"Over the last two years the MENA Region has witnessed ambivalent trends, deep changes, peaceful as well as and violent revolutions, rising hopes and descents into deep violence. The future path of the Region still needs to be determined."

Speaking notes, Gianluca Eramo, NPWJ, at the "Kawakibi Democracy Transition Chair meeting" 26 March 2007- Rabat, Morocco

"Over the last two years the MENA Region has witnessed ambivalent trends, deep changes, peaceful as well as and violent revolutions, rising hopes and descents into deep violence. The future path of the Region still needs to be determined. It could be a path towards violence, sectarianism and oppression. Or it could be a path towards democracy, the rule of law, justice and development. We therefore cannot rest, but must continue in our endeavors."
Thank you, Mr Chairman,
It is a great pleasure for me to be here today, and I would like to express my sincere thanks to the Kawakibi Democracy Transition Center and the other co-sponsors of this event both for holding this meeting and for inviting me to speak on behalf of No Peace Without Justice.
As it was noted at the Forum for the Future meeting, held in November at Dead Sea, the Kawakibi Democracy Centre is one of the most concrete examples of the initiatives and networks emerged from our work within the Democracy Assistance Dialogue intitiative. And, on behalf of No Peace Without Justice, I would like to confirm to Mohsen that it has been an honour to have been of some assistance in this endeavour, and a priviledge to try to continue to do so.
My pleasure in being present at today's meeting is even greater because it is being held here in Rabat, a city which holds deep significance for No Peace Without Justice, as well as for me personally.
Almost two years ago, in fact, together with the Governments of Morocco and Italy, No Peace Without Justice organised the Rabat International Colloquium on Political Pluralism and Electoral Processes in the broader Middle East and North Africa, that is even now recognized as a milestone in constructive interaction between governments and non-state actors in the Region and an example of how consensus can be reached even on politically sensitive issues. The Colloquium pioneered successful civil society participation side-by-side with governments in a multi-lateral regional forum, with discussion taking place in a spirit of cooperation and mutual respect.
Today's meeting testifies that this process is still moving and represents an important achievement. All the parties involved are working together towards the fruitful interaction between state institutions, governments and non-state actors within the region. No Peace Without Justice supports this fruitful interaction and is committed to reinforce it.
Over the last two years the MENA Region has witnessed ambivalent trends, deep changes, peaceful as well as and violent revolutions, rising hopes and descents into deep violence. The future path of the Region still needs to be determined. It could be a path towards violence, sectarianism and oppression. Or it could be a path towards democracy, the rule of law, justice and development. We therefore cannot rest, but must continue in our endeavors.
Our challenge here, the objective we have to set for ourselves, is to establish a peer-to-peer dialogue format for interaction between governments and non-state actors in the Region. In order to do so, we need to continue to focus on the empowerment of non-state actors, strengthening and supporting organisations, institutions and even single individuals that can stand in front of their own government and discuss and demand social, economic and democratic reform aimed at promoting human rights and fundamental freedoms, political participation for all and the empowerment of women and their full participation in public life.
Our objective is to transpose the willingness and the commitment of both governments and non-state actors expressed at a regional level to the national political discourse, inside each country's political decision making-process, establishing a method and a practice of continuous dialogue between non-state actors and government institutions. Turning promises into practice, practice into habit and habit into policy.
We look forward, in close partnership with the Government of Italy and Morocco and in cooperation with the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA), the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the United Nation Democracy Fund to work with all willing partners - and of course we consider the Kawakibi Democracy Transition Center already embarked in this endeavour - to explore how to strengthen the contribution of non-state actors to the democratic process by promoting dialogue with decision-makers and state structures.
Thank you