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50 years worldwide
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The political
foundations in
Standing
up for Democracy, the Rule of Law, and Human Rights
It was in the early years of governmental development cooperation – the
German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) was founded in
1961 – that the political foundations were created to form a class of
institutions which swiftly became part and parcel of Germany's development policy
because of its characteristic profile, being composed of government-funded non-governmental organisations with a clear political
mission. It was this special profile which, from the very start, placed the political
foundations on the "boundary line between the worlds of societies and
states", making them an instrument of foreign and development policy that
is unique in the world. As the political element preponderated in the foundations'
day-to-day work, they expanded their activities into fields that were not
readily accessible to the bilateral cooperation of the state, by thus complementing
governmental development cooperation using something that was called "soft
power" by Germany’s former federal president, Roman Herzog – the power of argument.
As agreed with the BMZ,
Political foundations attract both opposition groups and governmental
administration structures to consider them desirable interlocutors. In
addition, they contribute towards the development and consolidation of
pluralist systems through their broad portfolio of cooperation with political
parties, the media, trade unions, civil organisations, religious communities,
and non-governmental organisations pursuing a wide variety of goals, as well as
with ministries, law courts, and parliaments.
The political foundations enable
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The Konrad Adenauer Foundation worldwide:
Proponent of the code of Christian and humanitarian values
The Foundation has been
named after Konrad Adenauer, the first Chancellor after the foundation of the
Federal Republic of Germany in 1949. The outstanding credibility enjoyed by the Konrad
Adenauer Foundation – which celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2005 – and its
representatives on the spot is built on long periods of cooperation in
partnership, one of the beneficiaries – and not the least impor
tant among them – being the bilateral cooperation of the Federal
Republic of Germany.
In
dialogue with KAF’s partners all over the world, the Konrad Adenauer Foundation
increasingly participates in the debate about the code of Christian and humanitarian
values. It should be noted, however, that there is no such thing as “Christian
political education” but rather that Christian and humanitarian values signify
“a Christian’s responsibility in the world and for the world”. In other words:
KAF’s approach is an all-
inclusive one and does not exclude other religious beliefs, thus calling
for mutual understanding and tolerance. In view of the growing tension between
the cultures of the world, the values-issue occupies more and more room in the
international work. As somebody
said on the occasion of
the fortieth anniversary of the Foundation's worldwide commitment in 2002, this
“contributes towards shaping international politics and relations on a basis of
Christian responsibility”. KAF states this position clearly when talking to its
partners, in order for people to consider sharing and implementing theses ideas
about a humane future, and to respect the interests of the people living in
In a move reinforced by the terrorist attacks of
wherever democratic order systems and economic participation cannot
evolve. It is clear, therefore, that foreign and security policy should be included
among the aspects that governs KAF’s view and its understanding of development
policy. Again, it is here that the political foundations in general and the values
of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in particular do play an important role.
German
political foundations work as well at home – in fact political education in
South. This important feedback should not be underestimated since only
an informed North can render sustainable assistance on an equal footing,
departing from earlier paternalistic approaches.
In
.
50 years worldwide
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The Konrad Adenauer Foundation in
Promoting Democracy & Development for 40 Years
It
is forty years ago that the Konrad Adenauer Foundation started a modest
assistance project in
Whereas initially the co-operation was in the area of self-help
programmes for women, here with the Christian Mothers’ Association (CMA) with
whom everything began in
It is the hope of KAF that the cordial relationship that have existed
between the Foundation and its many partners will continue to grow even
stronger so that together a strong and stable economy bolstered by political
pluralism and stability can be achieved and maintained to enable the
realisation of the goals of the GPRS and NEPAD.
Main
objectives of KAF in Ghana [1]
Due to the challenges facing a young democracy as encountered in
1. Supporting economic and socio-political reforms
of the government;
2. Strengthening the role of the parliament as an
institution of political decision making;
3. Promoting the participation of all strata of
society in the political process, particularly through programmes for political
education at grassroots level carried out by organisations of the civil society
(NGOs);
4. Promote the participation in local politics,
particularly in the framework of the decentralisation process;
5. Creating a legal environment where the citizens
can be sure of their rights; and
6. Promoting gender equality as a cross-cutting
task.
In order to attain these objectives, the Konrad Adenauer Foundation
works with local institutions and organisations from government, legislative
bodies, parastatals as well as civil society. It grants them financial support
and offers coaching for:
·
The execution of education programmes, conferences, seminars and workshops etc.;
·
Capacity building (e.g. by
modest subsidies to personnel expenditure and office infrastructure as well as
further training of the personnel);
·
The development of strategy
concepts; as well as
·
The preparation, and
dissemination of publications.
KAF’s partners in the different fields during the past 40 years were, among
others:
1. Support for socio-economic
reforms / Poverty Reduction / NEPAD
·
Ministry of Trade &
Industry (MOTI)
·
The Credit Union Association
of Ghana (CUA)
·
The Christian Health
Association of Ghana (CHAG)
·
Private Enterprise
Foundation (PEF)
·
APRM Secretariat
·
National Commission on
Culture (NCC)
·
Ministry of Regional
Co-operation and NEPAD
2. Empowerment of Civil Society
·
Christian Mothers’
Association (with who the work started 40 years ago)
·
Tamale Ecclesiastical
Provincial Pastoral Centre (TEPPCON)
·
Justice & Peace
Commission
·
Ghana Bishops’ Conference
·
The Association of Small
Scale Industries (ASSI)
·
Ghana Union of Traders Association
(GUTA)
3. Strengthening the Rule of
Law
·
The Parliament of Ghana
·
Ministry of Interior
·
Commission for Human Rights
& Administrative Justice (CHRAJ)
·
National House of Chiefs
(NHC)
·
National Commission on
Civic Education
·
Faculty of Law, University
of Ghana
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Infos on some of the current partners of KAF
In order to attain its goals, KAF collaborates closely
with various local partners who share the same philosophy and objectives as the
Foundation. Areas of collaboration include educational events & programmes,
conferences, seminars, workshops etc. These activities take place in all
regions of
Christian Mothers' Association (CMA)
The Christian Mothers' Association (CMA) Ghana is
a national women Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) established by some Nuns
and highly spirited women in 
the Catholic Church in the early 40s of the last
century. In the early
1960's Dr. Helga Kleinkowski, a German social worker, together with some Ghanaian
ladies reorganized the Association to also cater for the social and economic
needs of the members. With the support of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation
through Dr. Kleinkowski, who became the first Representative of KAF in
Ministry of Regional Cooperation and NEPAD
The Ministry of Regional Cooperation and NEPAD was
established in March 2003. Until then, it existed as the Ministry of Economic
Planning and Regional Integration. It was set up to coordinate the
implementation of regional integration protocol agreements, conventions and
programmes within the country in line with national development programmes.
Since the year 2003 the Ministry has been charged with the responsibility of
promoting the principles of the New Partnership for
Note: At the last government reshuffle (May 2006), this
Ministry has been merged with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Ministry of
the Interior (MOI)
The Ministry of the Interior has the mandate to ensure
the maintenance of internal security. Its core function is to initiate and
formulate policy as well as to provide an enabling environment for national
security. The Konrad Adenauer Foundation started cooperation with the Ministry
in 2003 with deliberations in the form of consultative workshops to accelerate
the peace-making process in the Dagbon Crisis, a conflict between two gates of
the ruling family in Northern Ghana. Since 2004, the Foundation has also
supported the Ministry to sensitize and better orientate national security
organisations on their role in maintaining national security. The Foundation
intends to further support the Ministry in the areas of Governance and Human
Rights, as well as through consultative workshops on the use of early warning
signs for the prevention of conflict.
The National House of Chiefs has members from each
of the Regional Houses of Chiefs. The NHC advises and interprets the customary laws
of the land and settles disputes on matters affecting chieftaincy. It is
further mandated to “undertake progressive study, interpretation, codification
of the customary laws, in a view to evolving in appropriate cases, a unified
system of customary laws”. The partnership between the NHC and the Konrad
Adenauer Foundation was established in 1994 with the common objective of
promoting the rule of law, Good Governance and democracy. First activities were
focussed on facilitating an active role for chiefs in Ghana’s decentralisation
process. Since 1998 the focus has been on facilitating effective collaboration
between the executive, parliament and NHC in the form of tripartite meetings.
An extensive codification exercise of the lines of succession to stools/skins
in all the 192 officially recognized traditional areas in Ghana is also
supported. When completed, the codified lines of succession will be passed into
a national law.
Private Enterprise Foundation (PEF)
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The Private Enterprise Foundation (PEF) is a
national centre for advocacy and promotion of the private sector. It is a non-Governmental
organisation founded in 1994 by the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), the
Ghana National Chamber of Commerce (GNCCI), the Ghana Employers’ Association
(GEA) and the Federation of Associations of 
Ghanaian Exporters. The mission of PEF is to serve the
development needs of the private sector by influencing Government policies and
regulations in order to create an enabling environment for a private-sector-led
economic growth strategy towards enhancing national development. PEF has gained
national prominence as the private sector advocate by participating in key
national advisory, policy planning, formulation and monitoring committees.
Since 1999 the Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAF) has supported the PEF in its
advocacy role towards socio-economic reforms, by organising workshops aimed at
strengthening the private sector, and creating an enabling platform for the
deliberation of topical socio-economic issues. Since 2003 KAF has also focussed
support on organising workshops to promote private sector growth through the
establishment of appropriate business laws. For the year 2006, the KAF/PEF
collaboration will be focussed on organising meetings with parliamentarians and
business executives with a view towards striking the necessary relationship to
achieve its advocacy role. Further, the advocacy capacity of Trade and Business
Associations at the district level shall be strenghtened.
National
Commission on Culture (NCC)
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The National Commission on Culture is a statutory
public institution with a mandate to preserve the unique cultural identity and
values of Ghana. It is also mandated to promote an integrated national culture
and to contribute to the overall economic development of the nation. Its role
is to advise and manage cultural life in Ghana from a holistic perspective. In
2001 the Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAF) and the NCC established a partnership
for the promotion of peaceful cultural integration, development and Good
Governance. KAF has so far supported the development of Ghana’s Cultural Policy
and programmes to educate cultural officers and members of District Assemblies
on the content of the policy document. Future joint activities will focus on
strategic planning for the implementation of the cultural policy as well as on
the role of culture in the NEPAD initiative. In 2006 KAF is sponosring a
collaboration between NCC and the Ministry of Regional Cooperation and NEPAD,
to review and develop a new version of the NEPAD document to reflect the
Ghanaian perspective.
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The Team in 2006
50 years worldwide
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KAF Representatives and Long-term Experts in |
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Since September 2005 |
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2004 / 2005 |
Anna Katharina Schelnberger |
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2002 – 2004 |
Johannes D. Rey |
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1998 – 2002 |
Martin B. Wilde
|
The 35 years anniversary was organised during his
term of office. On this occasion, an international conference on “Political
parties & Globalisation” was organised in |
|
1993 – 1998 |
Hildegard Behrendt-Kigozi
|
The 30 years anniversary was organised during her
term of office in form of a seminar on “Self-Help Initiatives”. |
|
1987 - 1993 |
Dr. Heidemarie Traeder |
Dr. Treader (right) with Mrs. Veronika Wolf, Desk
Officer at the time at KAF HQ |
|
1983 - 1987 |
Ricarda Köhler |
|
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1975 - 1983 |
Elsbeth Büll |
With Mr. Slopianka, in charge of Finance at KAF HQ |
|
1978 - 1983 |
Werner M. Prohl |
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1975 - 1978 |
Dr. Willi Medenbach |
|
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1974 - 1978 |
Josef Klaus Kiesewetter |
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1971 - 1974 |
Achim Pankow |
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1966 -1975 |
Dr. Helga Kleinkowski Due to her initiative, KAF started its
activities in She remained ever since in On a regular basis, she goes also up-country (by means of public
transport!) to assist victims of buruli
ulcer, a water-transmitted disease. Many hospitals and doctors refuse to
admit and treat buruli ulcer victims. |
Dr. Kleinkowski at that time
…
… and at the 35 years
celebration of KAF in 2001
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50 years worldwide
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50 years worldwide
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The
50 years worldwide
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