Information on the Global Assembly

We are pleased to announce that the first Global Assembly of the Open Forum will be held in ISTANBUL TURKEY from 28 to 30 SEPTEMBER!

Global Assembly Backround document in French, Spanish and English

Preliminary draft agenda: in English

Why is it Important to participate in the Global Assembly?

The First Global Assembly of the Open Forum on CSO Development Effectiveness provides the first international meeting point for participants and stakeholders of the Open Forum process, where those present will be able to review and discuss the results of the consultations and plot ways forward in preparation for the next HLF4 in Seoul in 2011.

In the run-up to the Global Assembly, dozens of platforms and networks of CSOs have organised over 70 national and thematic consultations, most of which have taken place from March to July 2010. These consultations have brought together hundreds of CSO stakeholders across the globe to discuss principles for CSO development effectiveness, as well as mechanisms, guidelines and indicators for their implementation, including minimum standards for enabling conditions. These consultations also include multi-stakeholder dialogue with governments, donors and other development actors.

The results of these national and thematic consultations will be consolidated and circulated before the Global Assembly, and then presented and discussed at the event as a draft holistic framework for CSO development effectiveness. The proposed framework will remain under discussion in the months following the first Global Assembly until a second Global Assembly in mid-2011, where CSOs will finalise the proposed framework and mobilise for the High-Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness in Seoul in late 2011.

Key Objectives

Through the Global Facilitation Group (GFG) of the Open Forum, present an initial draft framework on CSO development effectiveness to the Global Assembly for discussion. This framework will be based on the results from all Open Forum consultations that have occurred throughout the world up until July 2010.

Share, discuss and analyse the consolidated report and experiences of the Open Forum consultation process to date.

Explore the emerging perspectives on CSO development effectiveness, including the rights, roles and responsibilities of CSOs as actors in development.

Initiate a multi-stakeholder debate with governments, donors and other development actors on CSO development effectiveness and the enabling environment for CSOs.

Renew the membership and mandate of the Global Facilitation Group.

The Open Forum consultations began with a series of four regional workshops in Europe, Latin America, Asia and Africa, as well as some pilot national consultations in late 2009 and early 2010. Through the regional workshops, a number of platforms and networks of CSOs have organised country consultations, most of which will be taking place from March to July 2010. These consultations bring together CSOs to discuss principles for CSO development effectiveness and mechanisms, guidelines or indicators for their implementation, as well as minimum standards for enabling conditions. Where appropriate, they will include multi-stakeholder dialogues with governments, donors and other development actors.

The results of these consultations will be consolidated, and then presented and discussed at the Global Assembly as a draft holistic framework for CSO development effectiveness. The proposed framework will remain under discussion in the months following the first Global Assembly until a second Global Assembly in mid-2011, where CSOs will finalise the proposed framework and mobilise for the High-Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness in Seoul in late-2011.