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About us

The MENA Democracy Watch is a platform for cooperation between (social) democratic parties and political foundations, dedicated to the development of democracy in the Middle East and North Africa. We provide news, analyses, and updates on our initiatives and the region’s political landscape. This platform was set up through the Foundation Max van der Stoel (FMS), a political foreign foundation affiliated with the Dutch Labour Party (PvdA). The website builds on work that has been done by the European Forum for Democracy and Solidarity (EFDS), when its news service still included the political developments in the MENA region.

We advocate for emerging democracies and for (social) democrats in countries where freedom is under pressure. We support the building of democratic political parties through trainings, at the request of our partners, and maintain an extensive network of political foundations and partner organisations in the Middle East and North Africa. 

Our trainings focus on the next generation of politicians – specifically young people and women.  They gain the skills to become politically active and build democratic political movements. Hundreds of trainers and politicians have been trained in the countries where we operate, fostering a pluralistic political environment. Our trainings are conducted by volunteers with experience in social democratic politics.

In addition to our training and advocacy work, we also provide news articles on political developments in the region. This information is vital to our mission, as staying informed about the political landscape allows us to better understand the challenges faced by the countries that we work with. By offering these updates, we help ensure that our partners and the broader public are equipped with the knowledge necessary to advance the cause of democracy in the Middle East and North Africa.

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