From Monday 26 to Thursday 29 July, delegates from twelve ALN members met in Accra, Ghana for training organised by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation. Three further African liberal democratic parties also participated: the Movement for Democratic Change (Zimbabwe); the Orange Democratic Movement (Kenya); and the New Patriotic Party (Ghana). All three have been invited to participate in the ALN General Assembly and Liberal International Executive meeting in Cape Town this November.
NPP National Chairman, Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, opened the meeting with Liberal International Secretary-General, Emil Kirjas. The participants focused on better acquainting themselves with the political situations in each other’s counties and the different donors working with liberal democratic parties in Africa. They learnt how best to drive issues and utilise regional networks, particularly in relation to tabling parliamentary questions. Finally, the delegates focused on the question of the youth in Africa, with contributions from Bart Woord, President of the International Federation of Liberal Youth (IFLRY), and Sidi Touré, former President of the Organisation of African Liberal Youth (OALY).
The meeting closed with ‘Liberal Thursday’ an initiative run by the FNF office in Accra to bring together progressive Ghanaians from all walks of life. A lively debate was held, with Clement Stambuli, Director of Campaigns at the United Democratic Front (Malawi) representing the Africa Liberal Network in the absence of ALN President, Dr Lamine Bâ. Mr Stambuli spoke of the difficult situation which homosexuals had to endure in his country, and called for African liberals to put an end to this persecution, instead uniting to protect freedom of expression. He was joined on the podium by Hon. Joe Ghartey MP (Chairman of NPP Constitutional, Governance and Legal Affairs Committee), Ms Uta Staschewski (FNF Programme Officer), Ms. Naomi Ichihara Røkkum (IFLRY Vice-President), and Mr Emil Kirjas.

Resolution on the Political Situation in Burund proposed by Dr Mamadou Lamine Bâ, President of the Africa Liberal Network; Minister for International Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs in the Senegalese Government and adopted by the 184th Liberal International Executive Committee meeting in Berlin, Germany on 11-13 June 2010.
The 184th Liberal International Executive Committee:
Regret the atmosphere of intimidation, which marked the municipal elections in Burundi on Monday 24 May;
Recall the allegations of electoral fraud against the Burundian Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI: Commission Électorale Nationale Indépendente);
Reiterate the importance of independent democratic institutions and political and civil rights, cornerstones of a liberal democratic society;
Support the calls from thirteen opposition parties for the municipal elections to be held afresh;
Deplore the decision of the Burundian Minister for the Interior to ban opposition parties from organising meetings during the Presidential election campaign;
Alarmed by the arrest of Mme Alice Nzomukunda, President of the Alliance Démocratique pour le Renouveau-Urunani Rw’Imvugakuri (ADR); former Vice-President of the Republic of Burundi and Vice-President of its National Assembly;
Resolved that Liberal International:
Condemns the interference of the Burundian Government in the election campaign;
Calls for the Minister for the Interior to repeal the prohibition on opposition campaigning;
Expresses solidarity with the detained political prisoners in Burundi;
Calls for the immediate release of all opposition leaders;
Requests that the United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, urgently address this issue with the Burundian Government;
Resolves all member parties and organisations to make representations to the Burundian Government in support of free and fair elections ahead of upcoming polls.

Resolution proposed by the Africa Liberal Network on the Political Situation in Burundi
Proposed by Dr Mamadou Lamine Bâ, President of the Africa Liberal Network; Minister for International Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs in the Senegalese Government and adopted by the 184th Liberal International Executive Committee meeting in Berlin, Germany on 11-13 June 2010.
The 184th Liberal International Executive Committee:
Regret the atmosphere of intimidation, which marked the municipal elections in Burundi on Monday 24 May;
Recall the allegations of electoral fraud against the Burundian Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI: Commission Électorale Nationale Indépendente);
Reiterate the importance of independent democratic institutions and political and civil rights, cornerstones of a liberal democratic society;
Support the calls from thirteen opposition parties for the municipal elections to be held afresh;
Deplore the decision of the Burundian Minister for the Interior to ban opposition parties from organising meetings during the Presidential election campaign;
Alarmed by the arrest of Mme Alice Nzomukunda, President of the Alliance Démocratique pour le Renouveau-Urunani Rw’Imvugakuri (ADR); former Vice-President of the Republic of Burundi and Vice-President of its National Assembly;
Resolved that Liberal International:
Condemns the interference of the Burundian Government in the election campaign;
Calls for the Minister for the Interior to repeal the prohibition on opposition campaigning;
Expresses solidarity with the detained political prisoners in Burundi;
Calls for the immediate release of all opposition leaders;
Requests that the United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, urgently address this issue with the Burundian Government;
Resolves all member parties and organisations to make representations to the Burundian Government in support of free and fair elections ahead of upcoming polls.

On the day of the Presidential elections in Burundi, Alice Nzomukunda, leader of ALN member Alliance Démocratique pour le Renouveau, had her opinions published in the Huffington Post, a progressive online newspaper. To read her op-ed, please click here.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alice-nzomukunda/africas-other-contest_b_628217.html

The Africa Liberal Network held a very successful General Assembly meeting in Victoria, Seychelles from 4-5 December. The meeting was hosted by the Seychelles National Party with financial support from the Liberal Democrats via their Westminster Foundation for Democracy Programme.
Father Wavel Ramkalawan, President of the Seychelles National Party, delivered the opening address, and was subsequently interviewed by the press alongside the ALN President, Dr Lamine Bâ. The leader of the Liberal Democrats, Rt. Hon. Nick Clegg MP, also addressed the delegates by means of video message. The keynote address was delivered by Judge Akua Kuenyehia, former Vice-President of the International Criminal Court.
The delegates welcomed seven new parties to the network, bringing the membership to twenty-four. The new member parties are as follows:
– Burundi – ADR: Alliance Démocratique pour le Renouveau
– Democratic Republic of Congo – ARC: Alliance pour le Renouveau du Congo
– Democratic Republic of Congo – UREC: Union Pour la Reconstruction du Congo
– Guinea – PUL: Parti de l’Unité et de la Liberté
– Mali – PCR: Parti Citoyen pour le Renouveau
– Senegal – PLC/DJ: Parti pour la Liberté et la Citoyenneté / Défar Jikoyi
– Sudan – UDLP: United Democratic Liberal Party
The General Assembly also planned the network’s strategy for 2010 and approved the gender policy document developed by representatives of ALN member parties in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire earlier this year.
The delegates adopted a number of resolutions on the following topics:
– The Copenhagen Conference on Climate Change
– The Ratification of the Rome Statute on the International Criminal Court
– The need for Good Governance in Africa
– The 28 October 2009 elections in Mozambique
– The delayed elections in Côte d’Ivoire
– The political situation in the Republic of Guinea (Conakry)
– The recent resolution of the political impasse in Zanzibar
– The need for serious and credible political reforms in Tanzania ahead of the 2010 elections
– Gender based violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo
– A vote of thanks to Seychelles National Party for organising the meeting and to the the Liberal Democrats’ Westminster Foundation for Democracy Programme for their continued financial support.

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.

Fifteen gender representatives from twelve ALN member parties have met in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire to develop a common gender policy paper for the network. This workshop was hosted by the Rassemblement des Républicains, with financial support from the Liberal Democrats Westminster Foundation for Democracy programme. Delegates met at the Hotel Ivotel, Abidjan, between Friday 3 July and Sunday 5 July 2009.
On Saturday 4 July, the ALN held a press conference, which wasbroadcast on Ivorian radio and television. On the panel were Mme KabaYaya Fofana, Vice-President for West Africa, and Executive Committeemember responsible for Gender Issues; ALN President, Dr Lamine Bâ; ALNCoordinator, Nick Branson; and two representatives from theRassemblement des Républicains. The first was Dr Cissé Bacongo,Minister for Higher Education and Scientific Research, and NationalSecretary for Institutional and Legal Matters at the RDR. The secondwas Sidi Touré, Chief of Staff to President Dr Alassane DramaneOuttara, and President of the Organisation of African Liberal Youth.
TheALN President and Coordinator were also fortunate enough to be receivedby RDR President Dr Alassane Dramane Outtara at his home in Abidjanwhere they discussed the progress of his Presidential campaign. Additionally, delegates wereinvited to visit the RDR’s campaign and communications headquarters inAbidjan, where Dr Lamine Bâ was interviewed for radio.
Thegender document itself was generated with the assistance of aconsultant from the United Nations Operation in Côte d’Ivoire, MrSiagbé Trah, who facilitated the workshop sessions, with translationprovided by Ms Aïsitou Diallo. The full document incorporatedsuggestions from all ALN member parties and is available below.
The delegates also nominated aGender Focal Point for each region of Africa to lead with theimplementation of the gender policy, they are as follows:
Northern Africa: Raoudha Seybi, Parti Social Libéral, Tunisia
Western Africa: Kaba Yaya Fofana, Rassemblement des Républicains, Côte d’Ivoire
Southern Africa & Islands: Lindiwe Desiré Mazibuko, Democratic Alliance, South Africa
Central and Eastern Africa: Ashura Mustapha, Civic United Front, Tanzania

The Fifteen Gender Focal Points Assembled in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, approved several substantive motions following the completion of the ALN gender policy document. These were as follows:
· Word of thanks
· Resolution on the Political Situation in Niger
· Resolution on the Elections in Côte d’Ivoire
· Resolution on the Political Crisis in Madagascar
· Resolution on Violence towards Women in the Democratic Republic of Congo
The delegates also discussed a motion submitted by the Tunisian delegation, but did not adopt it.
Please click on the link below for further details.

The Fifteen Gender Focal Points Assembled in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, approved several substantive motions following the completion of the ALN gender policy document. These were as follows:
· Word of thanks
· Resolution on the Political Situation in Niger
· Resolution on the Elections in Côte d’Ivoire
· Resolution on the Political Crisis in Madagascar
· Resolution on Violence towards Women in the Democratic Republic of Congo
The delegates also discussed a motion submitted by the Tunisian delegation, but did not adopt it.
Please click on the link below for further details.