Call for action: ICCDA Regional Working Groups
Since 1976, EADI is member of the Inter-regional Coordinating Committee of Development Associations (ICCDA), informal umbrella institution made up of the six sister organisations, each one representing the current development research of its region Africa (CODESRIA and OSSREA), Asia (APISA), Europe (EADI), Latin America (CLACSO) and the Middle East (AICARDES).
It is the declared objective of EADI, in its constitution as in its mission statement, to foster cooperation with its regional partners in the developing countries. Therefore, the EADI President, Jean-Luc Maurer, has participated at several events of ICCDA partner associations and has emphasised the importance of these links.
To encourage the inter-regional cooperation and to establish long-lasting researching relations, we are glad to invite your institute to join us establishing regional working groups within ICCDA. The kick-off meeting will take place on 4 November 2006 in Brighton, UK, in conjunction with the Meeting of Directors of EADI member institutes hosted by Institute of Development Studies (IDS).
Objectives
Objectives of this initiative are to foster inter-regional cooperation in the framework of ICCDA and to facilitate joint projects and research. Therefore, the creation of regional Working Groups is envisaged, each associating European researchers with the respective ICCDA sister organisation. Possible constellations are:
· Europe – Africa,
· Europe – Asia,
· Europe – Latin America.
With the financial support of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), we are able to invite senior researchers and the representatives of all ICCDA partners. Thus, the working groups would consist of selected experts of the given regions, i.e. European development researchers with specialisation in the African, Asia and Latin America region and development researchers from concerned regions with interest in Euro-African relations etc. The aim will be the preparation of an input to the next EADI General Conference which will be held in Geneva in 2008.
For this purpose, in 2007 each regional Working Group should organise at least one business meeting, where two or three representatives of the European institute will meet with researchers from the concerned region. Support will be given by EADI secretariat and information and communication technology, such as online discussion groups, internet platforms and a biannual newsletter.
Participation
Your institute will benefit from the access to and the networking opportunities with important researchers and scholars in the field of regional studies as well as from the visibility of your institute or organisation on the international development research scene. You will be part of EADI’s mission to re-establish, strengthen and develop research and training partnerships between EADI and its ICCDA sister-associations in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Arab World, which will be fruitful for both, researchers in European countries and beyond.
To facilitate the creation of the working groups, we cordially invite all interested EADI member institutes to register online (deadline: 30 September 2006) on the ICCDA website at http://www.iccda.net/feedback.html. Please fill in the application form as completely as possible.
Programme
EADI directors’ meeting will start on Thursday, 2 November with public lecture by Mr. Kemal Dervis, Director of the UNDP. The ICCDA regional working groups will start their parallel work on thematic issues on Saturday, 4 November morning, followed by a final plenary discussion. Further information and the detailed programme of this kick-off meeting will be sent after your registration.
Contact person:
Can Akdeniz
European Association of Development
Research and Training Institutes (EADI)
Kaiser-Friedrich-Strasse 11
53113 Bonn
Tel: (+49) 228 26 18 102
Fax: (+49) 228 26 18 103
E-mail: akdeniz(AT)eadi.org
