Democracy Conference Puts Yemen In Spotlight

Within the framework of the Democracy Assistance Dialogue (DAD) sponsored by Yemen, Italy and Turkey, Sana’a is hosting a conference on Democracy, Political Reforms and Freedom of Expression which stared here this morning. The conference is organized with the support of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the G-8 countries, UNDP and the World Bank.

The conference will provide an occasion to present the topic of freedom of expression as a priority issue. But also political pluralism and electoral process and the participation of women in public life. The purpose of Sana’s Joint conference is to assess progress made in the dialogue for democratic reforms since Sana’s 2004 conference, and facilitating and reinforcing the various initiatives.

Participants include governments of all BMENA countries, International Organizations including politicians and parliamentarians, academics, intellectuals, thinkers, about 150 civil society organizations, some 53 NGO leaders from Arab counties, Group Eight, in addition to Turkey, Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan. After the general session, the conference will discuss also topics proposed by Yemen, such as freedom of speech and a plan to support democracy in the filed of speech.

http://www.sanaademocracydialogue
Web site for the Sanaa’a Conference on Democracy, Political Reforms and Freedom of Expression
Sanaa 25-26 June, 2006