Africa Liberal Network Study Visit to Germany and the U.K.

The Africa Liberal Network (ALN) study tour titled “Good Governance and the Role of Political Parties”, commenced in Mainz, Germany on 12 September 2009. African liberal party representatives from Morocco, Senegal, Democratic Republic Congo (DRC), Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania, Seychelles, and Madagascar are attending the tour.
The group is being led by Dr Mamadou Lamine Bâ, President of ALN and Vice-President of the Liberal International Bureau. The study tour is a joint initiative by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation (FNF) and the Liberal Democrats whose Westminster Foundation for Democracy programme host the ALN.
In Germany, the delegates were received by the FNF at the International Academy for Leadership Training. The group is scheduled to meet with Dr Wolfgang Gerhardt, Liberal International Vice-President, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of FNF, in his hometown, Wiesbaden. The group will also get the opportunity to interact and observe the election campaign of the Freie Demokratische Partei (FDP), and get the opportunity to attend an election rally where the FDP leader, Mr Guido Westerwelle will be delivering a speech. The elections in Germany are set to take place on 27 September 2009.
The ALN group will then proceed to Bournemouth where they will attend the Liberal Democrats party conference from 19-23 September 2009. The group will learn more about the multiparty system of the United Kingdom and the dynamics of how a party policy is decided.