Program Highlights Grantee Spotlight 2006 Africa Program Descriptions: Angola Burundi Cameroon Chad Côte d'Ivoire Democratic Republic of the Congo Ethiopia Gambia Ghana Guinea Guinea-Bissau Kenya Liberia Mali Mauritania Niger Nigeria Republic of Congo Rwanda Senegal Sierra Leone Somalia Somaliland South Africa Sudan Togo Uganda Zambia Zimbabwe Africa Regional Southern Africa Regional West Africa Regional Jump to Regional Programs

NED made a record 207 grants in 2006 to African NGOs and NED's core grantees engaged in some of the continent's most critical struggles for freedom. In spite of difficult challenges in the past year in countries such as Sudan, Cote d'Ivoire, the Democractic Republic of Congo, Somalia, and Nigeria, significant gains were made in each of these countries. And in the bigger picture across the continent, democracy and the attendant respect for human rights, press freedom, and good governance became increasingly accepted as the norm by both government and citizens as the norm.

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has been NED's top priority in Africa for the past six years. In 2006, NED awarded 31 grants to groups in the DRC. The historic, democratic elections held in October and November, the culmination of a massive effort by Congolese citizens and the international community, were a vindication of this focus. Much remains to be done in the DRC, but some measure of stability and democratic government has finally been established in this vast nation in the heart of Africa. NED's Congolese partners, as well as NDI and ACILS, provided civic education and training for the elections, promoted women's rights and the rule of law, and fought corruption and impunity. In North Kivu, PAIF mobilized women's participation in the elections while continuing to campaign against impunity for abuses of human rights, including a massive number of rapes in the province.

In Sudan, despite the conflict raging in Darfur, civil society is carving out free political space in the prelude to democratic elections that are scheduled to be held by 2008, followed by a referendum on self-determination to be held by 2011. NED's 23 Sudanese partners expanded press freedom, engaged in conflict resolution in Darfur and the Nuba Mountains, monitored and advocated for human rights, and raised awareness of democracy and good governance throughout the country. New initiatives included democracy training by Kuli Baila in West Darfur, Rise Development and Tapari in Juba, and the Sudanese Organization for Non-Violence and Development for young people based in Khartoum. The Babiker Badri Association trained women activists in rural areas, including Kassala. And the daily publication of the Khartoum Monitor continued to serve as a fearless commentator for all Sudanese, both northerners and southerners.

In Somalia, the ascendancy of the Islamic Courts Union and its abrupt demise at the hands of Ethiopia by the end of the year was the context for courageous efforts by human rights groups and the media to defend basic freedoms. Groups such as the Center for Democracy and Human Rights (CDHR), the Center for Peace and Democracy (CPD), the Dr. Ismail Jumale Human Rights Organization (DIJHRO), the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ), HornAfrik, and Radio Banadir provided training on human rights to local police and judicial personnel, protested attacks on journalists, and promoted the rights of women. In neighboring Somaliland, an island of relative peace and democracy, NED partners such as the Agriculture Development Organization (ADO) helped to organize and strengthen farmers' associations, and the Voice of Somaliland Minority Women Organization (VOSOMWO) successfully protected the rights of ethnic minorities.

The deepening crisis in Zimbabwe inspired opposition to the regime by the trade union movement, led by the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions with assistance from ACILS. Other civil society groups also joined the struggle, including the National Constitution Assembly (NCA), the Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN), the Zimbabwe Human Rights Association, and the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), which received the Martin Ennals Human Rights Award in 2006. These organizations have barely survived the collapse of the economy and have suffered arrest and intimidation as a result of their efforts to promote electoral reforms to ensure free and fair elections, to disseminate unbiased news reports on human rights violations and the deteriorating economy, and to mobilize rural populations that have been excluded from participating in civic dialogue. In Uganda, the East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Network reinforced its impressive monitoring, protecting and lobbying on behalf of activists throughout the region. The Foundation for Human Rights Initiative (FHRI) monitored the elections and issued a series of important reports on human rights issues. NDI and IRI strengthened Ugandan political parties and women parliamentarians, while CIPE helped local business associations. In Kenya, both NDI and IRI worked with political parties and members of parliament to increase their effectiveness amidst the political turmoil that characterizes this otherwise peaceful democracy.

Liberia demonstrated impressive progress. A dynamic civil society vigorously defended and expanded the hard-fought democratic gains that have been made there since the October 2005 elections. NED made 23 grants to groups such as the National Coalition of Civil Society Organizations of Liberia (NACCSOL), the Foundation of Human Rights and Democracy (FOHRD), the Press Union of Liberia (PUL), and the National Youth Movement for Transparent Elections (NAYMOTE) to educate and mobilize Liberian citizens to respect human rights and press freedom, fight corruption, and participate in the new democracy. NED partners in Sierra Leone promoted democratic culture through a variety of means, including the media, religious institutions, and even, in the case of a project by Green Scenery, motorbike taxi associations.

Likewise, Nigeria's democratic mettle was tested as the legislature courageously deflected a bid by the president to extend his term in office. NED supported 26 partners throughout Nigeria to conduct a wide variety of programs to strengthen community activism, increase youth participation, fight corruption, and promote democracy. NED mourns the passing of long-time partners Beko Ransome-Kuti, director of the Center for Constitutional Governance (CCG), on February 10, 2006, and Chima Ubani, director of the Civil Liberties Organization (CLO), on September 21, 2005. Their heroic inspiration will be missed.

A transitional government in Mauritania was on track to hold that nation's first-ever democratic elections; NDI provided vital assistance to political parties in this process. In Mali, one of Africa's most vigorous democracies, NED provided seed funding to the Council for a Community of Democracies in partnership with the Malian NGO Secretariat to begin preparations for the Community of Democracies Ministerial Conference to be held in 2007. The Gorée Institute received support to build a network of domestic election monitors in West Africa in anticipation of numerous elections in the coming year. Likewise, NDI is working with civic organizations in Southern Africa to strengthen their election monitoring capacity.