Fouad Hamdan Consultancy B.V.
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Established January 2011, closed July 2016

(c) Alaa al Marjani, Iraq

 

Check article in the German newspaper FAZ about my work (8.5.2013): "Der Deutsch-Libanese Hamdan ist Politikberater". 


A selection of projects and missions in the Middle East and North Africa
Last Update, 30 June 2016

1. Work with politicians, parties and government officials 

I advised politicians and government officials in Libya, Tunisia and other Arab countries on political strategy and communications.  

I advised from 2011-2016 numerous Syrian opposition politicians (National Syrian Council and later Etilaf) and civil society activists in political strategy, governance, campaigning and communications. They wished to remain anonymous.

Libya: In May 2012 I trained in Tripoli 15 women candidates on how to run for the elections of the National Conference in July 2012. The three-day workshop included the theory of political programmes, campaign and communication strategies. The candidates then developed in working groups their campaign focus and the broad lines of their campaign and communication work (allies, target groups, activities, etc.). This mission was funded by Darajat Center for Studies, Research and Training in Libya.

Tunisia: I started a programme of training secretary-generals of Tunisian municipalities on leadership and management in February 2016; it lasted till June of the same year. The project was funded by the German Foreign Ministry via the German International Cooperation Agency GIZ, and it was carried out in cooperation with the Tunisian Centre pour la Formation et l'Appui a la Decentralisation (CFAD) in Tunis. Watch this video in ARABIC HERE (YouTube) or HERE (website of CFAD) about one training session with secretary-generals in Tunis in March 2016.

2. Project management - Supporting democratic transition in Arab states

Tunisia: From May-October 2011 I managed a pro-democracy project in Tunisia, www.ikhtiartounes.org, which was implemented by the NGO Jeunes Independants Democrates (JID). The site includes the political positions of the main parties running for the elections of the Constitutional Assembly on October 23, 2011. It helped Tunisians decide who to vote for in their country's first free elections after a popular intifada toppled dictator Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali on January 14, 2011. It was voter and party education at its best. I was in Tunis on a mission for Media in Cooperation & Transition (MICT). The project was funded by the German International Cooperation Agency GIZ.

In 2014 I coordinated the developing of a new version of www.Ikhtiartounes.org (a vote match tool), again with the NGO Jeunes Independants Democrates (JID), to prepare for parliamentary elections on 26 October 2014 and for presidential elections on 23 November 2014. The project was also supported by the GIZ.

Unfortunately, the websites of Ikhtiartounes and JID were deactivated.

Libya: In June 2012 I started preparing the project Libya Votes, similar to www.ikhtiartounes.org.  This project was to be funded by the German Foreign Ministry via Media in Cooperation & Transition (MICT). Unfortunately, the project was cancelled due to the security sutuation in Libya.

Tunisia: In June 2012 I supported the project Parliament Watch Tunisia in cooperation with the Hamburg-based group Parliament Watch and Tunis-based Bawsala. This project was funded by the German Foreign Ministry via Media in Cooperation & Transition (MICT).

3. Change processes, coaching, facilitating/moderating

Belgium: In February 2012 I advised the head of the Platform for Intercultural Europe on developing a work plan and on structural changes. The aim was to help the organization to project vision and clear priorities for fundraising purposes. Then I facilitated a meeting of the organization's Steering Group (board) during which the suggested plan and changes were discussed and approved.

Tunisia: From Oct 19-30, 2011, I coached the Association Tunisienne pour l'Integrite et la Democratie des Elections (ATIDE) to help them monitor the elections on October 23. ATIDE had about 2,000 observers all over the country. I prepared and moderated daily meetings at the ATIDE headquarters in Tunis, coached its core team, advised of internal and external communication, and organized a debriefing session.

On 2-3 March 2012 I co-organized a two-day meeting of 80 ATIDE representatives from the regions to get feedback about their experiences when monitoring elections in October 2011 and to develop future plans. Work with ATIDE was funded by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation in Germany.

In May 2012 I coached the Tunisian NGO Jeunes Independants Democrates (JID), helped them develop their work plan 2012-2013, a new internal structure and a fundraising plan. This mission was funded by the German International Cooperation Agency GIZ.

In April 2013 I helped the NGO Kolna Tounes develop a new internal structure, a work plan and a fundraising strategy. This was funded by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation.

In October 2013 I coached the leadership of the Association Tunisienne pour l'Eveil Democratique (ATED) in preparing a long-term strategic plan and short-term operating plans. We also developped a governance structure, as well as communications and a fundraising strategies. This work was related to ATED's project Mourakiboun, which is to monitor planned parliamentary elections in Tunisia in 2014.

In December 2013 I helped develop the agenda and facilitated the three-day "National Conference" of the Mourakiboun network (some 110 people) in Sousse. This mission and the one before were funded by the Heinrich Boell Foundation.

In March 2014 I helped the NGO Mourakiboun assess its internal organizational needs and prepare for observing the next parliamentary elections in Tunisia. In August 2014, I helped Mourakiboun develop a concept for its website. These missions were funded by the Heinrich Boell Foundation.

In October 2014 I coached in Tunis the Ligue Tunisienne des Electrices Tunisiennes (LET), helping them in the days before and during the parliamentry elections on 26 October 2014. This mission was supported by the Heinrich Boell Foundation. 

Morocco: From March 10-16, 2012 I facilitated a speak-out session at a conference on good governance and accountability in the Arab region organized by the World Bank and CARE Egypt. The conference saw the launch of the Affiliated Networks for Social Accountability - Arab World (ANSA-AW).

Syria: In June 2012 I facilitated in Cologne a meeting of Syrian activists against the Baath regime. Since September 2014 I have been coaching eight opposition Syrian media outlets. The focus will be on good governance, management, internal communications and fundraising. This project, which lasts till end 2015, is funded by the European Union via Internews. 

4. Training NGOs on lobby, campaign and communications strategies - Strengthening civil society

Tunisia and Egypt: I organized, in cooperation with local partners, capacity-building workshops for NGOs in Tunisia and Egypt in June and September 2011. 10 activists from 5 NGOs enjoyed in each workshop three days of theory and practice on formulating and implementing a communications strategy. Afterwards, I helped them formulate a detailed communications strategy for a specific campaign and advised on implementing it. These activities were funded via MICT by the German Foreign Ministry to support civil society in emerging Arab democracies.

Tunisia:
In October 2011, I carried out a special 4-day workshop on campaign and communications strategies for two influential Tunisian NGOs: Association Tunisienne des Femmes Democrates (ATFD) and Association Tunisienne pour l'Integrite et la Democratie des Elections (ATIDE).This workshop "a la carte" focused on their specific needs. The two NGOs developed broad lines for future campaigns (reforming the Personal Status Code and monitoring future municipal elections) and critically analyzed their decision-making structures and internal communication. This was funded by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation in Germany.

In November 2103 I helped a specialized human rights NGO in Tunisia develop its campaign strategy for 2014-2015. The three-day coaching included developing a new internal structure and detailed 2-year budget.The name of the NGO and the funder of this project has to remain anonymous for the time being.

Libya: From March 16-24, 2012 I gave each in Benghazi and Tripoli a workshop to Libyan NGOs on campaign and communications strategies. In Tripoli I also facilitated a roundtable with civil society activists on the role and needs of the emerging Libyan civil society. This mission was carried out with and funded by the Washington-based Freedom House.

Lebanon: In January 2014 I advised the Lebanese Association for Democratic Elections (LADE) on internal structure and on lobbying politicians for electoral reform. The mission was funded by the European Union via the London-based organization Electoral Reform International Services (ERIS).

Morocco: I helped a network of Moroccan NGOs, the "Groupe de Travail" (GdT), to develop campaign and communication strategies on climate change and clean energy. The workshop in Ouarzazate in southern Morocco, which took place in January 2015, was supported by the World Wide Fund's (WWF) Mediterannean Office and the Heinrich Boell Foundation office in Rabat.

In February 2016, I helped the above mentioned GdT to develop their startegy 2016-2020 and re-examine their internal structure. I helped them solve internal issues and facilitated a process to elect the group's Coordination Team and commitee heads. This mission was supported by the German Friedrich Ebert Stiftung in Morocco. The World Wide Fund's (WWF) Mediterannean Office participated in this workshop, too.

5. Assessing grantees in the Arab region

In March 2012, I assessed for the World Bank`s Social Development Civil Society Fund (CSF) a number of applicants for grants in the Arab region.

I participated in April 2013 in the World Bank’s First Technical Review of the Global Partnership for Social Accountability's (GPSA), assessing potential grantees from Tunisia.

I participated in February 2014 in the World Bank's second Techical Review of the Plobal Partnership for Social Acountability (GPSA), assessing potential grantees from Tunisia.

6. Training of Trainers (Arab journalists, academics, activists) - Strengthening a free Arab media sector

Iraq: In November 2011, April 2012 and March 2013 I trained experienced journalists from Iraq and several Arab states on how to train and professionalize other journalists (method of collaborative, participatory teaching/learning). The workshop took place at the Media Academy Iraq in Erbil, Kurdistan.

Libya: In July 2011 MICT sent me to Benghazi/Libya to carry out a 10-day fact-finding mission to assess the technical and capacity-building needs of new media outlets in the liberated areas (fighting was still raging in other parts of the country against dictator Moammar Gaddafi until August 2011). In December 2011, I carried out a similar mission for MICT in Tripoli/Libya. There, I also advised a newspaper, Libya al-Jadida, on the need for a Libyan Media Code of Ethics. The two missions were funded by the German Foreign Ministry.

Libya: In November 2013 I carried out in Tunis a three day ToT (training of trainers) for Libyan academics, lawyers, judges and NGO acivists. I trained them on the participative training method and helped them develop workshop modules on several civic education issues (transitional justice, women rights, internal refugees, etc.). This mission was funded by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation in Germany.    

7. TV documentaries on political issues in the Arab region

Lebanon: In September 2013 I advised and supported on the ground journalist Radi Suudi who worked for Dutch public TV NTR on a 50-minute documentary on the impact of the Syrian revolution in Lebanon. I helped in formulating the content of the documentary, and I arranged all interviews via my network of contacts among NGOs, politicians, journalists and academics see the film HERE (all interviews are in English with Dutch subtitles).

Tunisia: In October 2013 I advised and supported on the ground journalist Radi Suudi who worked for Dutch public TV NTR on a 50-minute documentary on Tunisia two years after the parliamentary elections in October 2011. I helped in formulating the content of the documentary, and I arranged all interviews via my network of contacts among NGOs, politicians and academics. See the film HERE (all interviews are in English with Dutch subtitles).

8. Governance and internal structure

Syria: From autumn 2014 til end 2015 I coachied six Syrian civil society groups on how to improve their internal structures. The European Union funded this project via Internews. 

9. Fundraising and training on fundraising

From January 2011 till end 2013 I advised the Global Call for Climate Action (GCCA) on fundraising among foundations.

I advised In February 2012 staff and Steering Committee of the Brussels-based Platform for Intercultural Europe on fundraising among foundations.

In November 2012 I advised the management of the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) on developing a fundraising strategy.

In April 2013 I helped the NGO Kolna Tounes develop a new internal structure, a work plan and a fundraising strategy. This was funded by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation.

10. Panel discussions / Events

I regularly participated during my consultancy work in panel discussions related to the democratic transition processes in Libya and Tunisia, or on the political situation in Syria and Lebanon. Examples:

Morocco: From March 10-16, 2012 I facilitated a speak-out session at a conference on good governance and accountability in the Arab region organized by the World Bank and CARE Egypt. The conference saw the launch of the Affiliated Networks for Social Accountability - Arab World (ANSA-AW). 

Tunisia: In December 2013 I helped develop the agenda and facilitated the three-day "National Conference" of the Mourakiboun network (some 110 people) in Sousse. This mission and the one before were funded by the Heinrich Boell Foundation. 

Germany: On 29 January 2014 I facilitated in Berlin the Open Eye Award ceremony during which a number of Arab journalists received awards. The event was organized by Media in Cooperation & Transition (MICT). The project is funded by the German Foreign Ministry.