Cyprus News: NGDO Platform in the South registered

In 2006 the Cyprus Non Governmental Development Organisations (NGDO) Platform was informally established with the mission to bring together NGOs working on international development, development education and development cooperation, to improve the effectiveness of their work and advocacy. In July 2008, the efforts of the past years brought the desired result: The NGDO Platform “The Development” became a registered entity in Southern Cyprus with a Constitution and a temporary Board of Directors.

The priorities of the Cyprus NGDO Platform are the following:

• Raise awareness among Cypriots on issues related to international development, poverty, development education, development cooperation, human rights, health, and the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
• Support its members to engage in development education projects
• Support the distribution of information to all NGDOs
• Engage in advocacy and lobbying with relevant authorities in Cyprus, EU, and internationally
• Provide opportunities for capacity building activities for its members and affiliates
• Promote the information and knowledge exchange via internships and other means
• Represent the interests of Cypriot NGDOs in local, national, governmental, European and international fora

The NGDO Platform (with 7 member NGOs) took on the responsibility to prepare Cyprus input in the AidWatch Report as well as the promotion of the Report in the Media and the Key Players in Development issues in Cyprus.

At the same time, a few years ago, an NGO Network (with 9 member NGOs) was established (and registered) in the North, with similar priorities as these priorities were decided upon in common meetings in the past.

The Platform and the Network members have already participated in a number of events, seminars and conferences and succeeded to implement projects in cooperation with other European partners.

The European Development Days in 2007 offered a unique opportunity for participation at a very significant event. Members of the NGDO Platform participated in the official Cyprus delegation. The whole experience gave the opportunity to bring close the governmental agencies and the NGOs and to develop a better understanding and appreciation of each others role in the development arena.

Recently, the Greek Cypriot Platform and the Turkish Cypriot Network members got together to a 'Meta – Platform seminar' that TRIALOG organised in Cyprus and established the all-island Cyprus Development Platform (see article Island-wide Cyprus Development Platform).

Information provided by Despo Hadjiloizou, Cyprus Family Planning Association