Foreign Ministry action plan for the civil sector
2008-2009
Priorities
The civil-sector action plan worked out as part of the Foreign Ministry’s public-relations concept and based on the resolution, “Provisions serving the development of government-civil relations” 1065/2007 (VIII. 23.), approved at government session on August 23, 2007, focuses on the following areas:
1) The civil sphere’s active participation in key foreign-policy processes in Foreign Ministry pursuits
2) Involving the civil sphere in opinion-gauging and decision-preparation processes, as well as developing the requisite instruments for pursuing dialogue with the civil sector
3) Securing the assistance of social organisations in respect of international undertakings.
Action plan for 2008-2009 on the basis of priorities
1.
The civil sphere’s active participation in key foreign-policy processes in Foreign Ministry pursuits—in respect of general and expert-policy considerations:
a) Securing thematic and comprehensive information in the service of strategic societal and expert-policy issues on the basis of proposals of the professional principal departments.
Timeframe: continuous
b) Drawing in civil society organisations into the implementation of the new foreign-relations strategy and consulting with them with regard to the strategy’s periodic review and questions arising.
Timeframe: continuous.
c) Engaging civil society organisations in forwarding European Union information to the populace, disseminating the information and implementing the “Let’s talk about Europe” programme, with particular regard to the Hungarian EU presidency during the first half of 2011
Timeframe: continuous
d) Launching the “Budapest Human Rights Forum” series of international conferences with the participation of Hungarian and international social organisations.
Deadline: August 2008
e) Examining the conditions for the creation and operation of a standing presentational network of ministry experts with the aim of satisfying the foreign informational requirements of the civil sphere.
Deadline: June 30, 2009
f) Organising consultations, “CD Café” and other events, operating informational forums and participating in festivals and other events
Timeframe: continuous.
2.
Involving the civil sphere in opinion-gauging and decision-preparation processes, as well as developing the requisite instruments for pursuing dialogue with the civil sector
a) Creating conditions and instruments for foreign-policy dialogue structured around expert branches
Securing procedures and organisational and technical conditions for civil groups to participate in ministry activities in a formalised manner, especially in connection with advance-preparation processes, preparing legal framework for ministry procedures and joint operations, and creating the procedural rules and a structural system for civil dialogue.
Deadline: March 31, 2009
b) Setting up and operating the ministry’s civil co-ordination committee, which brings together experts of the principal department engaged with civil affairs.
Deadline: September 30, 2008
c) In the interest of fast and intensive information-flow and interaction, developing the electronic information flow. In this framework:
Co-operating in managing the government’s civil information portal
Timeframe: continuous once the government’s civil information portal is set up.
d) Expanding information for civil groups on the Foreign Ministry central website.
Timeframe: continuous.
e) Preparing general information on key diplomatic concepts and on the operation of the foreign-policy institutional system, and loading it onto the central foreign ministry website.
Deadline: March 31, 2009.
f) Publish Civil newsletter
Timeframe: continuous; minimum quarterly.
g) Developing the foreign ministry’s civil-sector databank.
Timeframe: continuous.
h) Operating the public-relations correspondence system calibrated to receive and handle incoming expert proposals of merit.
Timeframe: continuous.
i) Supporting the activities of civil groups and foundations
j) Examining the opportunities and regulatory changes at ministry level for the fine-tuning of funding from various budget chapters operated by the ministry’s different departments.
3.
Securing the assistance of social organisations in respect of international undertakings
a) With the actuation of the foreign representational network, civil society organisations contribute to the development of the international system of relations. In this framework foreign representatives
expand their own system of relations with non-governmental organisations,
uncover the main areas of civil society operations,
build up a contacts list,
nurture civil relations,
provide information upon request with the assistance of the Public Relations Office on host-country civil society organisations for those seeking international contacts,
organise civil-sector events.
Timeframe: continuous.
b) The Foreign Ministry launches cross-border and regional civil initiatives, as well as providing expert support and assisting the work of international civil partnership co-ordinators (co-ordination network) at home and abroad.
Prestigious, international and diplomatically experienced individuals (i.e. former ambassadors) may qualify for membership of the civil-partnership co-ordination network, who undertake the development of international contacts of Hungarian civil society in co-operation with the ministry.
Deadline: December 31, 2009
c) The Foreign Ministry, within budgetary and legal limitations, further secures co-operation with civil society organisations on concluding financed projects on promoting democracy.
Timeframe: continuous.
* * *