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Democracy Fund attends meeting of the Working Group of the Community of Democracies

The UN Democracy Fund attended the meeting of the Working Group on "Promoting Democracy and responding to National and Transnational Threats to Democracy" of the Community of Democracies. The meeting was organized by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and held in Rome on 1 March 2007.

The meeting, chaired by Senator Gianni Vernetti, Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, was attended by representatives of all governments of the Community of Democracies’ convening group, including Minister Emma Bonino, Undersecretary of State Paula Dobriansk, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka Bhaila, as well as by civil society activists. (see the attached programme and text of remarks by Valerie de Campos Mello below).

Participants at the meeting expressed strong support for the UN Democracy Fund. Senator Vernetti stated that the Fund was a very important development and “one of the most positive initiatives of the CD”. He further called on all members of the Community of Democracies to continue to support the Fund and to consider new, larger contributions. The CD “should lobby for funding to UNDEF”, he said.

Ambassador Diop of Mali (Chair of the Community of Democracies) mentioned the Democracy Fund and the Human Rights Council as the two instruments that will make a difference in democratization efforts. Discussion at the meeting focused on the need for the Community of Democracies to become more operational at the eve of the Bamako Ministerial meeting (which will be held in November) and to show results. It was decided that Italy would draft a plan of action for the Working group.

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