The Press Conference on Launching CSO Capacity Building Program in Azerbaijan held in Baku, Azerbaijan on February, 09, 2010. The Management Centre of the Mediterranean in partnership with Center for Economic and Social Development (CESD) is starting implementing a new program on Capacity Building and Training CSO Leaders in Azerbaijan with support from European Commission.

Vugar Bayramov, the chairman of CESD, mentioned that overall objectives of the program are to Increase opportunities for CSOs to develop broader and stronger relationships and raise the visibility and profile of the sector as a whole; to develop Azerbaijani CSOs’ capacity and skills to design and develop appropriate capacity assessment and development plans; to increase debate, knowledge and understanding of key issues facing civil society, especially needs through dialogue between civil society and local authorities; to develop and improve Azerbaijani civil society organization actors’ knowledge and skills in designing, planning and managing organizational development processes in order to promote initiatives which originate at local level through a comprehensive and dynamic training program.

Suha Vekil, Project Coordinator at Management Center said that specific objective is to empower community based organizations in Azerbaijan to play an active role in promoting initiatives which originate at local level and have participation in local and civic initiatives with local authorities that aim to improve citizens’ access to information, knowledge and education about Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Throughout the project there will be many opportunities for Azerbaijani CSOs to work together; a Training of Trainers (ToT) course, a number of opens CSO Trainings, a Workshop about the Millennium Development Goals, and an international Civil Society Forum. These are all designed to create an atmosphere of collaboration and trust and to give Azerbaijani CSO actors not only a chance to interact but to get to know one another better and foster good relations.

An online-portal will also be developed to help make the project visible to the general public, CSOs and local authorities. Also there will be publications produced such as the tool-kit that will reach many people and a report issued and publicized at the Civil Society Forum that will reach the final beneficiaries. The program will be implemented in 18 months during 2010 and 2011.

The Management Centre is an international NGO which works in the field of management and sustainable development by strengthening civil society and reconciliation; institutionalizing organizations and helping citizens by way of professional development and work based learning.

The Center for Economic and Social Development (CESD) has been set up to promote research and analysis into domestic economic and social issues for the purpose to positively influence the public policy decision-making processes. The Center is a leading Azerbaijani think tank specialized in economic and social policy issues working with and establishing bridge between the government and the various representatives of civil society. Center positions itself in the center of the civil society having tight relationships with media, 24 communities spread around Azerbaijan, NGOs providing services at the grass-root level, international think-tanks, financial institutions and donors, and virtually all the other think tanks functioning in Azerbaijan.

Press office of the Centre for Economic and Social Development.

For more information please contact Kanan Karimzada at kanankarim@cesd.az  Tel. 99412-4975684