Foundation to monitor democracy in Arab states

Doha: The newly-founded Arab Democracy Foundation announced it will monitor the democratic progress of Arab states and report developments to the public, an official has said.

The Doha-based institute, a non-profit organisation tasked with supporting democracy across the Arab world, has started its operations and is keen on helping Arab civil societies make their voice heard, an official said.

"The foundation supports democracy building and invites civil societies and organisations committed to civil and political mobilisation and change to join its mandate," said on Tuesday Ali Al Merri, the interim secretary-general of the foundation, at the launch of the website, www.adf.org.qa.

Established with a $10 million (Dh36.7 million) fund by the Qatari leadership, the foundation's activities supports philanthropic organisations, democracy activists and civil society actors in the Arab region through a target strategy of grant-making.

The participation of emerging forces and civil societies within the process of democracy building is perceived nowadays as a necessary step to grant long lasting reforms of the Arab States.

The Qatari leadership has been advocating for years the participation of the people in the institution building process, aware that reforms in the direction of democracy are doomed to fail without the support and endorsement by the civil society.

Reforms

Over the past few years, Qatar has hosted a number of international, regional and local forums in a bid to trigger a debate on reforms that would involve rulers, governmental officials and the Arab public, also in view of the country's first parliamentary elections.

In the meantime, reforms proceed at a slow pace in the region and the public seems to remain excluded from the reform process, according to the Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance.

"There is growing support for democracy amongst the general public in the Arab region. Yet genuine democracy remains elusive," said a statement issued by the institute, which denounces that the production and dissemination of knowledge in Arab countries on electoral and democratic processes and structures is still too weak."