent. [Top of the page]

NEW AWARD: ADMINISTRATION of Justice CONTRACT, BOLIVIA

SUNY/CID will serve as sub-contractor to Checchi and Associates, Inc. for the newly awarded Bolivian Administration of Justice program, funded by USAID/Bolivia. The overall objectives are to assist in drafting and passing necessary legal reforms and regulations; to create an integrated and sustainable capacity of justice system institutions and operators; and to promote and implement commercial and administrative law reform to enhance the transparency, consistency and predictability of judicial decision-making and governmental action in the commercial arena. SUNY/CID's contributions will be particularly valuable on the legal reforms component given SUNY's long history and continuous presence in the Bolivian National Congress. This is a four-year effort.[Top of the page]

A first interactive workshop was conducted with committee staff of the Moroccan Parliament's Chamber of Representatives (lower house) on 16 December 2004, and with committee staff of the Chamber of Councilors (upper house) on 17 December. Twenty-two participants (14 men and 8 women) attended the first day, and 16 (11 men and 5 women) the second.

The workshops identified the respective roles and functions of those directly involved in committee reporting. The context of committees in the Moroccan Parliament was discussed in order to identify areas where the SUNY assistance program may contribute to increasing the capacity of committee staff. Alternative methods of reporting were referenced. SUNY consultant Donna Merrill was able to provide information on comparative methodologies of the Palestinian Legislative Council from her experience in the West Bank/Gaza, as well as models used in the US, to provide insight and comparative strategies for possible adaptation by committees of the Morocco Parliament. [Top of the page]

As part of a training program organized by the National Democratic Institute (NDI) to strengthen the Iraqi Transitional Assembly, SUNY/CID Senior Associate, Margarita R Seminario was invited to lecture to more than 30 Iraqi women transitional MPs on legislative strengthening processes and on instruments of modern parliaments, in Amman, Jordan December 2-4, 2005. She covered such topics as rules of procedure, public hearings, and the legislative agenda, with emphasis on such skills as building leadership and management capacity, and increasing a legislator’s capacity to work with constituencies and the media. In addition, the role of women in the Iraqi constitution, the budgeting process and reconciliation processes were discussed.[Top of the page]

SUNY/CID IN GUATEMALA: COMPREHENSIVE LEGISLATIVE RULES REFORM

Over the past six months (June-November 2004), SUNY/CID has collaborated with the Guatemalan National Congress to support its parliamentary reform process. The main focus of the work has been on the preparation of a draft comprehensive internal rules reform proposal. On November 2, 2004, the Deputy Director of USAID/Guatemala, Mr. Todd Ammani, and Margarita R. Seminario, SUNY/CID Senior Associate, presented the document to the Speaker of Congress. In a letter to USAID/Guatemala, the Speaker expressed his appreciation to USAID for the assistance and made it clear that SUNY/CID’s technical support had vastly surpassed his expectations. [Top of the page]

SUNY/CID Senior Associate Speaks at Distinguished Lecture Series at the College of William and Mary

Senior Associate Dr. Mark Baskin delivered two lectures at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia on October 4 and 5, 2004. Dr. Baskin was invited to the college as part of the Distinguished Lecture Series of the college's Wendy and Emery Reves Center for International Studies. His lectures to a wide range of students and faculty were entitled "State-Building in the Age of the International Community: The Balkans, East Timor, Iraq, Afghanistan," and "The Contemporary Balkans: International in Form, Nationalist in Content." Dr. Baskin's work in the Balkans over the past 30 years has included academic research, consulting and work in UN peace operations. He is currently Senior Technical Advisor on SUNY/CID's project to strengthen the Iraqi Transitional National Assembly.[Top of the page]

SUNY/CID Senior Associate Serves as OSCE Election Observer in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Oct. 2004

SUNY/CID Senior Associate Dr. Mark Baskin was deployed as an elections observer during local elections held in Bosnia on October 2, 2004 under the auspices of the OSCE (Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe) and ODIHR (Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights). These elections were the first to be fully funded by Bosnian authorities, the first in which mayors were directly elected, and the first to address politically sensitive issues in the city of Mostar in southwest Bosnia-Herzegovina and in the district of Brcko in north-central Bosnia. Dr. Baskin observed the elections in the critically important area around Banja Luka, the capital of Republika Srpska, where, before joining SUNY/CID, he had established the United Nation’s first Civil Affairs presence in early 1995. Electoral commissions in that region reportedly performed their jobs professionally and without incident. [Top of the page]

SUNY/CID Senior Associate Wins Writing Award

SUNY/CID Senior Associate Peg Clement was awarded the Moritz Thomsen Peace Corps Experience Award from the US Peace Corps September 9, 2004. This award is presented annually to a Peace Corps volunteer or staff member for the best short description of life in the Peace Corps - daily life, assignment, travel, host country nationals, other Volunteers, readjustment. The award, begun in 1992, is named to honor Moritz Thomsen (Ecuador 1965-1967) whose book Living Poor has been widely cited as an outstanding story of the essence of the Peace Corps experience.

Ms. Clement’s essay, called “Peace Corps Was” can be read online at:
<< http://www.peacecorpswriters.org/pages/2003/0311/311wrwr.html>> She received a special citation and a cash award.

She served in the Peace Corps from 1975-1977 in Kairouan, Tunisia, and worked as a consultant for Peace Corps in 1979 in Mauritania field testing Arabic textbooks, and in the late 1980s helping open the Peace Corps presence in Cape Verde and Guinea Bissau. [Top of the page]

Massive Public Hearing on Non-Governmental Organizations Bill Held in Zimbabwe on September 7, 2004

SUNY/Zimbabwe helped sponsor a large gathering on the new controversial NGO bill which seeks to repeal the Private Voluntary Organizations Act and to establish a new Non-Governmental Organizations Act.

The parliamentary Portfolio Committee holding the hearing used the new document Public Hearings Guidelines (that SUNY/Zimbabwe assisted Parliament to develop) in both preparing and conducting the actual hearing. As part of its continued support for such hearings, SUNY assisted Parliament in posting advertisements in the print media and also in sending written invitations to specific organizations to attend the public hearing.

A record 290 participants registered for the event; actual attendance was estimated to be between 330 and 345 - the public, committee members, MPs, journalists. Written and oral submissions were taken. It is a result of such a process that the committee was able to suggest amendments to the bill, spearheaded by SUNY/Zimbabwe’s legal research officer, Romualdo Mavedzenge. Some of the amendments that the committee managed to influence relate to the composition of the NGO council, the definition of an NGO, and transitional mechanisms and matters relating to the appeals procedures in the bill.

The ability to influence changes is attributable both to bipartisan behavior, and to the relatively new ability of Zimbabwean committee members to reach consensus on contentious issues. The platform provided by public hearings has also seen an improvement in capacity and in response from civic society who now better understand their duty to participate in the country’s law-making processes. More and more, there has been a realization that public hearings provide an effective medium through which non-state actors can be involved in the governance process. (Contributed by SUNY/Zimbabwe economist, Taurai Kambeu).[Top of the page]

The Elements of Parliamentary Law: Guatemala

As part of a USAID-funded contract, SUNY/CID continues to collaborate with the Guatemalan National Congress on their parliamentary reform process. The activity focuses on drafting proposed reforms to the internal rules of procedure. In addition, during the summer of 2004, SUNY/CID conducted a series of skills development seminars and conferences. The latest one was held on August 24, 2004 and was entitled “The Elements of Parliamentary Law”.

This conference was coordinated by the Modernization and Reform Committee of the Congress (PRYM, Programa de Reforma y Modernización) and was conducted by Dr. José Elice, parliamentary scholar and currently Chief Administrative Officer of the Peruvian National Congress. This type of conference has never been held before in Guatemala. Key decision makers present at the conference indicated that it was very helpful to the modernization and reform process now well under way. Participants at the conference included members of the governing board, committee chairs, partisan and non-partisan staff, and representatives of Guatemalan NGOs. [Top of the page]

Kenya Parliamentary Committee on Health, Housing, Labor and Social Welfare US Study Tour

Kenya's Parliamentary Committee on Health members on balcony in the Capitol after meeting in Speaker Hastert's office.

(l to r) Hon. Naomi Shabaan, the Kenyan Ambassador to the US, Hon. John Opore, Hon. Tobias Ogur, Hon. Hezron Manduko (behind), Hon. Galgalo Gurrach (Chairman of the Committee), Hon. Bonny Khalwale, Beatrice Karago of the Kenya Embassy and Gene Ward of USAID ; front row (1 to r) Stephen Njenga, John Johnson, SUNY/CID Senior Associate and Hon. Richard Ndile.

From July 10 to 21, 2004, Members and staff of Kenya’s Parliamentary Committee on Health, Housing, Labor and Social Welfare traveled to Albany, New York City, and Washington DC to examine health care financing and responses to the HIV/AIDS pandemic at the local, state, and national levels. Kenya’s Health Committee is visiting the US and other nations at its own expense in hopes of learning innovative approaches that may be applicable to their health care crisis. SUNY/CID, which manages a multi-year, USAID-funded program to help strengthen the Kenyan Parliament, developed the tour agenda and assisted the Committee on this trip.

In meetings with academics, politicians, health care providers, government officials, HIV/AIDS advocacy groups, and USAID, the Kenya delegation learned how health care is financed in the US, learned about oversight of the health care industry, and learned the roles legislatures play in this area. In Washington meetings with the Speaker and Majority Leader’s Offices, and with the Congressional Research Service and the Government Accountability Office, the delegation discussed funding likely to be sent to Africa for combating HIV/AIDS, and the how these funding decisions are made. During the visit, the chair of the delegation, Honorable Galgalo Boru Gurrach, explained to congressional staff, academic audiences, and USAID Kenya’s unique system of constituency AIDS committees, established at the local level and recently empowered to decide how HIV/AIDS funding will be spent. If Kenya’s program proves successful, it may be exportable to other nations in the region. [Top of the page]

SUNY/Zimbabwe Sponsors Media Relations Workshop

The Parliament of Zimbabwe, with State University of New York/Zimbabwe sponsorship through USAID project funding, recently organized an important workshop in the southern African country of Zimbabwe.

The “Media Relations Workshop” was held August 13-16, 2004 in Kariba, Zimbabwe for fourteen representatives of the media, six Members of Parliament from both political parties, four senior parliamentary staff, six committee clerks, seven parliamentary PR officers, four media consultants, and two SUNY/Zimbabwe staff members. The fourteen media members were journalists, reporters, and editors from such Zimbabwean media as the Financial Gazette, the Herald, the Daily Mirror, the Independent, Newsnet, SportFM, and the Sunday Mail. It was a follow-on to the first Media Relations workshop also partly sponsored by SUNY/Zimbabwe May 13-15, 2001.

It is always a challenging undertaking for the media to bring news about legislatures to the people in any country, and especially to the more remote areas. Relationships, roles, and responsibilities between the media – both print and broadcast --- and legislators can sometimes get prickly. Questions inevitably emerge about coverage, partisanship, “newsworthiness,” loyalty, access, believability, exposure, and objectivity.

The objective of this event was simply to work at establishing effective working relationships between the Zimbabwean media and the country’s parliament. Topics covered in the 3-day session were the role of the media in the context of the Zimbabwean Parliament reforms; personnel behavior and etiquette of journalists in the Chamber during parliamentary proceedings; media tools to be exploited in disseminating parliamentary information and raising the visibility of Parliament; and how Parliament’s Public Relations Department can effectively engage the media to cover parliamentary issues.

Practical recommendations such as the introduction of a Parliamentary Reporter of the Year Award were made for enhancing coverage of Parliament. SUNY/Zimbabwe will also help Parliament’s Public Relations Office begin a media alert e-mail service on committee activities and an in-house magazine that summarizes key bills and executive oversight issues before committees and the house, available to all newsrooms.
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SUNY/CID Hosts Delegation from Turkmenistan

SUNY/CID hosted a delegation of four women from Turkmenistan on July 1 and July 2. These four women, a chairperson of a not-for-profit organization, a physician, a journalist, and an attorney, were on a three-week tour to five U.S. cities to examine how various institutions in the U.S., including governmental, not-for-profit, media, and health care organizations, advocate for women’s rights. Their U.S. visit was sponsored by the International Visitor Leadership Program of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

In Albany, SUNY/CID arranged visits for them with the Women’s Business Council, the SUNY Center for Women in Government and Civil Society, the National Organization for Women, Empire State Development, and other local organizations. The four women learned about the value of networking, research, outreach, and how to effectively approach their government officials. This exposure to new approaches will allow them to expand their important work on behalf of women in Turkmenistan so that they can accomplish even more.

Participants in the International Visitor Leadership Program are selected by U.S. embassy staff abroad. They are current or potential leaders in their respective countries in a variety of professional fields. Over 40 former participants in the IVLP are now serving as heads of government or chiefs of state of their country. [Top of the page]

SUNY/CID Hosts Montenegrin Politicians

From June 24 to June 26, 2004, SUNY/CID hosted a pair of experienced parliamentarians from the Republic of Montenegro’s governing coalition at its SUNY headquarters in Albany, New York. Mr. Ivan Brajovic is Vice-President of the Social Democratic Party and a member of the Montenegrin delegation to the European Union. Rajko Kovacevic is a member of the Executive Board of the Democratic Socialist Party and a Member of the Board of Advisers on the Political System in Montenegro.

The focus of the visit was on the management of diversity, introduction of non-discriminatory policies in the public sector, and sensitive issues in multi-cultural education. They met with officials from the New York State Assembly, the UAlbany Commission on Diversity and Affirmative Action, and the New York Governor’s Office on Employee Relations, as well as with representatives from SUNY/CID and the University at Albany. The visit was part of a study tour that included stops in Washington DC, New York City and Greensboro, North Carolina. The trip was supported by the US State Department and the USDA Graduate School.[Top of the page]

SUNY/CID Again Wins Legislative Strengthening Indefinite Quantity Contract

In May 2004, the US Agency for International Development’s Office of Democracy and Governance awarded SUNY/CID and its partners a new International Legislative Strengthening Technical Assistance Indefinite Quantity Contract (IQC). Under this five-year IQC, SUNY/CID will be able to provide technical assistance, training, and advisory services to national, regional, and local level legislatures, as well as support efforts to build broad public support for legislatures and promote their critical role in democratic societies. This is the third time running that the Center has won the contract (the first award was in 1996, and the second, called Deliberative Bodies IQC, was in 1999). SUNY/CID and its partners ARD, Inc., DPK Consulting, AMEX International, Inc., Pact, and the State Legislative Leaders Foundation (SLLF) will compete on task orders from USAID missions around the world for up to $100 million in awards. For information on accessing this contracting mechanism, please go to SUNY/CID's web page under Project Areas\Democracy, Governance and Civil Society, and click on: International Legislative Strengthening IQC.[Top of the page]

Mid-June 2004 saw a changing of the guard in Harare, Zimbabwe. SUNY/Zimbabwe has a new Director of its well-established Institutional Strengthening of the Zimbabwean Parliament Project (1999-2005) in the person of its long-time economist and policy advisor, John Makamure. Mr. Makamure had previously served the team as Deputy Director. SUNY/CID is pleased at the seamless transition the appointment affords, and looks forward to continued solid results working with all the portfolio committees, and the Liaison and Business Committees, as well as with several technical offices, in the country’s parliament.

Prior to joining SUNY/Zimbabwe in 2001, Mr. Makamure worked for the Zimbabwean Chamber of Commerce as its Chief Economist and Advocacy Manager. He also has previous career experience as an editor and finance writer for various Zimbabwean publications.

Mr. Makamure earned his BS with Honors in Economics (1990) and his MBA (2004) from the University of Zimbabwe. He also has credentials in mass communications and journalism from New Delhi, India. He has carried out research on the national budget and its impact on children and orphans, privatization initiatives, poverty alleviation, and price controls.[Top of the page]

Michelle Gill of the University at Albany’s School of Public Health will serve during the summer of 2004 as the first SUNY/CID Graduate Fellow in International Development. Ms. Gill has completed her first year of coursework toward an MPH degree and will spend three moths in Dar es Salaam working in coordination with SUNY/CID’s parliamentary strengthening project in Tanzania. She will work in SUNY/Tanzania's project office and directly within the parliament, as well as carry out research and take language classes. [Top of the page]

Guatemala: Modernization and Parliamentary Reform Priorities

Early in May of 2004, SUNY/CID was awarded a task order contract funded by USAID/Guatemala under SUNY/CID’s Deliberative Bodies IQC to collaborate with the newly elected Guatemalan National Congress. The goal of this activity is to put in place internal structures and procedures that will promote a more effective, efficient and legitimate legislative assembly. Ms. Margarita R. Seminario, Senior Associate for the Center, will be traveling to Guatemala several times to work with local counterparts in structuring the 2004-2009 Modernization Plan. In its initial phase, the program seeks to identify necessary changes to the internal rules and operational procedures in order to translate them into a technical proposal that integrates multi-partisan viewpoints and that will be aligned with a new vision of a more democratic Guatemalan National Congress.
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From April 25 to May 2, 2004, SUNY/CID hosted a delegation from the Parliament of Ghana at its SUNY headquarters in Albany, New York. The delegation was headed by the Honorable Eugene Atta Agyepong, Chair of the Finance Committee, and included the Honorable Moses Asaga, Ranking Member of the Finance Committee, and the Honorable Samuel Johnfiah, a member of parliament. They were accompanied by the Clerk of the Finance Committee, Alhaji Ibrahim Gombilla, and Anthony Selom Dzadzra from the Ministry of Finance.

The focus of this delegation’s study and observation trip was to examine ways in which MPs and staff can strengthen Ghana’s parliamentary budget oversight mechanisms and processes. The group met with a variety of representatives from SUNY/CID, SUNY, the New York State Legislature and other institutions as part of that effort. Before arriving in Albany, they visited SUNY’s successful parliamentary project in Kenya and then traveled to Ottawa, Ontario. The trip was supported by the Government of Ghana and USAID/Ghana. [Top of the page]

Several members of SUNY/CID presented papers at the New York State Political Science Conference, held at Binghamton University April 23-24, 2004. Dr. Mark Baskin presented a paper on international governance in the Balkans; Peg Clement presented a paper on the enhanced role of committees in the Parliament of Zimbabwe; John Johnson offered an analysis of legislative development success stories in Africa and in Latin America; and James Ketterer presented an overview of US democracy promotion in the Arab world. Margarita Seminario served as Chair/Discussant.

On April 15, 2004, Dr. John Brown, former Cultural Affairs Officer in the Foreign Service and currently an Associate at the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University, visited SUNY Center for International Development to speak informally on the impact of culture within Russia. Dr. Brown emphasized the application of “soft power” as a method of diplomacy and stressed that cultural exchange is an oft-neglected key in building solid relationships between countries.[Top of the page]

On March 25, 2004, Colonel Paul Hughes, Army Senior Military Fellow at the Institute for National Strategic Studies, National Defense University, spoke as part of SUNY Center for International Development’s Speaker’s Forum about the situation in Iraq. Colonel Hughes’ topic “Iraq: Managing Post-Conflict Reconstruction” evaluated the programs established to help the Iraqi people and discussed the United States’ efforts in reconstruction in a post-Saddam era.[Top of the page]

SUNY Makes Opening Presentation at UNDP/IPU Meeting on Enhancing the Role of Parliaments in Conflict/Post Conflict Settings: Geneva, Switzerland

On March 24, 2004, in Geneva, Switzerland, University at Albany Professor Robert Nakamura and SUNY/CID Senior Associates John Johnson and Margarita Seminario participated in the joint United Nations Development Programme/Inter-Parliamentary Union meeting entitled “Enhancing the Role of Parliaments in Conflict/Post-Conflict Settings.” Johnson and Nakamura gave an opening presentation called “Structure and Legal Frameworks for Parliaments” in which they presented the preliminary results of the study they are conducting for UNDP. Representatives from 15 organizations in Europe, Africa, Asia, and North America participated in this meeting; SUNY was the only American institution. Other speakers included Mr. Ntibantunganya, former President and current Speaker of the Parliament of Burundi, who described his nation’s slide into genocide; Ms. Jennifer Topping of the UNDP Democratic Governance Group; and Ms. Petra Blass of the Stability Pact for South-Eastern Europe.

The study by Johnson and Nakamura is one component of a three-part SUNY/CID contract with UNDP on Parliaments and Post-Conflict Societies. The other two components are a desk study on the role of parliaments in mitigating conflict (to help inform donor assistance in this area), and support for an upcoming SUNY/CID conference on Politics and Policy Change. This is SUNY/CID’s second contract with UNDP’s Democratic Governance Group in as many years. Under the first, Johnson worked with the Southern Africa Development Community Parliamentary Forum (SADC PF) to develop an orientation program for newly elected parliament members in the 11-nation SADC region. [Top of the page]

"Behind the Headlines on WMDs: What We Should Know about Weapons of Mass Destruction"

On March 9, 2004, SUNY Center for International Development’s Speaker’s Forum welcomed Dr. Donald S. Birn, Professor of History at the University at Albany, who presented a lecture entitled “Behind the Headlines on WMDs: What We Should Know about Weapons of Mass Destruction.” A former Foreign Service Officer and scholar on nuclear proliferation issues, arms control, and the role of peace, Dr. Birn’s lecture focused mainly on the inevitability of proliferation of WMDs and possible solutions to their containment. Dr. Birn examined old and new issues surrounding weapons of mass destruction and explored the reasons for change in the old and new movements.[Top of the page]

Kenya Workshop: The Eastern Africa Association of Public Accounts Committees (EAAPAC)

From February 20 to 22, 2004, in Mombasa, Kenya, SUNY/Kenya, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the National Assembly of Kenya, and the East African Parliamentary Institute (EAPI) jointly conducted a “Best Practices” workshop for public accounts committees in Eastern Africa. Funded by USAID, the Ford Foundation, and the participating parliaments, more than 50 parliamentarians, auditors general, representatives from civil society, representatives of SUNY and the World Bank Institute, and parliamentary staff from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi and Sudan worked together on finding methods of improving executive oversight. Participants described several challenges faced by parliaments in conducting effective oversight, and discussed innovative approaches from within and outside the region to improve their performance. Conference speakers included Deputy Speaker David Musila and Clerk Sam Ndindiri of Kenya; MPs and/or auditors general from Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya; leaders of Kenyan CSOs; Rick Stapenhurst, Director of the World Bank Institute; and John Johnson and Jesse Biddle of SUNY/CID. [Top of the page]

Among several positive results of the conference two are especially important. The first is the agreement by all the assembled MPs to create an Eastern Africa Association of Public Accounts Committees (EAAPAC). Second is the adoption of several specific recommendations for improving parliamentary oversight in Eastern Africa. These include making auditors general independent of the executive (many auditors general are hired by, and report to those they audit), lengthening terms for PAC chairs and members (some have terms as brief as one year, which does not allow them to develop sufficient expertise to challenge executives), and establishing implementation committees to ensure that the government follows up on PAC recommendations. Since conducting the workshop SUNY/Kenya has already helped prepare a draft Association constitution, and PAC chairs from the region were to meet in Nairobi in April 2004 to adopt a constitution and a workplan for the EAAPAC for the year. [Top of the page]

A common problem with legislatures in much of the world is that their members often fail to take into account the views and concerns of ordinary citizens and civil society organizations (CSOs) in their deliberations.

In February 2004, SUNY/Tanzania conducted a two-day workshop for members of Tanzania’s Mainland Parliament to address this need. Entitled “Influencing Policy Skills Development,” the workshop was the second of three skills development events designed to help bring civil society more demonstrably into the legislative process. In the first event, SUNY/Tanzania trained civil society representatives from more than 30 CSOs to help increase their access to parliament. The facilitators for the three workshops are well-known regional consultants Betty Rutare Byanyima and Hon. Winnie Babihuga of Uganda.

More than 20 members of the Tanzanian Parliament attended the highly praised workshops. One of the most encouraging results of the workshops so far is that some MPs now refuse to discuss some draft legislation with responsible ministers until the ministers have allowed relevant CSOs to be fully briefed on the status of the amendments they previously tabled with the Ministry. [Top of the page]

On February 19, 2004, SUNY Center for International Development welcomed Dr. Lewis Brownstein to its Speaker’s Forum. Dr. Brownstein, Chair of the Political Science and International Relations Department at SUNY/New Paltz, gave a lecture entitled “Killing in the Name of God: Religion and Terror in the 21st Century.” Dr. Brownstein, known for his expertise on foreign policy issues, political extremism, and the Middle East process, discussed similarities in various groups engaged in global religious terror and their structure and belief systems. He concluded that in order to combat religious terror, we must discover the nature of the threat and understand the terrorists’ motivations.[Top of the page]

Parliament of Zimbabwe Public Hearing of Land Acquisition Amendment Bill, 15 January 2004

CID Senior Associate Peg Clement carried out a management visit in early January 2004 to SUNY/Zimbabwe's Institutional Strengthening of the Zimbabwean Parliament project, entering its fourth year of implementation. The in-country staff now numbers six professional Zimbabwean lawyers and economists, the same number of support and finance staff, and a group of Zimbabwean academics, bankers, economists, and other subject-matter specialists on retainer for advisory work to the Parliament's committees. Manuals on public hearings, committee operations, and legislative analysis are being finalized for and with parliamentary staff and MPs. Study and observation visits with neighboring South Africa's Parliament have allowed for good exchanges along the lines of Good Law initiatives, media relations, and committee work. Public hearings (see photo) are becoming a regular feature of legislative life as this 5th Parliament heads into its final sessional year before fresh elections in mid-2005. [Top of the page]

Ambassador Robert Gosende, Associate Vice Chancellor for International Programs, and CID Director James Ketterer recently visited Lebanon and Egypt as part of an overall effort to expand SUNY linkages to the Arab World. In Lebanon they met with the Provost and Associate Provost of the American University of Beirut, the leadership of the Lebanese American University, the USAID Mission Director, and the Director of the University at Albany’s Lebanon Redevelopment and Reconstruction Project. In Egypt they met with the staff of the US Embassy, the President of the American University of Cairo, and Ambassador Gosende served as the keynote speaker at the annual alumni dinner for the Fulbright Commission in Egypt. Based on the initial interest developed from this trip, SUNY will continue to work to expand its work in the Arab World. [Top of the page]


Breakfast meeting to draft conference recommendations. Gentleman on the right with water bottle is the SUNY/Kenya COP (chief-of-party) Jesse Biddle.	(l to r) Sudan Parliament members Hon. Ayak Kom Awan and Hon. H.A. Magied taking a break at the conference.