About our Westminster Foundation for Democracy programme
The Liberal Democrats receive funding from the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) to undertake democratic development work with sister parties around the world. We undertake “core” work with our partners in three regions: Eastern Europe, Sub-Saharan Africa, and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). We also work in other areas of the world such as Asia.
We are also involved in ‘extra budgetary’ programmes beyond this core funding, where funds from other sources such as DFID are available for specific projects. These are usually organised on a cross-party basis ie in conjunction with the other UK political parties. These programmes have developed extensively in recent years.
The Liberal Democrats International Office manages our WFD funds, with oversight provided by the WFD Steering Group. This group comprises: the Liberal Democrat Governor (and Vice Chair) on the Board of Westminster Foundation for Democracy (Jo Swinson MP), the Chair of the International Relations Committee (Robert Woodthorpe Browne), and Head of the International Office (Paul Speller).
We use our funding to promote liberal democracy through direct work with political parties. This involves:
In addition we support the development of the Africa Liberal Network (ALN), a network of liberal democratic parties from around Africa, and of the more recently established Network of Arab Liberals (NAL).
We are increasingly undertaking extra-budgetary work - that is, being part of cross party bids for working with parties and parliaments in countries of interest to WFD. We have recently completed a large programme of work in Sierra Leone with the objective of strengthening the policy-based platforms of local political parties. At present, we are working in Macedonia and Ukraine as well as in Georgia, Lebanon and Uganda as part of the Westminster Consortium.
Europe
List of current programme countries:
Belarus
Bosnia
Georgia
Kosovo
Macedonia
Moldova
Serbia
We support the development of policy-based, mass membership parties, in order to provide effective representation, and real political choice for the electorate in the countries we work in, in Europe. Our programme is designed to foster democracy, both internally within political parties, and externally within the wider political context. We support countries in their move towards EU accession, and this is the real driving force behind our programme. We will continue to build capacity of sister-Liberal parties through skills exchange and best practice.
Africa
List of current programme countries:
Burundi
Côte d’Ivoire
Malawi
Seychelles
South Africa
Tanzania
Zambia
We work with our sister parties in Africa to promote liberal democracy on the continent. We aim to facilitate the development and growth of Liberal parties, organisations and individuals in all African countries. We work to strengthen the Africa Liberal Network (ALN), the secretariat of which is currently housed in our International Office, in order to promote the sharing of information, experiences, skills, and liberal democratic ideas.
We have been key supporters of the Africa Liberal Network since its inception in 2001. We have provided technical support and funded events such as skills exchange and strategy workshops. This support should continue in order to enable the network to maintain a minimum level of activities, with efforts also being made to source funds from other donors. Support proposed includes continued technical support (for the Africa Liberal Network Coordinator), and event support (skills exchange workshops and General Assembly meetings).
The ALN has recently grown to comprise a membership of 24 political parties from 19 African countries. These are as follows: Angola, Burkina-Faso, Burundi, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Guinea, Equatorial Guinea, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Morocco, Mozambique, Senegal, Seychelles, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Tunisia, Zambia. More information can be found at the ALN website: www.africaliberalnetwork.org
Middle East and North Africa
We work with our sister parties in the region individually and collectively via the Network of Arab Liberals (NAL) to promote liberal democracy in the region. We have supported the NAL since its inception in 2005 and it now comprises liberal parties from seven Middle East and North African countries.
NAL members are from:
Egypt
Jordan
Morocco
Lebanon
Tunisia
Palestine
Other Areas
We also work with our sister parties in other parts of the world, notably in Asia. Here we cooperate individually and collectively with the members of the Council of Asian Liberals (CALD). The members of CALD are from:
Thailand
Philippines
Taiwan
Sri Lanka
Singapore
Cambodia
We are also involved in ‘extra budgetary’ programmes beyond this core funding, where funds from other sources such as DFID are available for specific projects. These are usually organised on a cross-party basis ie in conjunction with the other UK political parties. These programmes have developed extensively in recent years.
The Liberal Democrats International Office manages our WFD funds, with oversight provided by the WFD Steering Group. This group comprises: the Liberal Democrat Governor (and Vice Chair) on the Board of Westminster Foundation for Democracy (Jo Swinson MP), the Chair of the International Relations Committee (Robert Woodthorpe Browne), and Head of the International Office (Paul Speller).
We use our funding to promote liberal democracy through direct work with political parties. This involves:
- Strengthening and encouraging development of liberal democratic parties - undertaken though political support, technical support and skills exchange.
- Supporting the development of active international and regional networks of liberal parties. This facilitates exchange and promotion of common ideas, skills, and policy solutions among those in similar circumstance, and encourages regional and international promotion of democracy and human rights.
In addition we support the development of the Africa Liberal Network (ALN), a network of liberal democratic parties from around Africa, and of the more recently established Network of Arab Liberals (NAL).
We are increasingly undertaking extra-budgetary work - that is, being part of cross party bids for working with parties and parliaments in countries of interest to WFD. We have recently completed a large programme of work in Sierra Leone with the objective of strengthening the policy-based platforms of local political parties. At present, we are working in Macedonia and Ukraine as well as in Georgia, Lebanon and Uganda as part of the Westminster Consortium.
Europe
List of current programme countries:
Belarus
Bosnia
Georgia
Kosovo
Macedonia
Moldova
Serbia
We support the development of policy-based, mass membership parties, in order to provide effective representation, and real political choice for the electorate in the countries we work in, in Europe. Our programme is designed to foster democracy, both internally within political parties, and externally within the wider political context. We support countries in their move towards EU accession, and this is the real driving force behind our programme. We will continue to build capacity of sister-Liberal parties through skills exchange and best practice.
Africa
List of current programme countries:
Burundi
Côte d’Ivoire
Malawi
Seychelles
South Africa
Tanzania
Zambia
We work with our sister parties in Africa to promote liberal democracy on the continent. We aim to facilitate the development and growth of Liberal parties, organisations and individuals in all African countries. We work to strengthen the Africa Liberal Network (ALN), the secretariat of which is currently housed in our International Office, in order to promote the sharing of information, experiences, skills, and liberal democratic ideas.
We have been key supporters of the Africa Liberal Network since its inception in 2001. We have provided technical support and funded events such as skills exchange and strategy workshops. This support should continue in order to enable the network to maintain a minimum level of activities, with efforts also being made to source funds from other donors. Support proposed includes continued technical support (for the Africa Liberal Network Coordinator), and event support (skills exchange workshops and General Assembly meetings).
The ALN has recently grown to comprise a membership of 24 political parties from 19 African countries. These are as follows: Angola, Burkina-Faso, Burundi, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Guinea, Equatorial Guinea, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Morocco, Mozambique, Senegal, Seychelles, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Tunisia, Zambia. More information can be found at the ALN website: www.africaliberalnetwork.org
Middle East and North Africa
We work with our sister parties in the region individually and collectively via the Network of Arab Liberals (NAL) to promote liberal democracy in the region. We have supported the NAL since its inception in 2005 and it now comprises liberal parties from seven Middle East and North African countries.
NAL members are from:
Egypt
Jordan
Morocco
Lebanon
Tunisia
Palestine
Other Areas
We also work with our sister parties in other parts of the world, notably in Asia. Here we cooperate individually and collectively with the members of the Council of Asian Liberals (CALD). The members of CALD are from:
Thailand
Philippines
Taiwan
Sri Lanka
Singapore
Cambodia
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