CID News

Jordanian media covered the head table of Members of Parliament
while CSO representatives manned their information tables.

SUNY/CID Wins $5.8M USAID Contract to Strengthen Democratic Linkages in Uganda

The U.S. Agency for International Development has selected SUNY/CID for award of the Uganda Linkages Program. This is 40 month activity that seeks to strengthen democratic linkages within, and among the Ugandan Parliament, selected local governments and civil society groups. In the context of Uganda’s transition back towards a multi-party system and recovery from civil war, the Linkages Program’s goals include to build the capacity of government and civil society to effectively engage with each other; to increase democratic participation in political processes; to improve institutional transparency and accountability; and ultimately to improve essential service delivery to public constituencies. SUNY/CID’s sub-contract partner on the Linkages Program is the Research Triangle Institute, International (RTI). Acting Director Jim Utermark said, “Winning the open competition for the Linkages Program confirms that SUNY/CID’s reputation in sub-Saharan Africa is outstanding. We look forward to working with the Ugandan Parliament, local government officials, civil society groups, and USAID in Uganda to help build multi-party democracy in Uganda.”

SUNY/CID is pleased to welcome its interns for Summer 2007. They hail from four different SUNY campuses and bring a variety of skills and interests to the job.

Elizabeth Murphy just completed her undergraduate studies in International Studies and French at SUNY Oneonta. She has previously studied at the Universidad de Costa Rica in San Jose and at La Sorbonne in Paris. In the fall of 2007, Elizabeth will begin graduate studies at the Monterey Institute of International Studies in California.

Winter Eyres just completed her undergraduate studies in international business at New Paltz. She has speaks Spanish and has done volunteer work for 'Mayan Hands'. She was in the SUNY New Paltz Honors Program and won several academic awards.

Lisle Ferreira completed her undergraduate studies Magna Cum Laude at SUNY Stony Brook in Political Science, International Studies and Business Studies. She is proficient in Spanish and fluent in Portuguese. She has extensive experience at the Brazilian Institute of Public Administration and at the Broad Street Group in Manhattan. In the fall of 2007, she will begin her MA at New York University.

Paul Gumpper is pursuing a PhD in political science at Rockefeller College with a concentration in international relations, international political economy and the politics of developing countries. He completed his undergraduate studies at East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania, in International Relations. He has studied in Africa and is interested in the development of microfinance policies.

These interns will work closely with CID staff on projects in the Middle East, Latin America, South Asia and Africa.

On April 4, 2007, SUNY/CID hosted a day in Albany for nine students from the American University of Cairo (AUC) who are spending this semester at SUNY New Paltz. The students are part of a USAID-funded undergraduate program at AUC, the Leadership in Education and Development (LEAD) program. The LEAD program supports academically gifted Egyptian students for undergraduate study at AUC. As part of a partnership between AUC and SUNY, the semester at SUNY New Paltz constitutes the study abroad component of the undergraduate studies for nine of the LEAD students. Their day in Albany was designed to acquaint the students with the workings of state and city government.

While in Albany, the LEAD students met with Ambassador Robert Gosende, Associate Vice Chancellor for International Programs; Assemblyman Jack McEneny; Senator Neil Breslin; Albany Common Council Member Catherine Fahey; Krista Ketterer of the Senate Student Programs Office; current Senate Fellows and International Senate Fellows; SUNY/CID Interns; an Irish legislative intern; James Ketterer of CID; and other SUNY staff.

US Ambassador Eastham and Speaker Chimango Tour Malawi National Assembly Project

On March 9, 2007, U.S. Ambassador to Malawi, Alan Eastham, and the Speaker of Parliament, the Honorable Louis Chimango jointly toured the SUNY/Malawi National Assembly Project. The tour begun at Kang'ombe House where the project is supporting offices of the Committee Clerks and a Library. The Ambassador and the Speaker also toured the Resources Center which hosts computers with high speed internet connection for exclusive use by Members and Committee support staff. Speaking at the end of the tour, Ambassador Eastham stated that his Government was pleased to support the efforts of the Malawi Government to enhance the role of the Malawi National Assembly as an institution playing a major role in entrenching democracy in Malawi.

General Secretariat of the Jordanian Lower House of Parliament Visits Dutch Parliament

In February 2007, a delegation from the General Secretariat of the Jordanian Lower House of Parliament visited the Dutch Parliament under the auspice of USAID-funded SUNY-implemented Legislative Strengthening Program in Jordan. Jordanian delegation was led by the Secretary General of the Lower House of Parliament and included a number of department directors. The objective of this visit was to examine how Secretariats of both the House and the Senate of the Dutch Parliament serve their members as well as external stakeholders. The visit included meetings with Secretary Generals of both houses, briefings by the Information, Committee, and Transcript Departments at the Dutch Parliament, among others.

SUNY Wins Student Education Award; Dual-degree undergraduate program links 9 Turkish, 10 New York campuses

Washington - The largest U.S. university system has won an award for cooperating with Turkey in the undergraduate education of Turkish students, and their dual-degree program is being cited as a model for international cooperation in education.

“The dual-diploma program is the most effective kind of globalization in which we can engage,” State University of New York (SUNY) Associate Vice Chancellor Robert Gosende told USINFO. “It is one of the most intimate ways for universities to work together. We elaborate a joint curriculum together, teach together and certify our teaching with the issuance of dual diplomas,” said Gosende, who is also the head of the Office of International Programs at SUNY and holds the rank of ambassador for his work as special envoy for Somalia for former President Clinton.

The Institute of International Education announced January 24 that SUNY is the first winner of the Andrew Heiskell Award for Innovation in International Education, a new International Exchange Partnerships award, for its program with the Turkish Council of Higher Education (YOK). Turkish students in the program receive two undergraduate diplomas, one Turkish and one from SUNY, after dividing their four years of study between a Turkish campus and a partner SUNY campus.

“We have come to believe that, through this program, we can provide to students a much better education than we could if students came directly to our university for all four years or if students stayed in their home country for all four years. As a result, students have much greater employment opportunities upon graduation,” Gosende said.

“Turkey is one of our country's oldest partners in NATO,” Gosende said. “It is a country with which we have had particularly warm and friendly relations for the past 60 years. This exciting new program, which is enabling hundreds of Turkish students to spend half of their undergraduate careers studying at campuses within our system, will be most important in assisting Turkey and the U.S. to continue and expand this warm and friendly relationship into the future.”

"SUNY's dual diploma program with Turkey has become a model for how we wish to work with other countries in our effort to globalize our campuses," SUNY Chancellor John Ryan said when the award was announced. SUNY and the YOK set out to create joint degrees at the undergraduate level in 2000. Such programs until now have been unusual “because it is harder to articulate degree requirements across national systems than at the master's level, and because students are younger and may require more support services,” according to a program overview written by Gosende.

The program has grown from 33 students in 2003 to more than 1,500 students in 24 programs in 2006. Nine Turkish and 10 SUNY campuses are participating.

Both the SUNY and the YOK systems are large. SUNY has 64 campuses and 418,000 students, while YOK plans, coordinates and supervises a system of 77 universities with almost 400,000 students on campuses and an additional 200,000 students engaged in distance learning. Turkey has many more students taking national university entrance exams than it has places in its higher education system. The joint-degree program ultimately increases the number of Turkish students admitted to Turkish universities by providing additional places for qualified students. Both systems also benefit from the faculty exchanges that are built into the programs.

SUNY now is working on programs that will enable U.S. students to study in Turkey, according to Gosende, who added, “but even among those [New York State] students who never go to Turkey, their undergraduate experience is greatly enhanced by studying and living side-by-side with their Turkish peers. This program contributes to their knowledge of the Muslim world, a part of the world which is often not well-understood among U.S. university students, and strengthens the university’s ability to foster a sense of global citizenry among its students.”

SUNY currently is developing dual-diploma programs with universities in Russia, Poland, Mexico and Brazil, according to Gosende. A three-year U.S. State Department grant of $125,000 helped pay for the initial travel needs of faculty and administrators involved in establishing the SUNY-YOK program, and the department's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs also provided $250,000 in scholarship funds in September 2002. The scholarships are administered by Turkey’s Fulbright Commission, according to the program's Web site.

Kennedy Chokuda, SUNY/CID International Fellow in 2005, has been appointed to the position of Deputy Clerk in the Parliament of Zimbabwe. While in Albany, Mr. Chokuda served as a staff member in the New York State Senate, worked with his academic mentor Dr. Rob Compton of SUNY/Oneonta, and studied at the Rockefeller College.

SUNY/ARD Haiti Participates in Strategic Planning Workshop with Haitian Parliament

In coordination with the Haitian Parliament’s Bicameral Commission for Support to Parliament, the USAID-funded Projet d’appui au Parlement Haïtien (PAPH) participated in a three-day workshop for Parliamentarians and staff to discuss and refine their goals for the future of the Haitian Parliament. The workshop took place from December 19 to 21, 2006 in Port-au-Prince. The Haitian Parliament drafted a strategic plan for its own development and to coordinate international assistance. Through this workshop, the PAPH Project formally deepened its efforts to build upon and contribute to the Parliament’s own vision of its institutional needs. More than 45 members of parliament, staff, and government representatives took part in the event.

SUNY/CID welcomes four new interns that will be dedicating their time and talent to benefit SUNY/CID and its operations. The interns were selected in a competitive process (see “Internship” link on this website for further information) and will work throughout the spring semester.

"I am pleased to welcome these exceptional students" said James P. Ketterer, Director of SUNY/CID. "Not only will they witness firsthand the operations of office, they will also provide valuable assistance to the staff.”

Keita Shibuki is an MPA student at Rockefeller College, who completed his BA in Tokyo (Aoyama Gakuin University) in 1990. He has worked for SONY and for the Association for Promotion of the Helicopter Industry in Japan.

Jack Shillito is a British exchange student in American Studies at Rockefeller College in the current year. He is a full time student at the University of Wales Swansea in the UK. He has worked in tourism in Britain and in the US; has been an editor of the student newspaper at Swansea University.

Richard Pearson-Strain is an MPA student at Rockefeller College with concentrations in urban policies and international development. He graduated cum laude in political science and geography from Albany and wrote extended papers comparing European Muslim immigration policy and on economic development in post-communist East Europe. Additionally, Mr. Pearson-Strain works for the Vascular Group PLLC in Albany, and previously, with CDPHP and has been a Fellow of the National Wildlife Foundation.

Aida Branez is pursuing a dual BA in political science and Japanese Studies at the University at Albany. She was the 2005 recipient of the Spellman for Excellence Among minority students and a member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars and has studied abroad in Osaka, Japan. She is fluent in Spanish and speaks Japanese.

SUNY/Afghanistan Supports Legal Research Unit to Improve Decree Review and Ratification Process

Since March 2006, SUNY/CID’s USAID-funded Afghanistan Parliamentary Assistance Project (APAP) has provided equipment and staff training to the lower house’s (Wolesi Jirga) Legislative Research Unit (LRU). At the outset, the LRU had no space to operate and little experience in providing research services to it parliamentary clients. According to the LRU’s Director, Mr. Hekmatullah Fushanji, “It was very difficult, if not impossible, for us to function. SUNY/APAP came to our assistance and today we are able to showcase a fully functional unit that clearly impacts the Wolesi Jirga’s law making process”.

The project has provided basic research, bill drafting and internet skills enabling the LRU staff members to conduct basic and advanced research on many of the Executive Decrees pending at the National Assembly Committee level. According to Director Fushanji, “With the Project’s assistance we have developed a Legislative Review Tracking System that allows us to produce revised bill drafts that capture amendments sequentially, making it easier for Committee members to review their work and quickly move forward.”

SUNY/CID Senior Associate Participates in Conference on Genocide at Cardozo Law School in New York City

Dr. Mark Baskin participated in a conference, “Denying Genocide: Law, Identity & Historical Memory in the Face of Mass Atrocity” at Benjamin N. Cardozo Law School’s Program on the Holocaust and Human Rights Studies on December 4, 2006. The conference addressed the dilemma that although it has become axiomatic for societies that are emerging from mass atrocities to acknowledge the “truth” of what has happened through trials, truth commissions and other methods, many societies actually have gone to great lengths to deny that the atrocities have taken place. Such denial has been central in the Armenian genocide, the Holocaust, Rwanda, Sudan and the Balkans. There were panels on defining denial, comparing cases of denial, the relationship between free speech and denial, and denial, history and education.

From his long experience with the United Nations during the Wars of Yugoslav Succession in working with organizations of families of missing people and in cooperating with the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia in exhuming mass graves, Dr. Baskin suggested that denial was essential to genocide. He discussed ‘war crimes denial’ in which leaderships and ordinary people focus on the crimes against their own people while denying that their people could ever commit war crimes. He pointed to the local character of genocides that occur in particular places, and how the ‘international community’ contributes to denial both by their failure to intervene and by their equal treatment of all parties – victims and aggressors – in these wars.

Dr. Baskin is Senior Associate for Academic Affairs and Research at SUNY CID and Research Professor of Political Science at Rockefeller College at the University at Albany.

SUNY/Malawi Participates in Training Workshop for National Assembly Committee Clerks and Committee Chairs

Malawi’s National Assembly, with assistance from the SUNY Malawi Project office, held a one-day Training Workshop November 29, 2006. The Speaker of Parliament opened the workshop which was attended by all Chairpersons of Parliamentary Committees and Committee Clerks. The SUNY-Malawi Chief-of-Party, Dye Mawindo and DCOP, Sylvester Masamvu made presentations on the Role of Committee Clerks in Committee work, the Role of Committee Chairs in the Committee work; and Management of Committee Meetings. The Parliamentarians and staff were pleased with the content and outcome of the workshop, including the Honorable Lijenda, who suggested in the future, similar training sessions take place as soon as possible after general elections or appointment of Chairpersons.

An eight-person Parliamentary Staff delegation visited the French Assemblée Nationale and Sénat from September 17 to 24, 2006 under the auspices of SUNY/CID’s USAID-funded Parliament Support Project. The visit was aimed at exploring many of the facets of the French Parliament’s day-to-day operations including the work of committees, methods and tools used for gathering documentary evidence, communication/coordination modalities between parliamentary committees, and the selective exercise of executive oversight. The Moroccan participants had ample oppor tunities to exchange ideas and discuss best practices with their French counterparts, while reflecting upon ways to improve their own practices and procedures. Following their return to Morocco the study tour participants have already begun to develop a concrete and prioritized plan of action for improving their own legislative processes.

ALBANY — SUNY/CID was awarded a $6.8 million contract from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to support the re-establishment of a functioning legislature in the Republic of Haiti. “The goal of the three-year project is to help the Haitian Parliament, which has not been in session for the past 2 ½ years, to develop its legislative capacity and address critical issues such as the need for political inclusiveness, negotiation and power-sharing,” said James Ketterer, director of SUNY/CID. “The project also seeks to promote democracy by strengthening Haiti’s independent media.” Haiti’s democratically elected Parliament, composed of a 30-seat Senate and a 99-member Chamber of Deputies, took office in June 2006.

On October 6, 2006 Director James P. Ketterer announced that SUNY/CID will continue its work in Bolivia under a contract to Chemonics International, Inc. The objective of the Support to Democratic Systems and Governance in a Changing Environment in Bolivia Project, which is funded by the US Agency for International Development, is to foster the creation and improvement of conditions for Bolivian democracy to adopt and maximize its use of inclusive and transparent mechanisms that are vital for democratic systems of governance. “With this project, SUNY/CID will continue its longstanding work with the National Congress of Bolivia and potentially with the deliberative bodies at the sub-national level,” Ketterer noted. Additionally, SUNY/CID will also contribute to the project’s work with civil society so that it can effectively monitor political processes and to lead and support pluralistic debate. SUNY/CID has been working in Bolivia since 1992.

On October 1, 2005, SUNY/CID embarked upon a four-year program to help strengthen the Parliament of Tanzania as a follow-on to the work that it began with the Parliament in 2003.

The project fosters greater cooperation among intergovernmental agencies, effective participation of Members of Parliament in the formulation of the national budget, and greater involvement with their constituencies at home.

In Tanzania, this approach has proved to be so successful that it has paved the way for further activities to be undertaken with additional resources. SUNY/CID is pleased to announce that an expansion of parliamentary activities through our existing project is to be funded by the Millennium Challenge Account Threshold Program. New and exciting activities will include a range of technical initiatives that will serve to further strengthen Tanzania’s legislature, and the nation, with particular attention paid on efforts to prevent and crackdown on corruption in the country.

The Millennium Challenge Account links greater contributions from developed nations to greater responsibility from developing nations. Development assistance may be provided to those countries that rule justly, invest in their people, and encourage economic freedom. The people of Tanzania should be proud that their country is one of the first countries in the world to share in this program.

Dr. Mark Baskin, SUNY/CID Senior Associate overseeing academic and research programs, has been named Research Professor by the Department of Political Science at the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy at the University at Albany. In addition to his work at SUNY/CID, Dr. Baskin teaches graduate and undergraduate on comparative politics and international security at the University at Albany and is involved in a wide array of scholarly activities.

Jordanian Parliament’s newly established Civil Society Organization (CSO) Unit

On July 22, 2006, SUNY/Jordan held a one day retreat for the Jordanian Parliament’s newly established Civil Society Organization (CSO) Unit. The mission of this new unit is to establish better relationships between the Jordanian Parliament and CSOs, and to strengthen collaboration between the two stakeholders in addressing public policy issues. The event brought together members of the CSO Unit, including the Unit’s Director, Dr. Khalid Abu-Rabie, and representatives from Jordanian CSOs. The retreat served to discuss the mission and objectives of the CSO Unit; to jump start the CSO Unit’s activities and established initial contact between the CSO Unit and CSO representatives.

Dr. Helen Desfosses, Interim Dean at the Nelson A. Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy at SUNY Albany, gave the keynote address to members of both houses of Parliament of Morocco and civil society representatives on June 20, 2006 in Rabat, Morocco. Dean Desfosses participated in the roundtable on how to strengthen the Moroccan legislature’s capacity in initiating and executing fact-finding committees and organizing public hearings, along with several other distinguished speakers, including Dr. Abdelmoughit Benmessaoud Tridano, a consultant for the Moroccan fact finding committee, Driss Lachgar, member of the Moroccan Chamber of Representatives and Rahou Haila, a member of the Moroccan Chamber of Counselors. This event provided a forum for experts in this field to share their professional experiences from the American, Moroccan and French perspectives, and a question and answer session followed.

Dr. Desfosses remarks on fact-finding committees and public hearings were well received by the audience and fellow panelists as she drew from her experiences as president of the Albany City Legislature and the Albany City Council. She emphasized the importance of investigation and oversight by standing committees which provided invaluable fact-finding, consensus-building and policy-recommending assistance to the legislative process. From Dean Desfosses’ city council experience, she stated that public hearings were the essence of democracy and that they are an essential arena for citizen groups to be heard. Points emphasized in her presentation were; rationale, challenges, process and procedure, and the impacts within an American context.

On September 5-7, A SUNY/CID delegation was in Washington, DC to meet with visiting delegations from the parliaments of Kenya and Afghanistan. The MPs were in Washington under the auspices of the House Democracy Assistance Commission (HDAC) of the US House of Representatives. The SUNY delegation was led by Ambassador Robert R. Gosende, Associate Vice Chancellor for International programs, and included CID Director James Ketterer, Chief of Staff James Utermark, and Senior Associate Jesse Biddle. In addition to the HDAC meetings, the SUNY delegation also met with officials from USAID, the State Department, AMIDEAST, the US-Ukraine Foundation, and congressional offices.

In July 2006, SUNY/Jordan held a three-day seminar entitled, “Taking Parliament to the People: Parliament and Media Relations,” at the Dead Sea. In its effort to increase public participation in the legislative process in Jordan, SUNY/Jordan organized the seminar to help foster more effective working relationships and understanding between members of Parliament and their media counterparts, both print and broadcast. The objective of the event was for Parliamentarians and media representatives to identify and discuss ways to work together in improving coverage of legislative affairs and to learn new skills for building a more positive public image of the Parliament.

More than fifty Jordanian Parliamentarians and media representatives participated in this three-day event, facilitated by Dr. Helen Desfosses, an experienced politician and SUNY/Albany professor, and Dr. Ghalib Shatnawi, Jordanian media expert and professor of political communications from Yarmouk University. The Deputy Speaker of the Jordanian Parliament, Dr. Nayef Al Fayez, in his closing remarks proclaimed the seminar a success and expressed his wishes that similar events take place in the near future.

Former CID Intern, Leanne Spaulding, is currently serving as a Peace Corps volunteer in Thailand. She is working and living in the northeastern province of Udon Thani and is working on projects related to women’s health, gender issues, and HIV/AIDS education. Leanne is a graduate of the University at Albany and a former employee of the New York State Department of Health.

After successful completion of the 2006 SUNY/CID International Fellowship, Henry Ndlovu has returned to his post as Clerk of Committees with the Zimbabwean Parliament. Mr. Ndlovu’s six-month program began last December in Pretoria, South Africa where he joined a group of SUNY/Oneonta students participating in an overseas summer course led by Henry’s academic mentor Prof. Rob Compton. Upon arrival in the United States in January, he began serving a six-month assignment on the staff of NYS Sen. Dale M. Volker (R,C,I-Depew). During the spring semester, Henry completed a course in policy implementation at Rockefeller College, a two-week intensive bill drafting course held in Washington, DC by the Public Law Center of Tulane University, and an individualized course covering NYS government and strategic planning organized by Prof. Compton. Henry’s individualized program also included experiential learning opportunities such as participation in an international development conference held at Old Dominion University in Norfolk,VA in March, and continued involvement with SUNY/Oneonta undergraduate students as an advisor to a class assigned with representing Zimbabwe at a Model UN session held in NYC in April 2006.

Two former CID interns, David Miljoner and Liam Fitzsimmons, have accepted legislative positions. David has been accepted into the New York State Senate Fellows Program and will serve in the Senate from September 2006 to July 2007. He previously was the CID Arthur Sist Fellow in International Development and in that capacity was a Congressional Fellow in the Peruvian Congress. He received his BA and MA from the University at Albany.

Liam has accepted a job in Washington with Congressman Maurice Hinchey of New York. In addition to being a CID intern, he also worked at the SUNY Office of International Programs, was a State Department intern in the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, and coordinated activities for the Albany chapter of Americans for Informed Democracy. He received his BA from the University at Albany.

On June 15, 2006 Julia Demichelis, SUNY/CID’s chief-of-party on the USAID-funded Strengthening Parliamentary Processes project in Morocco, was honored by the University of Oregon’s School of Architecture and Allied Arts, Department of Planning Public Policy and Management (PPPM) & PPPM Advisory Council as the department’s Distinguished Alumna of 2006. The University recognized that since graduating with a Master of Urban Planning in 1991, Ms. Demichelis has applied her planning skills to create community reconciliation and reconstruction mechanisms within conflict and post-conflict societies around the world, including Sierra Leone, Liberia, the Yugoslav Successor States, Albania, Cote d’Ivoire, Burundi and most recently, Iraq. For 15 years, Julia’s work has focused on rebuilding physical structures, strengthening public services, improving governance infrastructure at the community and state levels, and mitigating recurrences of conflicts or natural disasters.

As SUNY/CID’s project director in Iraq last year, Ms. Demichelis headed a team that assisted the transitional Iraqi parliament to establish its internal rules and post- election institutional structure; draft the constitution and other key pieces of legislation; create modern human resources policies; and, develop other essential tools of governance, including public and media relations. Working at the national level for the past five years, she ‘raises the ceiling’ that governments give to communities to rebuild themselves. Julia is currently directing SUNY/CID’s program with the Moroccan Parliament, focusing on the interior and finance committees and helping build positive and productive relationships between the Parliament and civil society.

Phase I of the “In a Democracy, Your Decision Counts!” Campaign Completed in Bolivia

“In a Democracy, Your Decision Counts!” This is the slogan of the mass media campaign that is being carried out by SUNY/Bolivia under its USAID-funded Program to Support Effective Citizens and Representation (PACER). Elections for national and regional offices took place in December 2005, and elections for Members of a Constituent Assembly are scheduled for July 2006. After 24 years of democratic rule, this is the first time that a civic education campaign of this type has been carried out.

Educational billboards were place in high-traffic intersections throughout Bolivia.

Jessica Phelan Wins Second Arthur J. Sist Development Fellowship in International Development to Work with the Jordanian Parliament

A PhD student in political science at the University at Albany is the recipient of the second Arthur J. Sist Fellowship in International Development. Jessica Phelan is focusing her studies on legislative development. She will travel to Amman, Jordan and work with the Jordanian Parliament for the duration of the fellowship. She will be based in SUNY’s office in Jordan, where the Center for International Development established a two-year legislative strengthening program to work with members and staff of the Jordanian parliament to strengthen its effectiveness, transparency, accountability, responsiveness and public outreach. Ms. Phelan has worked as an intern at SUNY/CID, at the State Legislative Leaders Foundation, and at the New York State Assembly. She also received assistance on this project from the Jean Polletti Memorial Scholarship from Rockefeller College at the University at Albany.

Dr. Arthur J. Sist retired from SUNY/CID in 2005 after a distinguished career that spanned 35 years in developing countries promoting the consolidation of democracy through teaching democratic theory and through directing programs for strengthening legislative and judicial systems in Latin America and Africa. Last year’s Sist Fellow, David Miljoner, worked in the Citizen Participation Office of the Peruvian Congress on representation mechanisms that range from public hearings to departmental citizen interest forums.

SUNY/Tanzania Organizes Concurrent Briefing Sessions for Four Parliamentary Committees

SUNY/Tanzania organized a series of briefing sessions for Members of Parliament (MPs) and Parliamentary staffers on May 26, 28, and 31, 2006. The briefing sessions involving the Public Accounts, Social Services, Finance & Economic Affairs, and Natural Resource Management & Environment Committees ran concurrently in three separate locations in Dar es Salaam. Over 70 Parliamentarians and 8 Parliamentary staffers received briefings from ten local organizations and institutions. With 323 MPs in the national legislature, providing targeted support to four Committees each year of the Program will be a key entry point towards helping to strengthen the Parliament.

The briefing sessions were developed with Parliamentary staffers who work within the Parliamentary Committees along with the Committee Chair and Vice Chairpersons and were designed to meet the specific informational needs identified within the Committees. Topics were diverse and included an overview of the education reforms for the Social Services Committee, auditing skills for the benefit of the Public Accounts Committee, challenges to implementing the environmental policy and legislation for the Natural Resource Management & Environment Committee and an overview of the Tanzanian Governance Notice Board and integration of gender budgeting principles for the Finance & Economic Affairs Committee. In addition, all of the target committees attended sessions about Tanzania’s public financial management including issues associated with the budget cycle and public expenditure management. Presenters were drawn from Tanzanian civil society, research organizations, academia and government institutions. The sessions were intentionally timed to take place just prior to the 2006 Parliamentary Budget Session which begins in early June 2006. This is the time each year when the legislators are required to scrutinize Tanzania’s National Budget estimates. As the Session draws near and their workloads increase, MPs agreed that these briefing sessions offered a much needed opportunity to participate in an informed dialogue with their fellow Committee members and outside resource persons on issues that would need to be considered and reflected in the impending Budget discussions.

SUNY/CID is pleased to announce its class of interns for the summer of 2006. The interns are:

Danielle Israelov –Undergraduate student at the University at Albany’s Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy.

Morgan Nighan – Undergraduate student at University at Albany’s Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy.

They will be engaged in a variety of research projects and applied development work. SUNY students interested in becoming a SUNY/CID intern please contact Dr. Mark Baskin at mark.baskin@cid.suny.edu.

From May 22 to 24, 2006 SUNY/Jordan organized a three-day workshop entitled “Constructive Engagement: Introduction to Parliamentary Advocacy Skills Training for Civil Society Organizations (CSOs).” This workshop was part of SUNY/CID’s Legislative Strengthening Program (LSP) in Jordan effort to widen the public space for voicing concerns on important policy issues in Jordan. The training enabled CSOs to gain basic advocacy knowledge, skills, and behaviors in order to improve the capacity of select Jordanian CSOs to advocate to the Jordanian Parliament.

“Advocacy is a relatively new concept in Jordan,” said LSP’s Director Mark K. Leverson. “CSOs have been saying they need to have the hard skills in order not to just make noise, but to make deals, with their elected Members of Parliament.”

A dozen public policy-related CSOs were invited to attend in order to work on their skills in approaching and having meaningful exchanges with Parliament. Honorable Basem Haddadin, a member of the Jordanian Parliament, addressed the group with an outline of the entire legislative process, with a view to where CSOs can effectively enter the discussion with their issues. Trainers at the workshop included former US State Senator Fred C. Whiting from South Dakota, who spent many years as the “target” of advocacy campaigns and had a revealing perspective to share, and LSP Staffer Ms. Lama Khries. The training included presentations on comparative experiences at advocacy and on the techniques of effective advocacy and coalition building; a mock advocacy session with role playing, and a visit to the parliament.

From May 15-18, 2006, SUNY/ Zimbabwe participated in a four-day induction workshop for new Zimbabwean senators. The Zimbabwean Senate existed from 1980-1989 and was reinstituted in 2005. Funded by the United National Development Programme, the overall objective of the workshop was to provide senators a forum to contribute to strategies for making the Senate effective in the discharge of its legislative functions. Some of the key sessions included the following:

- The role and functions of Parliament, especially with the introduction of a bicameral system
- Overview of parliamentary reforms
- Business of the House
- The budget process
- The committee system
- Experiences with Parliamentary Constituency Information Centers

SUNY/CID-Zimbabwe led discussions on the budget process and also shared information and experiences about the committee system.

As part of an effort to expand SUNY' s relationships with universities and other institutions in the Arab world, a SUNY delegation visited the Kingdom of Jordan from May 14 to 19, 2006. Working in coordination with SUNY/CID's Legislative Strengthening Program in Amman, Ambassador Robert Gosende, SUNY Associate Vice Chancellor for International Programs, and SUNY/CID Director James Ketterer met with representatives from Yarmouk University, the University of Jordan, Mu'ta University, the King's Academy, United Nations University, and various officials from the Government of Jordan and the US Embassy in Amman. The delegation's mission was to explore ways in which to increase the level of student and faculty exchange between Jordanian institutions and SUNY campuses.

SUNY Delegation Visits Tunisia

From May 8 to 14, 2006, a delegation from SUNY visited Tunisia as part of a US State Department University Linkages program. SUNY/CID Director James Ketterer joined Dr. Lora Lunt and Dr. Edwin Portugal of SUNY Potsdam in meetings with SUNY's partner institution under the three-year grant, l'Institut Superieur de Gestion (ISG) in Tunis. The grant began in 2003 and supported seven Tunisian professors and graduate students in a year-long stay on the Potsdam campus, where they carried out research in business and economics, taught undergraduate courses, participated in seminars focused on teaching skills, and gave public outreach lectures about the Arab world. The grant also supported an exchange of US and Tunisian researchers and the purchase of technology designed to enable Tunisian and American students to participate in common seminars and research projects. While in Tunis, the SUNY delegation worked on research presentations with ISG students, met with project participants, and participated in a day-long final symposium.

The State University of New York's Center for International Development held its second public policy dialogue on "The Role of Parliament in Alleviating Poverty in Jordan" on April 27, 2006 in Amman, Jordan. The event allowed over sixty participants from both houses of parliament, senior legislative staff, government ministries, academic institutions, civil society organizations (CSOs) and the mass media to discuss poverty in Jordanian society. One third of the participants were women. The dialogue focused attention of opinion leaders and law makers on the many dimensions of poverty, different approaches to alleviating poverty, and the roles played by different actors in developing sound economic policies that would reduce the burdens of poverty throughout Jordanian society. Speakers at the forum included Senator Salwa al-Masri, MP Mohamed Arslan, Professors Mohamed Masalha and Walid Shawaqfeh, and CSO representative Samer Kawar. Their speeches ranged from such topics as "Poverty in Jordan - The Role of Parliament in Alleviating Poverty: National, Regional and International Issues - a Parliamentarian's Perspective," and "From the Ground Up: Grassroots Actions toward Parliament in Fighting Poverty, a CSO Perspective," to "Parliament and its Budgetary Responsibilities: A View from Under the Dome." Following the presentations, participants gathered in small discussion groups to explore such facets of this important public policy as: Housing for the Poor; Wages, and Minimum Wage; Safety Nets - Subsidizing Poverty and Burdens on the Budget; Employment, Jobs, Foreign Workers; Enhancing Women's Participation/Gender Concerns; Corruption vis-à-vis Poverty; and Fair Distribution of Wealth/Revenues. These policy dialogues represent one element in SUNY Jordan's effort to increase public participation in the legislative process and to widen the public space for contributing to the dialogue over public policy in Jordan. The first dialogue on February 19, 2006 addressed the policy of privatization in Jordan (see article below).

SUNY Tanzania Organizes 2nd Civil Society Organization (CSO) Exhibition at Parliament

The Parliament of the United Republic of Tanzania meets in the administrative capital, Dodoma for times a year and Dodoma is over 6 hours drive away from the commercial capital, Dar es Salaam. Therefore it was really important to ensure as wide a geographic representation as possible to reflect the size of the country. These citizen groups in attendance at the Exhibition, similar to what we know as NGOs in the US, represented a variety of issues including: rural development, environment, human rights, good governance, gender, youth, HIV/Aids and education. The 2-day Exhibition was preceded by a meeting day specifically designed for CSOs to discuss their collective agenda and to ensure that specific policy and legislative platforms to initiate dialogue with their elected leaders, were developed in advance. To maximize access to Parliamentarians, the Exhibition itself was held within the Parliamentary grounds while Members of Parliament were debating draft legislation. Each CSO was provided with a stall to display the work of its organization and conveyed its messages through a variety of media, including informal presentations, policy briefs and memoranda, research reports, videos and poster displays. The event was also covered by the local press media and live commentary from the Exhibition was broadcast in Swahili on the local television and radio stations.

The first-ever Exhibition took place in July 2004. Both Exhibitions were organized by SUNY Tanzania and jointly supported by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the U.K. Department for International Development (DFID). The 2006 event saw some 68+ CSOs represented and in excess of 250 Members of Parliament together with their support staff toured the Exhibition.

With a look ahead to the sustainability of future events of its kind, this year SUNY Tanzania partnered with the Foundation for Civil Society, a local organization which provides grants and other capacity building support to CSOs to encourage them to participate in the democratic process. It is our hope that the Foundation will take the lead and support future, locally-owned Exhibitions, thus ensuring sustainability of the initiatives that the Program team seeks to promote in terms of increased citizen access to Parliament.

The relationship between Parliament and Civil Society is still in its infancy. Challenges to Tanzania's development show no sign of abating and with a newly inaugurated President elected on the platform of "new vigor, new zeal and new speed," there is no better time for these two groups to join together, one with technical knowledge and expertise related to these challenges and the other with the power to translate that knowledge into action.

SUNY Center for International Development Wins $2.9M Contract to Support Democratization of African Nation Project to Help the National Assembly of Malawi Pursue Executive Oversight Role

The $2.9 million contract, designed to support an agreement by the Government of Malawi, USAID and Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), a U.S. government corporation, will fund the two-year project. The goal is to strengthen Malawi's system of checks and balances by helping the National Assembly fulfill its constitutional mandate to scrutinize the use of public funds and conduct oversight of the executive branch. 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 been awarded nine projects totaling $32.3 million under the USAID International Legislative Strengthening Technical Assistance Indefinite Quantity Contract (IQC) announced in May 2004.

"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," Ryan said. "At the same time, CID creates expanded global opportunities for SUNY students and faculty to work in partnership with other great universities around the globe. This latest award is another example of SUNY fulfilling its public service mission."

One of the most densely populated countries of Sub-Saharan Africa, Malawi has been a multi-party democracy since 1994. Its current government was democratically elected in May 2004. 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, SUNY CID works to enhance the capacity of developing nations to meet critical challenges.

The SUNY CID staff, based in the Malawi capital of Lilongwe, is collaborating with the University at Albany's Center for Legislative Development (CLD) to implement the MCC project. Established in 1970 as part of the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs & Policy, CLD has worked throughout the world to help make legislatures effective governing institutions.

"CID has earned a worldwide reputation working in partnership with government institutions and universities around the world and this project adds to its impressive portfolio," said James Ketterer, director of SUNY CID. Since 1986, the SUNY CID has implemented more than $142 million in international development projects on five continents in the areas of democratization, economic development, and environmental policy. SUNY CID is currently working on major projects in Afghanistan, Bolivia, Jordan, Kenya, Morocco, Tanzania and Zimbabwe.

SUNY CID 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.

Launched by President Bush in 2004, the Millenium Challenge Corporation is a U.S. Government corporation that provides development assistance to some of the poorest countries in the world. MCC recognizes sound policies and good governance as critical to poverty reduction and economic growth in developing countries.

The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive university system in the United States educating more than 414,000 students in 6,688 degree and certificate programs on 64 campuses. To learn how SUNY creates opportunity, visit www.suny.edu.

SUNY Tanzania Organizes Second Civil Society Organization (CSO) Exhibition at Parliament

The State University of New York's/Center for International Development Parliamentary Strengthening Program in Tanzania brought together indigenous Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) from all over the country to place their lobbying and advocacy agendas in front of their elected Members of Parliament. The 2006 event saw some 68+ CSOs represented and in excess of 250 Members of Parliament. The citizen groups in attendance at the Exhibition, similar to what we know as NGOs in the US, represented a variety of issues including: rural development, environment, human rights, good governance, gender, youth, HIV/Aids and education. With a look ahead to the sustainability of future events of its kind, this year SUNY Tanzania partnered with the Foundation for Civil Society, a local organization which provides grants and other capacity building support to CSOs to encourage them to participate in the democratic process. (4/19/2006)

CID hosted Ambassador James Foley, currently Diplomat-in-Residence at SUNY Fredonia. While in Albany, Ambassador Foley met with SUNY Chancellor John Ryan, faculty and students at the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy at the University at Albany, CID's interns and staff, and gave a public presentation on "Transformational Diplomacy and the Future of the Foreign Service." Ambassador Foley previously served as deputy spokesman for the State Department, served in the Philippines, Algeria, NATO, the US Senate, the US Mission to the UN in Geneva, and as US Ambassador to Haiti. He is an alumnus of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts Unversity and of SUNY Fredonia.

SUNY/CID’s field office in Jordan, implementer of the large Legislative Strengthening Program funded by USAID, officially opened its new office doors. Welcoming some 150 friends, colleagues, civil society organizations, Members of Parliament, the Secretary General of Parliament, the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, other USAID implementers, the USAID Deputy Director and Democracy/Governance Team Leaders and staff, vendors, subcontractors, private sector colleagues, and other contacts to the event, the SUNY/Jordan staff spent the evening showing off the new offices, describing the program, and handing out new publications. The 2 to 3-year project is now in its seventh month of implementation, realizing successes in training, technical assistance, needs assessments, a study trip to Lebanon, and procurement activities. The project is fully staffed up now and looking forward to developing its second year Workplan of activities in the coming months. Reception to the team’s work has been very positive, with high attendance at training sessions, public policy dialogues, consultative roundtables, and conferences.

Several representatives of SUNY/CID participated in a course at the United Nations University-International Leadership Institute (UNU-ILI) on "The Role of Members of Parliament in Democratic Governance," held in Amman, Jordan 12-17 March 2006. The course was co-sponsored by the SUNY/Jordan Legislative Strengthening Program with support from USAID, the SUNY/CID Home Office, and the SUNY/CID parliamentary support program in Morocco (also supported by USAID). The course included members of parliament (MPs) from around the Arab world, Africa, North America and Europe as well as representatives from NGOs, think tanks, the media and universities. SUNY/Morocco supported a delegation from the Moroccan Parliament and many Jordanian MPs particpated. Speakers at the course included H.E. Sabri Rbeihat, the Jordanian Minister of Political Development and Parliamentary Affairs; H.E. Abdelelah Al-Khatib, Jordanian Minister of Foreign Affairs; and, H.E. Finn Martin Vallersenes, Member of Parliament of Norway. Senator John Sheffer (ret.), Senior Fellow of the University at Buffalo's Institute for Local Governance and Regional Growth, gave a presentation on the role of leadership in democratic parliaments. SUNY/CID Director James Ketterer gave a presentation on how the Arab world and the West can work in partnership on parliamentary reform programs.

SUNY/Jordan's Deputy Chief of Party Peg Clement joined a three-person panel held at and organized by the Australian Embassy in Amman, Jordan on the occasion of International Women's Day March 8 2006. Her presentation, "Women in High Places: The Quota System in Parliament," reviewed both sides of the issue of employing quotas to ensure that women win at least some representation in nationally elected bodies. Ms. Clement brought in statistics from a wide range of countries, emphasizing that participation among legislatures in the Arab world - particularly Iraq, Tunisia, Jordan, and Morocco - is steadily climbing, and represents the fastest growth next to the Nordic countries worldwide. The panel, organized by Australian Ambassador and Mrs. Peacock, also included Her Excellency Asma Khader, Jordanian lawyer and former Minister, and Dr. Jaime Lovell, Australian Research Officer and archeologist for the Council for British Research in the Levant. .

The panel for International Women's Day demonstrated how SUNY/Jordan takes the opportunity to raise important public issues in all aspects of its work. In addition, it represented one of many steps being taken in an integrated gender strategy articulated by project planners of incorporating human issues - men's and women's - into every facet of the project.

Democratization of African Nation Project to Help the National Assembly of Malawi Pursue Executive Oversight Role

ALBANY - Chancellor John R. Ryan today announced The State University of New York Center for International Development (SUNY CID) was awarded a $2.9 million contract from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to work with the National Assembly of Malawi to support democratization in the African nation. The $2.9 million contract, designed to support an agreement by the Government of Malawi, USAID and Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), a U.S. government corporation, will fund the two-year project. The goal is to strengthen Malawi's system of checks and balances by helping the National Assembly fulfill its constitutional mandate to scrutinize the use of public funds and conduct oversight of the executive branch.

SUNY/CID Director James Ketterer participated in the UNESCO International Forum on the Social Science-Policy Nexus, held in Argentina from February 20 to 24, 2006. The forum brought together scholars and policymakers from across the globe. Ketterer participated in a panel on "The Cognitive Complexity of Decision Making," giving a presentation on "Perspectives on Applications in International Relations: Theory and Practice in Democracy Promotion."

The State University of New York in Jordan's Legislative Strengthening Program (LSP) hosted 60 participants at its first Public Policy Dialogue at the Intercontinental Hotel in Amman, Jordan on February 20, 2006. The dialogue had as its theme the hot-button issue "Privatization in Jordan: Retrospectives and Perspectives." Its goal was to provide a forum in which the business and civil society communities had the opportunity to discuss privatization initiatives in Jordan openly with Members of Parliament.

The panel was composed of three distinguished speakers: Professor Abdellatif Arabiet, head of the Islamic Action Front and Member of the Jordanian Parliament, Mrs. Dina Dabbas, working with the Executive Commission of Privatization, and Professor Bashir Al Zu'bi, Economics Professor at the University of Jordan kicked off the dialogue with provocative and informative presentations. They touched on such controversial issues as transparency in the use of privatization initiatives' monetary gains; whether foreign interests should be served; use of these proceeds - whether for strengthening the infrastructure of the privatized companies with a view towards increased efficiencies; and the need for continual monitoring of the process.

The lively discussion that followed brought in MPs from both the lower and upper houses of parliament, university professors, reporters, academics from institutes, members of commissions and councils, activists from women's NGOs, staff from Chamber of Commerce and consultants from the UNDP. Participants explored in further detail the economic, political, media, and social ramifications of Jordan's privatization law, in effect since 2000.

This first LSP Public Policy Dialogue succeeded in striking a chord among key groups in Jordanian society. UNDP Consultant Dr. Abdullah Zu'bi remarked that the dialogue was "great…it opened up a lot of old wounds again, but that is good in itself." Former Secretary General of the Jordanian Parliament Dr. Mohammed Masalha (moderator of the panel) added that "there were pros to privatization and there were also cons, but that is life." President of the Arab Center for Democracy and Peace Studies Mr. Fakhry Abu Shakra observed that the event "was very well done- in fact; it was the best organized event I have been to in a long, long time."

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 professionals are working closely with Jordanian MPs and staffers to strengthen the effectiveness, transparency, accountability, and responsiveness of the legislative process in Jordan. The project also aims to increase public outreach by the Jordanian parliament.

Former NYS Senate official brings extensive experience in government and management

ALBANY —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, has named a new deputy to help manage a global operation with $29 million in projects awarded over the past two years.

“Jim Utermark brings years of hands-on experience in both the legislative and executive branches of New York state government and has worked closely with SUNY campuses and with SUNY CID on a number of different projects. We are lucky to have him coming on board,” said Director James Ketterer.

James Utermark, new principal deputy director and chief of staff, will manage the operations side of the Albany-based SUNY CID institution that was awarded $29.1 million for projects in the Middle East, North Africa, Europe and Latin America since 2004. He will focus on staffing, budgets, administration, policies and procedures.

Utermark was director of student programs for the New York State Senate. He collaborated with SUNY CID to launch the International Senate Fellow program in which Kennedy Chokuda, a staff member of the Parliament of Zimbabwe, spent six months working in the office of Senator George Maziarz in 2005. Another senate fellow from Zimbabwe arrived this month. The successful program is one of several SUNY CID projects that link New York’s governmental institutions and SUNY campuses to benefit the world community.

With a degree in political science from the University at Albany, Utermark began his public service career in 1989 as a graduate fellow with the New York State Senate. Following his work in the Legislature, he served as the assistant to the commissioner of transportation before moving to the Governor’s Office of Regulatory Reform. He also worked as a senior project manager for a major multi-discipline engineering consulting firm, the Louis Berger Group Inc., before returning to the New York State Senate in 2003.

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 several private grant-making foundations. For more information see www.cid.suny.edu.

SUNY Center for International Development Names Second International Senate Fellow

Zimbabwe Parliament official to translate NYS legislature experience into reform at home

ALBANY — The State University of New York’s Center for International Development (SUNY CID) has named its second International Senate Fellow — Henry Ndlovu, the Clerk of Committees in the Parliament of Zimbabwe.

Ndlovu, who arrived in Albany on January 3, will spend six months working in the office of Senator Dale M. Volker (59th Senate District), in coordination with the Senate Student Programs Office. “Mr. Ndlovu anticipates that his International Senate Fellow experience will help him to develop skills and knowledge of democracy and governance issues that he can share with his colleagues in Zimbabwe to further government reforms initiated in 1999,” said James Ketterer, director of SUNY CID.

Ndlovu joined the Parliament of Zimbabwe in 1999 as it was implementing reforms to establish an effective committee system, strengthen the capacity of committees in legislative scrutiny and oversight functions, encourage public participation and allow unfettered media access to committee business.

Ndlovu’s fellowship includes a mentoring element with Robert Compton, assistant professor of Political Science at the College at Oneonta. Also, Ndlovu will study legislative administration with Robert Nakamura, professor of political science at the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy and director of the Center for Legislative Development (CLD) at the University at Albany.

SUNY CID launched the International Senate Fellow program in 2005 with Kennedy Chokuda, a staff member of the Parliament of Zimbabwe, who spent six months working in the office of Senator George Maziarz (62nd Senate District). Chokuda’s successful experience as the first International Senate Fellow illustrates how SUNY CID projects can link with New York’s governmental institutions and SUNY campuses.

Located in Albany, N.Y., 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 U.S. Agency for International Development (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 USAID, 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 several private grant-making foundations. For more information see www.cid.suny.edu.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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).

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

"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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

As part of SUNY/Zimbabwe's annual workplan of activities, the Zimbabwe Parliament's Liaison Committee met in Victoria Falls from October 10 to 13, 2003 to review progress against the reform agenda and its own objectives. The meeting was well attended by committee chairs and whips, the leadership of parliament (Leader of Government Business and Leader of the Opposition), Zimbabwean and South African resource experts sponsored by SUNY/Zimbabwe, parliament staff, SUNY's technical team, and UNDP/Zimbabwe and USAID/Zimbabwe representatives, as well as the local media. Progress was charted in terms of what needs to be done to deepen and make the governmental/legislative reforms first articulated in 1999 better achieve their objectives. Plans were put in place to implement a number of agreed-upon initiatives that would improve the image and performance of parliament. This annual event hosted by SUNY again proved worthwhile in stepping back and reflecting on achievements over the past three-plus years of the USAID-funded project.

In August 2003, the Center’s veteran consultant and University at Albany Professor Robert Nakamura provided short-term training and advisory consulting to the SUNY/ARD legislative strengthening project in Rwanda. USAID and the project considered the summer of 2003 an especially critical period for this work because the new constitution and forthcoming elections could shape a promising new environment for legislative development in Rwanda. Prof. Nakamura assessed the pivotal problems and issues concerning the move to a bicameral institution which was approved in the May constitutional referendum, and he delivered three days of workshops on these issues to the staff and MPs of the Assembly of Rwanda.

This strategic consulting work came after the May 2003 Constitutional referendum, and preceded presidential and parliamentary elections. These steps in the democratic process have been widely heralded as a turning point in the country's efforts towards national reconciliation and the consolidation of several new and important democratic institutions. In late August, roughly 80 percent of the populace turned out to vote for their president in Rwanda's first democratic elections since the 1994 genocide in which 800,000 people were killed. Observers said polling went smoothly and the Rwandan Patriotic Front’s incumbent President Paul Kagame won the election. In legislative elections on September 30th, 53 of the 80 Chamber Deputies were up for election at polling stations throughout Rwanda, and an entirely new Senate was elected - two thirds of the recently elected MPs are new to the institution.

Most impressively, fully half of the Chamber representatives are women, and that figure is 30 percent in the new Senate. International and domestic observers are watching closely to see how such a high proportion of female representatives (and also coincidentally a high level of delegates elected from rural areas of the country), influences the operations of the legislature and its resulting policies

SUNY Provides Testimony to Peruvian Congress on Optimizing Congressional Functions and Procudures

1. A Governing Council Agreement on Procedures for Formulation, Debate, Approval, Dissemination, and Tracking the Annual Congressional Legislative Agenda;

2. A Legislative Resolution to Reform Internal Rules of Congress and Incorporate Regulations on Preparation, Conducting and Results Dissemination of a Public Hearing and a Governing Council Agreement to approve Rules and Guidelines for Preparation, Conducting and Results Dissemination of a Public Hearing;

3. An Internal Congressional Rules to Improve the Congressional Information Request Mechanism from the Public Administration;

These reforms optimize congressional functions and procedures and go hand-in-hand with proposed changes in congressional operational procedures each of these three areas.

Information technology applications are being designed and developed by SUNY Peru Deputy Director Guillermo Garcia and project consultant Rodolfo Calderon to develop and track the congressional legislative agenda and systematize congressional information requests. SUNY project associate Lucia Fernandez prepared the guide for the public hearings on legislation.

The USAID-funded Developing Skills of the Peruvian Congress project serves as catalyst to develop and implement processes that make a difference in the way the Peruvian National Congress operates and functions.

The State University of New York’s Center for International Development (SUNY/CID) named John B. Sheffer, II, former New York State Legislator, as the second Scholar-in-Residence at the East African Parliamentary Institute to help East African democratic institutions function more effectively.

“These are very exciting times in East Africa, particularly in Kenya where they just elected a new president and parliament in one of the rare transfers of power by ballot in modern African history,” said Sheffer, director of the Institute for Local Governance and Regional Growth at the University at Buffalo. “I could not be more enthused about this opportunity to focus my primary interests as a faculty member - effective governance and regional growth - to assist the new democracies that are developing in the region”

The East African Parliamentary Institute, located in Nairobi, Kenya, is a joint program of CID and the United States International University (USIU). Funded by the Ford Foundation, the Institute conducts research on issues of importance to the region's three parliaments and provides a venue for sharing information, allowing East African parliamentarians to work with and learn from each other.

“John Sheffer brings extensive experience in governmental relations and public policy to this important international project,” said State University of New York Chancellor Robert L. King. “Under his direction, the Institute for Local Governance and Regional Growth has built an impressive reputation as a leading organization for research and analysis relating to issues of regional importance, including planning, service delivery, economic development, and government efficiency.”

A professor of law and planning at the University at Buffalo, Sheffer is a former mayor of the Village of Williamsville. He has extensive legislative experience having served 10 years in the New York State Assembly and five years in the New York State Senate. In August 2002, he served as a consultant to the Parliament of Zimbabwe in the area of public policy analysis and implementation. He has also done legislative strengthening work in Zimbabwe, Lebanon, Zambia, and Bulgaria. During his residency in Kenya Sheffer will:

Sheffer succeeds Robert Nakamura, professor of Political Science at the University at Albany, who served as the Institute’s first scholar-in-residence last year.

Parliament members in Southern African nations find themselves challenged by the multiple demands they face – from their constituents, their parties, and their nations. Recognizing the need to help guide legislators in these new democracies, the United Nations Development Programme contracted the Center to work with the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Parliamentary Forum to design a professional development seminar for MPs of the 12-nation SADC region. In conjunction with the SADC Parliamentary Forum, the Center’s Senior Associate John Johnson designed a comprehensive training seminar for MPs that covers parliamentary roles and responsibilities with regard to representation, lawmaking, budgeting, oversight, developing effective committees, political parties in parliament, and other areas.

Johnson and the SADC Parliamentary Forum delivered the first pilot seminar from August 16-18, 2003, to MPs of the Zambian Parliament in Lusaka, Zambia. More than 70 percent of the MPs, both backbenchers and cabinet ministers, attended the 3-day seminar in the Zambian Parliament auditorium. The handbook being developed in tandem with the seminar proved very useful to the Zambian MPs, some of which appreciated the descriptions by East African Legislative Assembly Member Hon. Dan Ogalo and Deputy Clerk Patrick Gichohi on how the Ugandan and Kenyan parliaments established their independence from the executive, and how Uganda’s parliament increased its authority in the budget process. Zambia’s parliamentary modernization group seeks to do both. Questionnaire results revealed that 100% of the MPs found the program useful to their work (83% Very Useful, 10% Somewhat - Very Useful, 7% Somewhat Useful).

From September 30 – October 2, the Center’s Senior Associate John Johnson collaborated with the SADC Parliamentary Forum again to deliver the second pilot seminar for MPs, this time for the Parliament of Lesotho. Using a team of regional parliamentary experts from Namibia, Kenya, Uganda, and Zimbabwe, Johnson and SADC further refined the training module while delivering the seminar in Lesotho’s capitol, Maseru. Nearly 90% of the members of both houses of the Lesotho Parliament participated in the seminar. Lesotho’s 33-member Senate comprises appointed royal chiefs from around the nation, and the 120 member National Assembly is made up of elected members. Johnson returns to Namibia in December to work with the Parliamentary Forum to finalize the handbook, which will be used by parliaments throughout the 12-nation SADC region and made available worldwide over the Internet at www.sadcpf.org/

SUNY/CID Develops New Legislative Agenda Tracking System for Peruvian Congress

The Peruvian National Congress, in partnership with SUNY/CID, has successfully developed an internal institutional mechanism that effectively and regularly will compile, track and disseminate the congressional legislative agenda. Guillermo Garcia, SUNY/CID's Deputy Chief of Party explains, "the actual product is a congressional agenda tracking software available in the congressional intranet. This tool will give Members and staff increased access to timely and accurate information on the progress of the congressional agenda." The Peruvian Congress' decision to initiate an annual legislative agenda has been hailed as a positive step toward the legislative branch becoming stronger, since there are few examples of legislative initiated national congressional agendas in presidential systems. This tool will standardize and increase transparency within Congress while at the same time making it easier for civil society to oversee and track the implementation of the congressional agenda.

An international workshop on the role of women in politics in Bolivia was held in La Paz with the participation of two prominent Latin women legislators from the State Senate of California, Martha Escutia and Gloria Romero. Participating from Bolivia in the workshop were prominent Bolivian gender oriented non- governmental organizations and a total of 45 women titular and alternate legislators from the Bolivian National Congress.

The purpose of the workshop was to engage in an international exchange of experiences on the challenges facing women in entering and operating in a political milieu. In the dialogue it was stressed that the most effective legislators are women who enter politics with a personal or work experience of a problem that requires a social or legal remedy.

The entire workshop was deemed a great success by both the Bolivian and international participants. The Bolivian legislators were invited to attend a similar workshop, funded by the North Florida International Visitors Program and the Florida LWV; and another international workshop with participation of the California State legislators was planned for the month of September.

Margaret Healy is traveling to La Paz in October to work with SUNY/CID and Partners of the America’s justice reform project in Bolivia. Ms. Healy will help develop an advocacy and social lobbying strategy for the Participation and Justice network of NGOs in the country. The strategy hopes to promote the justice reform agenda while helping to improve communication between various constituent groups and government.

Ms. Healy has also been working for SUNY/CID’s legislative strengthening project in Bolivia (PARC) for the past few months providing training to NGOs on lobbying and advocacy. The material covered in the workshops is being organized into a manual for Bolivian NGOs and CSOs on how to lobby Congress and advocate their interests and will be published at the conclusion of the training and follow up processes.

SUNY/CID Facilitates Concorde Between Mexican and US State Legislative Associations

On September 9-12, SUNY/CID guided the leader of the association of Mexican state congresses, Deputy Victor Giorgana, on a trip to Denver and Washington, DC. Deputy Giorgana is speaker of the State Congress of Puebla and President of the COMCE (Conferencia Mexicana de Congresos Estatales). SUNY/CID arranged for the COMCE - which was formed last October with extensive support and input from SUNY/Mexico - to sign a collaboration agreement with the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) on Thursday. Deputy Giorgana and SUNY/Mexico Chief of Party Bob Balkin, met with legislators at the Colorado State House, in addition to visiting NCSL offices in both places and learning more about the structure and organization of that entity. In Washington, the two also visited the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) to discuss SUNY/CID´s diagnostic study of Mexico´s 32 state legislatures. SUNY/CID also arranged for Giorgana to meet with staff at the World Bank Institute to explore further collaboration in governance.

Peruvian Members of Congress and Staff Participate in Experiencias de Fortalecimiento del Poder Legislativo (Experiences in Strengthening Legislative Powers) Seminar in Uruguay with SUNY/CID

SUNY/CID's Strengthening Skills of the Peruvian Congress Project is sponsoring a seven-member delegation of Peruvian members of Congress and staff to participate in the Experiences in Strengthening Legislative Powers Seminar in Montevideo, Uruguay from September 4 to 5, 2003. The purpose of the seminar is to provide Members and congressional staff the opportunity to participate to learn regional best practices in legislative strengthening. The conference is organized by the Inter-Parliamentary Union and is sponsored by the United Nations Development Program, the Uruguayan Congress, and the University of the Republic (Uruguay).

SUNY/CID's project director, Margarita Seminario, explained, "This is a unique opportunity for members of the Peruvian Congress' Governing Board and Decentralization and Modernization of the State Committee and key staff to discuss legislative strengthen strategies and issues with their colleagues from the region. We anticipate a lively exchange given the diverse experiences of the participants." Representatives from throughout Latin America are expected, including Chile, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, and Uruguay.

SUNY/CID, under contract with the U.S. Agency for International Development, launched in 2000, a five-year project entitled, Democratic Institution Building Assistance to the National Assembly. Its objective is to increase the Parliament of Kenya's ability to:

* effect legal, political and constitutional reforms that would positively impact on economic development and the democratization process in Kenya;
* act as an arena for citizens' input in public policy and legislative formation, and articulate the concerns of ordinary citizens
about important local and national issues; and
* oversee and monitor the policies and actions of the executive branch of government.

Since its inception in 1986, SUNY/CID has administered more than $100 million of international development projects on five continents, focusing on three areas: democracy, the environment, and economic development. SUNY/CID is currently directing six projects that focus on strengthening democracies and legislative bodies in Bolivia, Mexico, Peru, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Kenya, and Tanzania, as well as regional legislative projects in Southern and Eastern Africa.. For more
information on SUNY/CID, see www.cid.suny.edu.

Governance project activities are targeted to both sides of the governmental equation. SUNY/CID assists parliaments, legislatures, local governments and court systems to function more effectively, and it also helps citizen groups and non-governmental organizations to interact more successfully with governments. SUNY/CID has also coordinated several conferences on legislative strengthening that have served as a forum for practitioners, legislators, and academics to advance the study and practice of improving legislatures.

The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive university system in the United States with a total enrollment of 403,000 students in 6,400 fields of study on 64 campuses. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunity, visit www.suny.edu.

Peg Clement and James Ketterer of CID recently contributed op-ed articles to a special section devoted to Africa in the Albany Time Union (www.timesunion.com). Those articles are available on the 'publications' section of this website.

SUNY/CID Senior Associate John Johnson spent two weeks in Windhoek, Namibia during June 2003 consulting with the Southern Africa Development Community Parliamentary Forum (SADC PF) to create an orientation program for Members of Parliament (MPs) in Southern Africa. This consulting assignment comes through a contract with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to work with SADC PF in developing and delivering an MP orientation program and handbook for the SADC nations (Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe).

One unique aspect of this program is the integration of gender issues into every program component instead of covering gender as a separate unit. The unit covering the budget, for example, covers gender budgeting and the unit on MP representation addresses gender issues related to representation. In addition to having a theoretical component, the overall program and handbook will build in comparative experiences in the SADC region as the training is delivered to each country’s parliament. Country specific analysis and best practices will be developed and presented for inclusion in the handbook by local experts. The first pilot test of the program will be conducted for approximately 80 MPs in Lusaka, Zambia in August 2003. The second will be held in Lesotho in September or October of this year. After the two pilots, SADC PF will continue delivering and developing this program on its own with the goal to have a comprehensive guide for MPs in SADC countries within two years.

SUNY/CID is using its legislative expertise to partner with a growing number of local and international organizations in helping MPs and their staff better represent their constituencies, oversee government spending, and reform policies to resolve the many difficult issues facing developing nations. SUNY/CID also manages a Ford Foundation regional parliamentary program in East Africa. Through the Ford Foundation grant, SUNY/CID is helping to develop a legislative studies center at the US International University in Nairobi, Kenya to assist the parliaments of Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. Since 1992, SUNY/CID has conducted short or long term country specific activities with the parliaments of Namibia, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Benin, Madagascar, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Zambia.

SUNY/CID Senior Associate Peg Clement led a group of nine SUNY/Albany students and CID interns to Princeton, New Jersey on Friday May 9, 2003 to participate in an event called “A Great Decisions Student Town Hall Meeting: America’s Role in the World: No Longer the Reluctant Sheriff?”

The one-day seminar was co-sponsored by the Foreign Policy Association and the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton.

Speakers included: Dr. Thomas Franck (Professor of f Law, New York University); Dr. Anne-Marie Slaughter (Dean, Woodrow Wilson School, Princeton); Dr. Meena Bose (Assoc. Professor, West Point); Barbara Crossette (Columnist, The National Journal); Dr. David Denoon, Professor of Politics and Economics, New York University); H.E. Paul Heinbecker (Representative of Canada to the UN); and H.E. Kishore Mahbubani (Representative of Singapore to the UN).

Other schools represented at the Student Town Hall were Hofstra, West Point, CUNY, Fordham, and Princeton.

On April 11 CID presented a panel at the 57th annual conference of the New York State Political Science Association, which was held at Wagner College. The panel was on "Comparative Legislative Development: Institutions and Democratization" and included papers by Peg Clement ("Suspending Parliamentary Standing Orders: Democratic Flexibility or Authoritarian Ruse?"), John Johnson ("Kenya's Parliament During the Democratic Thaw, 2002-2002"), and James Ketterer ("Parliamentary Development in North Africa: Monarchy and Democracy"). The panel also included John B. Sheffer, II of the University at Buffalo (www.buffalo.edu), who presented a paper titled "Circumstances Deteriorate in Zimbabwe: Opportunities for Legislative Strengthening in a Failing State." Marc Cassidy of CID was the panel's chair and discussant.

Vicky Pacheco, Financial Manager from Lima, Peru visits CID headquarters in Albany, NY.

Maria Victoria Pacheco, head accounting and financial manager for CID's Developing Skills in the Peruvian Congress Project traveled to Albany for a weeklong training program in April 6 - 12, 2003. Maricelle Saullo, Project Manager at CID's home office, designed her program. The visit included reviewing and organizing numerous issues regarding the Peru project along with specialized training on procedures and overviews of project management issues.

"One of the main goals of the week was to have Vicky come to the CID office and to provide her with a general orientation. This orientation was designed to help her understand and see what we do here and how CID and SUNY run," explained Maricelle Saullo.

Previous to this job, Maria Victoria has worked for the Information Department of UNICEF in Lima, Peru. As Financial Manager, Pacheco is responsible for setting up and operating the accounting system, assisting the COP and project manager on administrative and financial issues, and researching important information on Peruvian banking, legal, and financial systems.

"This week has been very productive. It is a pleasure to work with development professionals of such a high caliber and I am pleased to be a part of the SUNY team."

James Ketterer Serves on Review Panel for Boren Fellowships

James Ketterer, Director of CID, was invited to serve on the International Affairs Review Panel for the 2003-2004 David L. Boren Graduate Fellowships of National Security Education Program. The Boren Fellowships, which are funded by the US Government, enable US graduate students to pursue specialization in area and language study or to add an important international dimension to their education. Boren Fellowships support students pursuing the study of languages, cultures, and world regions that are critical to US national security but are less frequently studied by US graduate students, i.e., areas of the world other than Western Europe, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Go to http://nsep.aed.org/index.html for additional information about the graduate fellowships. Undergraduate and institutional awards are also available. Go to http://www.ndu.edu/nsep/ for additional information about those awards.

CID, Partners of the Americas to Help Bolivia Promote Justice Reforms
ALBANY - State University of New York Chancellor Robert L. King today announced the Center for International Development (SUNY/CID) will work with Partners of the Americas to encourage justice reform in Bolivia as part of a U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) grant.

“The building blocks of democratic government can’t happen in isolation,” King said. “This project is an important step for SUNY/CID. It brings together SUNY’s work in judicial reform, legislative strengthening and civil society in one.”

With a long-standing involvement in Bolivia, SUNY/CID is in the final year of a $1.8 million project to help the South American country’s legislators better represent their constituents by strengthening the link between citizen advocacy groups and the Bolivian Congress. In 1992, SUNY/CID was awarded a five-year contract from USAID to help the Bolivian Congress more effectively carry out its executive oversight responsibilities. Previously, William Culver, chair of the Latin American Studies Department at SUNY Plattsburgh, carried out a research study on comparative electoral systems in the land-locked Andean country.

Working in coordination with Partners of the Americas, SUNY/CID will help citizen advocacy groups develop advocacy skills and strategies to push the justice reform agenda in the political arena and, at the same time, help the Bolivian Congress improve communication with various constituent groups.

“The goal is to work with both sides of the equation, government organizations and citizen groups, and provide them with a variety of tools to help them interact more successfully,” said James Ketterer, SUNY/CID’s director “This is a perfect time to examine justice reform in Bolivia because the 2002 Congressional elections significantly increased representation among indigenous groups who along with other minority groups have been poorly represented by the system in Bolivia.”

SUNY/CID is unique in the field of international development. It combines the considerable intellectual and technical resources of the SUNY system with a dedicated team of multilingual, technical experts devoted solely to developing and managing development projects. A commitment to developing local solutions and empowering local leaders through training has resulted in SUNY/CID achieving one of the highest rates of project sustainability in the industry.

SUNY/CID is currently directing six legislative strengthening projects worldwide. Since its inception in 1986, SUNY/CID has administered nearly $100 million of international development projects on five continents, focusing on three areas: democracy, governance and civil society; environment, health and education, and private sector and economic development. These projects receive funding from such organizations as USAID, the Organization of American States, the Inter-American Development Bank, the U.S. Information Agency, and the Ford, Andrew W. Mellon, Tinker, and Soros foundations.

The State University of New York is the largest university system in the United States, with more than 402,000 students enrolled in 5,100 fields of study on 64 campuses. To learn how SUNY creates opportunity, visit www.suny.edu.

Peg Clement, SUNY/CID Senior Associate, participated as a panelist March 6-7, 2003 at SUNY Binghamton University's "Destination Discovery" symposium, subtitled, "Unleashing Your Research Potential." The conference was organized to promote cross-disciplinary and multi-institutional collaborations designed to ignite the process of discovery in New York. Representatives from major federal and non-federal funding agencies were on hand. Topics addressed included: · increasing the competitiveness of externally sponsored proposals; · successful strategies for the advancement of research and scholary projects; · cross-disciplinary and multi-institutional collaborations; and · developing industry and community partnerships. Ms. Clement's panel was entitled "Developing a Global Perspective: International Partnerships and Collaborations."

From March 2 to 7, 2003, SUNY/ARD Chief of Party Douglass Teschner accompanied a group of seven Rwandan Members of Parliament and staffers from the Transitional National Assembly in Rwanda to Uganda on a study/observation tour to visit the Parliament of Uganda under the auspices and invitation of the Ugandan Speaker of Parliament. The goals of the study tour were to (1) further empower the Assembly leadership to continue its modernization efforts, (2) develop skills and perspectives in organizational development, management and long-range legislative planning, and (3) provide an opportunity for beneficial mutual sharing between legislative counterparts (both MPs and staff) from both countries. Given the critical juncture in the development of Rwanda's democracy, including the drafting of a new Constitution and planned national elections, the timing of this study tour was especially significant.

SUNY/CID, in conjunction with Mexico's prestigious Iberoamericana University, launched the on-line certificate course

The State University of New York's Center for International Development (SUNY/CID), in conjunction with Mexico's prestigious Iberoamericana University, has launched the on-line certificate course, Legislative Practice and Administration, that will offer training to legislators and staff from all levels of government throughout Mexico and beyond. "This is the first-ever practical instruction in law-making offered on-line in all of Latin America," said Robert R. Gosende, SUNY Associate Vice-Chancellor for International Programs, who co-chaired the launch ceremony of the course in Mexico City with Enrique González Torres, Rector of Iberoamerica University. SUNY/CID, supported by the U.S. Agency for International Development, has been actively involved in legislative strengthening in Mexico since 1998. "The SUNY-Ibero course marks an important contribution toward solidifying democratic institutions in Mexico through technology and training," said Gosende, a former U.S. Ambassador. "With funds from the US Government, this course will not only reach the national legislature in Mexico, but will also be applied in all 31 states and the Federal District," he added. With minor adjustments, the SUNY-Ibero course can be used throughout Latin America.

The launch ceremony was well attended by legislators, government officials, university leaders, and representatives from the U.S. Agency for International Development as well as the U.S. Embassy. Speakers at the event included Ambassador Gosende, Senator César Jáuregui (Vice President of the Mexican Senate), Representative Jaime Vázquez (Vice President of the Mexican Chamber of Deputies) and González Torres. Ambassador Gosende traveled to Mexico with James Ketterer, SUNY/CID Director, to not only launch this course but also to expand SUNY's ties to other Mexican universities. Last year, SUNY Chancellor Robert L. King visited Mexico to sign a cooperative agreement with the Mexican Congress.

"I am thrilled that SUNY/CID's project with the Mexican Congress is now leading to an on-line collaboration with the Iberoamericana," said Chancellor King. "This is just the sort of international cooperation that will benefit our students, faculty - and overall ties between the US and Mexico."

Since its inception in late 1998, SUNY´s program in Mexico has evolved from providing technical assistance solely to the Chamber of Deputies, or lower house of the Mexican Congress, to a dynamic operation that is helping strengthen the federal Senate and many of the country´s 32 state legislatures. In addition to many training initiatives, SUNY played an advisory role in updating Congress´ Organic Law, a reform that permanently changed the Congress´ governing structure and created a career legislative civil service. Through technical visits to the Congressional Budget Office in Washington, DC and reciprocal visits by U.S. experts, SUNY facilitated the launch of a similar office within the Mexican Chamber of Deputies. This office has been recognized by local scholars and the media as a new source of accurate and reliable economic data and forecasts. In addition, SUNY actively assisted in the formation of the Mexican Conference of State Legislatures in 2002.

Marc Cassidy and James Ketterer participated in a conference on the future of democracy in South America, which as held at the Ditchley Foundation in Ditchley Park in Oxfordshire, England (www.ditchley.co.uk).

SUNY/CID Staff on Planning Team, Rapporteur for UNDP Policy Dialogue Conference on Legislative Development Brussels, November 20 - 22, 2002 12/24/02

Senior Associate John Johnson, North American member of UNDP's Expert Panel on Legislatures, assisted UNDP in determining appropriate topics and speakers for their November Policy Dialogue conference in Brussels, Belgium in November 2002, and also served as a rapporteur at the conference. The event brought policy-makers and experts on legislative strengthening from all of the world's regions to review the state of legislative strengthening practice, and to consider new developments in the field. Participants reviewed emerging issues and regional trends in legislative development, examined ways to strengthen legislative oversight capacity through the Poverty Reduction Strategy Process (PRSP) and through the budget process (including engendering the budget), considered programs to support political parties, ways to strengthen the role of parliaments in conflict mediation, and looked at the results of donor evaluation programs.

SUNY/CID at Cornell - CID Senior Associate Marc Cassidy and CID Director James Ketterer Present "Parliamentary Development in Africa" Seminar 11/04/02

On October 17, 2002, CID Senior Associate Marc Cassidy and CID Director James Ketterer gave a presentation on "Parliamentary Development in Africa" at Cornell University's Institute for African Development. http://www.einaudi.cornell.edu The seminar discussed SUNY's on-going experience implementing democracy assistance with two African parliaments - Uganda and Zimbabwe. SUNY's Center for International Development has 14 years of experience implementing democracy projects throughout the world.

SUNY/CID Senior Associate Peg Clement Participates in Turkey Academic Linkages Delegation October 12-20, 2002 10/29/02

From October 12 - 20, 2002, CID Senior Associate Peg Clement took part in a 10-member delegation during an exploratory trip to Turkey under the auspices of the Turkish Higher Education Council (YOK). The group, composed of senior officials (presidents, provosts, professors) from five SUNY campuses as well as from the SUNY Central Administration's Office for International Programs, visited with officials from five Turkish universities in the Southeastern Anatolia Region (Gaziantep, Harran, Cukurova, Kahramanmars, and Yuzuncu Yil) in an effort to explore for mutual opportunities for academic linkage and exchange. Associate Vice Chancellor for International Programs Amb. Robert Gosende led the delegation to this remote region lying hard by the Iraqi, Iranian, and Syrian borders. A large multibillion dollar integrated development project (GAP) is currently creating new opportunities for educational collaboration, technical assistance, shared research activities and partnership with local universities on ongoing projects. Ideas generated for the partnerships ranged from faculty exchange, exchange of graduate and doctoral students, internships, distance education, research assistantships, to joint specific research projects on such technical subjects as soil and watershed management practices, biotechnology, solar energy, land and water resources, and integrated pest management practices. YOK is already prepared to fund several PhD students per year to SUNY campuses as a first step in the new partnership.

In September 2002, SUNY/CID signed an agreement with USAID/Kenya extending its legislative project to October 2004. During the extension period, SUNY will continue to assist the Parliament in its own development and in strengthening its relations with Kenyan society. Project activities are likely to include additional publications for Parliament, research for committees, member orientation activities, study tours, technical assistance (in information technology, for example) as well as seminars and other training exercises.

On August 15, 2002, SUNY/CID was awarded a US$1.5 million dollar contract from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to provide technical expertise to support the Peruvian Congress in its efforts to achieve its strategic plan and to develop and implement necessary internal reforms. SUNY/CID expects to help increase legislative transparency and access to information; help establish effective mechanisms of interaction between Congress, voters, and interest groups; and help increase Congress's capacity to fulfill its legislative and oversight responsibilities. Margarita Seminario, former Deputy Chief of Party in Mexico, has moved to Lima, Peru, to begin this eighteen-month project.

The first booklet for children on the Kenya Parliament (called Bunge in Kiswahili) was launched on July 30, 2002 by the Speaker of the Kenyan National Assembly, Hon. Francis Ole Kaparo; Kiert Toh (Director of USAID/Kenya); and John Johnson (Director of the State University of New York Parliamentary project in Kenya). The 31-page booklet, designed for school children, presents the history of Kenya's Parliament from the first meeting of the Legislative Council (LEGCO) in 1907 to the recent establishment of the Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC). The book launch was held at Starehe Boys Center, a secondary school for Kenyan street boys founded 40 years ago. The Center has ranked highest of all Kenyan schools on the country's national examinations. . Each of the school's 1,200 students received a copy of the booklet. SUNY also released a similar booklet for adults called "Bunge: A House for All Kenyans".

SUNY/CID Carries out Public Policy Strengthening Consultancy in Zimbabwe 9/3/02

As part of its institutional strengthening project with the Parliament of Zimbabwe, SUNY/CID carried out a consultancy in late August 2002 designed to enhance the capacity of the parliament's portfolio committees to engage in public policy analysis and implementation. The consultancy team consisted of John B.Sheffer, II, former New York State Legislator and current Director of the Institute of Local Governance and Regional Growth at the University of Buffalo, SUNY; Dr. Gideon Zhou, Lecturer in Public Policy at the University of Zimbabwe; Taurai Kambeu, Policy Analyst for the SUNY/Zimbabwe Project; and James Ketterer, SUNY/CID Director. The team met with a variety of Members of Parliament, parliamentary staff, and representatives of civil society.

SUNY/CID Participates in UK Workshop for Parliamentary Scholars and Parliamentarians 8/6/02

James Ketterer of SUNY/CID participated in a workshop for parliamentary scholars and parliamentarians on August 3-4 at Wroxton College in the UK http://www.fdu.edu/wroxton. The workshop was sponsored by the University of Hull's Centre for Legislative Studies http://www.hull.ac.uk/cls. It was co-sponsored by the Inter-Parliamentary Union, and the Research Committee of Legislative Specialists of the International Political Science Association. The workshop brings together parliamentary scholars with members of parliament and parliamentary staff from a wide range of countries (more than twenty parliaments are usually represented) to discuss papers that present findings likely to be of practical interest to parliamentarians and continued research for scholars. This year's workshop included MPs, staff and scholars from countries including Slovenia, Mexico, Yemen, Russia, Australia, Zambia, the US, Korea, the UK, Lithuania, Portugal, Romania, Angola, and the Czech Republic. Ketterer delivered a paper on "Islamists, Regime-Type, and Legislative Strengthening: A Case for Monarchy."

CID Participates in USAID Legislative Impact Study 8/6/02

SUNY/Bulgaria Holds Session on "Winning Legislative Battles" 6/19/02

On June 14, SUNY/Bulgaria presented a panel discussion to Bulgarian MPs and staffers on how to use the mechanisms available in a democratic parliament to win legislative battles. The presenters included John B. Sheffer, II, former New York State Legislator and currently Director of the Institute for Local Governance and Regional Growth at the University of Buffalo, SUNY; James Ketterer, Director of SUNY's Center for International Development; and Dr. Emilia Drumeva, Director of Legislation and European Law for Bulgaria's National Assembly. The panel was chaired by James Carlson, SUNY/Bulgaria's Chief-of-Party.

Speaker of Mexican Chamber of Deputies Meets with SUNY Officials 5/13/02

Diputada Beatriz Paredes, the speaker of the lower house of the Mexican Congress, met with top SUNY officials on May 10, 2002 in SUNY's offices in New York City to discuss broadening her country’s legislative and academic partnership with the University. Diputada Paredes met with SUNY Vice Chancellor John J. O’Connor, SUNY Trustees Edward Cox and Steven Alfasi, CID Director James Ketterer, Office of International Programs Director John Ryder, and Deputy Chief of Party for Mexico, Margarita Seminario. This meeting comes three months after SUNY Chancellor Robert King traveled to Mexico to sign a collaborative agreement with the Chamber of Deputies.

James Ketterer Participates in SUNY Conference on Intercultural Communication 4/30/02

James Ketterer moderated a panel on intercultural issues and the Arab world at a conference on Intercultural Communication held at the Alumni House at the University at Albany on Saturday, April 27, 2002. There were also panels on Chinese and Spanish as well as a general session on "Communicating Culture" Limited English Proficient English Language Learners (LEP/ELLs). For more information about this conference please contact Nancy Fisher at the University at Albany: nfisher@umail.albany.edu or (518) 442-5009.

Center for International Development at the World Bank 4/30/02

Jesse Biddle, Senior Associate with CID, served as expert discussant on Thursday, April 25, at a World Bank Seminar in Washington on "Business-Government Consultation in Uganda, Vietnam and Russia: What Worked and How." The Bank encourages dialogue between business associations and governments in order to improve economic policy making The CID works with donors such as the Bank, the US Agency for International Development and foundations to strengthen and democratize deliberative bodies, such as legislatures, parliaments and public-private consultation mechanisms, in diverse developing nations

SUNY/Mexico Delegation to visit the United States 3/26/02

The CID office in Mexico is organizing a visit to Washington, DC and New York City for a distinguished group of Mexicans April 2-6, 2002. The delegation includes: Roberto Michel, Director of the Fiscal Studies Center (CBO) of the Mexican Chamber of Deputies; Deputy Miguel Ángel Martínez Navarro, President (Speaker) of the Congress of San Luís Potosí state; Deputy Alberto del Río, Chair of the Budget Committee of the Congress of Yucatán state; Deputy Carlos Calderón, Chair of the Budget Committee of the Congress of the State of Mexico. Meetings are set in Washington at the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), General Accounting Office (GAO) and the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities think tank. Meetings are set in New York City at the Independent Budget Office and with Frank Mauro of the Fiscal Policy Institute, the Albany-based think tank which analyzes the New York State budget. This trip offers these distinguished Mexicans the opportunity to see different models of budget analysis and fiscal oversight at the federal, state and municipal levels, while solidifying our work with each legislative entity. It also represents SUNY/Mexico´s second formal activity with the Congress of the Estado de Mexico.

James Ketterer Serves on Review Panel for Boren Fellowships 3/25/02

James Ketterer, Director of CID, was invited to serve on the International Affairs Review Panel for the 2002-2003 David L. Boren Graduate Fellowships of National Security Education Program. The Boren Fellowships, which are funded by the US Government, enable US graduate students to pursue specialization in area and language study or to add an important international dimension to their education. Boren Fellowships support students pursuing the study of languages, cultures, and world regions that are critical to US national security but are less frequently studied by US graduate students, i.e., areas of the world other than Western Europe, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Go to http://nsep.aed.org/index.html for additional information about the graduate fellowships. Undergraduate and institutional awards are also available. Go to http://www.ndu.edu/nsep/ for additional information about those awards.

SUNY Chancellor and Delegation Sign Agreement with the Mexican Chamber of Deputies 2/22/02

A SUNY delegation, led by Chancellor Robert L. King, traveled to Mexico February 13-15, 2002. The other members of the delegation included: Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Peter Salins; Associate Vice Chancellor for International Programs, Robert Gosende; James Ketterer, Director of SUNY's International Development Group; Robert Balkin, CID Chief-of-Party in Mexico; Margarita Seminario, CID Deputy Chief-of-Party; and Robyn Steve, CID Project Manager. Chancellor King signed an agreement with the Chamber of Deputies which formalizes the relationship between the two institutions - a relationship which began in 1998 when SUNY´s International Development Group (CID) initiated its work with the Mexican Congress. This partnership is supported by the US Agency for International Development. In the past three years, SUNY CID has organized and conducted courses, workshops and conferences in Mexico with the Chamber of Deputies, the Mexican Senate and with selected state legislatures. Specifically, the agreement will lead to more exchanges between SUNY and Mexican legislative scholars and an increase in ties between SUNY´s 64 campuses and the leaders and staff of the Chamber of Deputies. During their brief stay in Mexico, Chancellor King and the delegation were also honored at a cocktail reception for Presidents and Rectors of leading Mexican universities. In addition, on Friday, February 15, United States Ambassador to Mexico Jeffrey Davidow hosted a breakfast for the Chancellor and SUNY officials at his residence.

James Ketterer Directs Legislative Training for New York State's Public Management Interns . 2/11/02

James Ketterer of CID directed a training session for the New York State Public Management Interns (PMI) on February 5, 2002. Carried out in coordination with SUNY's Rockefeller Institute of Government (www.rockinst.org), this one-day session at the New York State Legislature examined various aspects of that institution including an overview of the legislative process, the role of an individual legislator, constituent relations, public participation, legislative-executive relations, the role of the press, and legislatures in comparative perspective. The PMI, which is run by the New York State Department of Civil Service, offers a two-year professional internship to candidates with a master's degree in Public Administration or a related field. Candidates select one of four career tracks and are placed in a New York State agency. For more information about the program contact: Public Management Institute Program, Rockefeller Institute of Government, 411 State Street, Albany, New York 12203-1003.

SUNY/CID Bulgaria Holds Conference on Effective Representation, Lawmaking and Oversight 2/11/02

SUNY/CID's Parliamentary Development Project in Bulgaria is sponsoring a conference on effective representation, lawmaking and oversight in Sandanski, Bulgaria on February 15-17, 2002. The conference is part of an orientation and capacity-building program for the parliament elected in 2001. The keynote speaker will be Atlantic Monthly correspondent Robert Kaplan. Other speakers include Dr. Susan Senecah of SUNY's College of Environmental Science & Forestry and the New York State Senate; Borislav Vilarov of Sofia University; Dr. Helen Desfosses of the University at Albany - SUNY; Dr. Alan Rosenthal of the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University; Antony Todorov of the New Bulgarian University; Stephen Lakis of the State Legislative Leaders Foundation; Raina Timcheva of the Foundation Resource Center; Emilia Drumeva of the Bulgarian National Assembly; Georgy Koritarov of Radio Free Europe; Lili Marinkova of Bulgarian National Radio; and Dr. Louis Fortis, publisher and former Wisconsin state legislator.

SUNY/CID Wins Project to Work with the Parliament of Tanzania 2/11/02

SUNY/CID has been awarded a contract from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to conduct an assessment of the operations of the Parliament of Tanzania. The assessment will provide the USAID Mission in Tanzania with an in-depth analysis of the legislature, including its formal powers and relationships to other political institutions. Specifically, CID will report on the parliament's strengths and weaknesses in the areas of lawmaking, constituent representation and oversight of the executive branch, and will examine the ways in which the Tanzanian Parliament could be strengthened to promote and support other critical policy objectives such as HIV/AIDS prevention, natural resource management, and private sector and economic development. The assessment team will consist of CID Senior Associates Jesse Biddle and Marc Cassidy, who will be accompanied by Dean of Faculty of Arts and Social Science, University of Dar es Salaam, Rwekaza Mukandala.

SUNY/CID at Regional Forum on Effective Legislative Oversight for Transparency and Accountability, Manila, Philippines, December 10 - 11, 2001 2/11/02

Three members of Kenya’s National Assembly and SUNY/Kenya COP John Johnson participated in the Manila’s Center for Legislative Development’s (CLD) Asia regional forum. The delegation traveled to the Philippines with the support of USAID/Kenya, for whom SUNY/CID manages a three-year parliamentary assistance project. Parliament members, staff, academics and development professionals from 20 (mostly Asian) nations, representatives of USAID, UNDP, World Bank, the National Democratic Institute, Transparency International, and a number of other international organizations participated in the Forum. In a session chaired by Hon. John Barasa Munyasia, entitled, "When and Where Does Legislative Oversight Work?", John described the difficulties and successes of the Kenyan Parliament in overseeing the executive. Using SUNY/CID’s experiences in Bolivia, Uganda and Kenya, John (a former member of the Forum Program Committee) made a presentation on the keys to building budget making and oversight capabilities. SUNY/CID has worked extensively with legislatures in Latin America, Africa, and Eastern Europe, and in addition, at this forum SUNY discussed possible collaborative activities in India, Pakistan, the Philippines, Indonesia, and China.


Ambassador Gosende speaks to the LEAD students	LEAD students with Assemblyman McEneny and SUNY representatives


Conference held by the Malawi National Assembly for Committee Chairs and Clerks.	SUNY/Malawi Project COP, Mr. Dye Mawindo delivering a presentation on the Role of Committee Chairs in Committee work.	SUNY/Malawi Project DCOP, Mr. Sylvester Masamvu delivering a presentation on the Role of Committee Clerks in Committee work.


“Presentation of Certificate” – SUNY/CID Chief of Staff Jim Utermark presents Henry Ndlovu with his certificate of completion. (July 6, 2006)	“Washington Monument” – Henry Ndlovu and SUNY/Oneonta Prof. Rob Compton at the Washington Monument in June 2006.


CSOs under the Dome of Parliament, a visit sponsored by the new CSO Unit		Several CSO members rehearse a mock policy advocacy session during the training


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.


		“ With hopeful eyes, the world is watching the transition in Kenya following the landmark December 2002 elections in which Kenyans voted out the party that ruled their country since independence in 1963 from Britain,” said Ambassador Robert Gosende, SUNY’s Associate Vice Chancellor for International Affairs. “SUNY/CID will continue to work with the Kenyan Parliament to further its development as an effective lawmaking institution serving the will of the Kenyan people.” Kenya, the location of one of the 1998 United States embassy bombings in Africa, is on the front lines of the war on terror and is vitally important to the United States Government’s overall policy in East Africa.
New York State Senator Michael A.L. Balboni, Chair of the Senate Committee on Homland Security, addresses the Kenyan delegation.