Together with the Hungarian Platform of NGOs for Development and Humanitarian Aid (HAND), ECNL organized a successful one-day workshop in Budapest on the legal regulation of Official Development Assistance (ODA) on January 20, 2009. The roundtable was an opportunity for 30 Hungarian government as well as NGO representatives to get acquainted with the lessons learnt in the neighbouring countries in terms of ODA regulation and discuss the Hungarian approach.
Upon the request of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Platform already contributed to the ODA draft law and the main part of our contributions seems to be accepted, but the process is still ongoing. The workshop convened key stakeholders to discuss main strategic issues and obstacles pertaining to ODA regulation in Hungary as well as other new EU member states.
Mr. Denes Tomaj and Ms. Gabriella Szucs from the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs summarized the existing strategy of the Hungarian international development cooperation and updated the audience on the status of the draft ODA law. Ms. Judit Kiss from the Institute for World Economics of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences presented the main findings of the 2007-2008 joint research of the Institute for World Economics and the MFA on ODA strategy and legal environment. From the Czech Republic, Ms. Petra Levrincova from the Czech Development Agency shared their experiences on the legal framework of the ODA. The Slovakian learning points were highlited by Mr. Dusan Wunder from the Ministry of Finance of the Slovak Republic. On behalf of ECNL, Ms. Nilda Bullain presented the main points of the Hungarian ODA draft law concept. A lively Q&A session closed the event.