Democracy in the Middle East THE DOHA-based Arab Democracy Foundation (ADF) is expected to issue its first (zero) annual report about the progress of democracy in the Arab countries by this year end, ADF secretary general Mohsin Marzouq said yesterday. “Almost half of the reports are ready. We are just waiting for the other half that is expected within three weeks. These reports aim to monitor the status of democracy in the Arab region,” he said. The newly-established ADF, a non-governmental organisation chaired by HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser al-Misnad, the wife of the HH the Emir, seeks to promote democratic reforms and human rights in the Arab countries. Marzouq said that this year's report, which he said will be counted as zero report, will deal with the Arab world as regions rather than states. “The Arab Democracy Foundation will issue regional reports monitoring the situation of democracy in the Gulf states, Near East, Nile valley, and North Africa, we will issue more detailed and separate reports about each country starting from next year,” Mazouq told mediaperson yesterday. He also said that the ADF would soon set up a club for mediapersons in Qatar, which he said, would serve as a permanent workshop where they can exchange opinions and get training on the problems of democracy in the region. “We seek to build special relationship and partnership with the media people here. We do not like them just to approach us to get news or information. I hope we develop a more positive relationship with them where we can exchange ideas and suggestions since we would like the ADF to be like a think-tank for democratic reforms in the region,” he said, while observing that “media should be a tool for spreading the culture of democracy.” About the programmes the foundation launching to celebrate International Day of Democracy falling on September 15, Marzouq said the ADF is organising five seminars tackling the issue of democratic change in the Arab region during Ramadan. “The seminars seek to highlight the status of democracy in some Arab countries and find out about the relationship between the absence of democracy and stability. “While the famous Arab thinkers like the Paris-based Burhan Ghalion will give us an assessment of the democratic changes in the Arab countries, other analysts will assess the progress of democracy in Iraq, and highlight the relationship between the Islamic movements and democratic issue in Lebanon. We have also the Darfur conflict on our agenda at the fifth seminar on September 24,” he said. The ADF has world renowned personalities on its board of directors including former German foreign minister Joschka Fisher, Canada's former prime minister Kim Campbell, Italy's minister of European affairs and international trade Emma Bonino, Bahrain's former minister of education Ali Fakhroo, chair of Egypt-based Ibn Khaldun Centre Sa'adEddin Ebrahim, former Sudanese prime minister Sadiq al-Mahdi, and other political leaders. GT

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