ALDA calls for interested European partners to a new Local Democracy Agency in Azerbaijan

The Association of Local Democracy Agencies, with the support of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, intends to enlarge its activities to promote local democracy and citizen participation at the local level in the South Caucasus by opening a Local Democracy Agency (LDA) in Azerbaijan in 2012.
In 2006 LDA Georgia opened as the first LDA in South Caucasus in Kutaisi. The LDA network in South Caucasus was enlarged when LDA Armenia opened in Gyumri in 2011. ALDA is now starting its work to complete the LDA network in South Caucasus by taking the initial steps towards opening an LDA in Azerbaijan.
Therefore ALDA is looking for European Local and Regional Authorities and NGOs which are interested in becoming partners of the LDA and support the efforts of opening the LDA in Azerbaijan.
The LDA would be a place to gather interested international partners from European NGOs, local and regional authorities and Local authorities associations to work with Azerbaijani local authorities and NGOs to increase the citizen participation and cooperation at the local level.
Currently ALDA is searching for potential partners and organisations interested in supporting the opening of an LDA in Azerbaijan and becoming partners of the LDA. An information meeting for interested potential partners is scheduled to take place on March 22 in Strasbourg in connection with the plenary session of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe.
ALDA hopes many European Local and Regional Authorities and NGOs will be interested in participating in this meeting and support the initiative.
This document provides a more detailed description of the background and ideas for LDA Azerbaijan.