Zimbabwe Diaspora CSOs Forum:ANNUAL REPORT AND RESOLUTIONS OF 2006 AGM!

Annual General Meeting
Saturday 25th November 2006


2006 Annual Report



1. An Overview of 2005-6

2005-6 has been such a roller coaster ride for the Forum! The past year has the Forum grow phenomenally in terms of both stature and influence both here in South Africa and internationally. In general terms, the first year has been a very positive year of progressive growth. The Forum has certainly exceeded most of its expectations for the first year of its existence.


2. Administrative Matters

The Forum is still in the process of registering itself in terms of the Non-Profit Organisations Act. It is anticipated that the Certificate of Registration will be issued soon.
The Forum has had several abortive attempts to set up an office in Braamfontein. At the moment there are two separate initiatives that are likely to result in an office being set up by the 1st February 2007. However, the Forum is using the Treasurer’s company office at Auckland House as its administrative premise.
In the meantime, the Forum has received several donations and pledges of both office furniture and electronic equipment that includes at least five computers.
The Forum’s Secretariat is still yet to be fully set up. In the meantime, Nora Tapiwa has been playing the role of the Acting Co-ordinator on a voluntary basis. This is one area of critical of concern in terms of the Forum’s prospects.


3. The Management Committee

The inaugural AGM in 2005 elected a substantive Management Committee to lead the Forum for a two year term in terms of its adopted Constitution. The Committee has since then remained largely intact and hyperactive for most of the past year! The only slight variation was the co-option of Savious Kwinika to replace Steven Paradza who stepped down to serious pressure arising from a new job appointment. The current Committee consists of the following persons:

(a) Daniel Molokele – Chairperson
(b) Solomon Chikohwero – Vice Chairperson
(c) Luke Zunga – Treasurer
(d) Joyce Dube – Committee Member
(e) Proper Ndlovu – Committee Member
(f) Savious Kwinika – Committee Member

The Committee has consistently met on a monthly basis during most of the year. It has also had several special meetings on a need arise basis.


4. Other Committees of the Forum

In line with the provisions of its Constitution, the Forum has set up several working Committees during the past year. The following two have perhaps been the most active ones:

(a) The Fundraising Committee

The Fundraising Committee was set up in February 2006 to help develop a sustainable financial resources model for the Forum. The Committee has at least six active members who are led by Luke Zunga, as the Chairperson.

(b) The Humanitarian Issues Committee

The Committee was set up in April 2006 to help the Forum address any critical issues in the Humanitarian area. It was tasked to respond to such critical matters as the Lindela Deportation Centre, Methodist Church refugees, among other similar issues. It is co-chaired by Solomon Chikohwero and Joyce Dube.

(b) The Diaspora Conference Committee

The Committee was set up in February 2006 to help the Forum implement its plans to host the first ever Zimbabwean international global Diaspora conference in 2007. So far the Committee has mainly helped to organise the Public Meetings Series and the First Preparatory Conference in June 2006. The Committee is chaired by Daniel Molokele.



5. The Membership of the Forum

The growth of the Forum’s membership has been such a phenomenal one! At present the network now has thirty fully registered members. It is thus evident that the Forum has in the past year grown so much that it has become the only credible network or umbrella body for most of the Zimbabwean CSOs that are based in South Africa. Admittedly, there are still few groupings that are not yet registered members but have increasingly come to accept the advantageous reality of the network. It is thus anticipated that by the 2007 AGM almost all the organisations will be affiliated to the Forum in one form or another.









6. Summary of Programme Activities

During the past year, the Forum was engaged in numerous programme activities. The following are some of the programme highlights for 2005-6:




(a) The Strategic Planning Workshop

The Strategic Planning workshop was the first major event of the year since it was held in February. The participants of the workshop were drawn from the network membership’s representatives. Another aspect of the event was that it was used as the first public platform for the newly appointed Co-ordinator of the Regional office of the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition to interact with the leaders of the SA based Zimbabwean CSOs Community. the major outcomes of the event was the adoption of the Forum’s Strategic Plan that included the Vision, Mission, Programme Objectives, and the adoption of the proposal to host the global Diaspora conference in SA during 2007.


(b) The Public Meetings

In line with its resolution to host the Diaspora conference in 2007, the Forum also decided to initiate a public meeting series so as to sustain an active momentum during the countdown towards the 2007 event. Speakers were invited to address an open public discussion that had its focus on one of the topical themes related to the situation in Zimbabwe. At least five public meetings have been held so far. It is expected that the public meetings will continue to be hosted on a bi-monthly basis till the 2007 event is finally held.


(c) First Diaspora Conference

The February 2006 workshop resolved that in line with the plans of the Forum to host the global Diaspora Conference in 2007, there was a need to host two separate preparatory conferences prior to the major event. The two conferences would focus on the local SA based Zimbabwean groups/activists and the solidarity movement that is also derived from the SA NGOs that are actively involved in solidarity campaigns for a new democratic dispensation in Zimbabwe. Consequent to that, the First Preparatory conference was successfully held in June 2006. There are plans to host the Second Conference by April 2007.



7. The Forum’s Strategic Partnerships

During the past year the Forum has strived consistently to develop strong programme or network partnerships with other formations that are actively involved in the struggle for a new Zimbabwe. The following details are some of the major highlights in this regard:



(a) Local South African Partnerships

The Forum has sought to work with the various SA NGOs that are actively involved in the solidarity movement such as SANGOCO, CSVR, Peace and Solidarity Trust, Amnesty International, Roll Back Xenophobia Campaign, among others. But even more critically, the Forum has consistently engaged the broader network known as the Zimbabwe Solidarity Forum.


(b) International Strategic Partnerships

At an international level, the Forum has been actively exchanging contacts in such countries as the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, New Zealand, among others. During the year, the forum hosted delegates from the UK based Campaign for justice in Zimbabwe and also from the North American Coalition for a Free Zimbabwe. Plans by the Forum’s Chairperson to meet several leading UK based groups collapsed after the trip was aborted due to visa related problems. The Forum also tried but failed to send it s own delegates to the annual Open Forum on Zimbabwe that is held in the UK. It is hoped that next year, the Forum will be strongly represented there. With regards to the other African countries, the Forum plans to engage in a series of exchange visits in 2007 to such countries as Botswana, Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia, Namibia, Swaziland, Lesotho, among others.


(c) Zimbabwean Strategic Partnerships

The Forum has also consistently sought to develop a strong partnership with the NGOs that are active in Zimbabwe. In particular, it has strove to have a working relationship with the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition. This is so especially with the group’s local regional office in Johannesburg. The Forum was also represented by its Chairperson who was a speaker at the launch of the Zimbabwe Christian Alliance in Bulawayo during February 2006. The Chairperson also attended the launch of the Save Zimbabwe Convention in Harare during July 2006. There are also plans by the Forum to host two separate public meetings in 2007 that will be held in partnership with the National Constitutional Assembly and the Zimbabwe National Students Union.


(d) The Diaspora Media Support

The Forum has also benefited a lot for the goodwill coverage of the Diaspora based media. In particular, the Forum has benefited a lot from such news houses as The Zimbabwean, New Zimbabwe.com, CAJ News, VoP, SWRadio Africa, Studio Seven, Zimonline, among others. Special mention though, has to go to the thriving community of Zimbabwean free lance journalists that are based in South Africa. It is evident that the continued support of the Diaspora media will be very critical in the run-up towards the successful holding of the 2007 global Diaspora conference.





8. The 2007 Diaspora Conference

In February 2006, the Forum endorsed the plans to host the first ever global Zimbabwean Diaspora Conference in Johannesburg during 2007. The conference plans have since then been one of the major programme areas of the Forum. Initially it was hoped that the historic conference would be held in April 2007 but due to a number of logistical reasons it appears that is no longer tenable. It is thus likely to be held in August 2007, in terms of the current projected dates.



9. In Conclusion

As already alluded to, the past year has seen a monumental growth for the Forum. It is now hoped that in the aftermath of its consolidation process during the first year, the New Year ahead is most likely to bring even much more success for the Forum.
In particular, the successfully hosting of the Diaspora conference could prove to be a critical point in terms of the long term prospects of the Forum. The Forum is ready to face the challenges of the year ahead and firmly believes that the year 2006-7 will bring with it better news for the long suffering people of Zimbabwe both at home and in the Diaspora.
In the meantime it will be up to all of us to fight together and ensure that such initiatives as the Forum will continue to grow from strength to strength.

The struggle for a new democratic and prosperous Zimbabwe continues!
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

ZIMBABWE DIASPORA CSOs FORUM

RESOLUTIONS OF 2006 AGM


The Zimbabwe Diaspora Civic Society Organisations Forum has successfully held its second Annual General Meeting on Saturday 25th November 2006, at the Holy Trinity Church in Braamfontein in Johannesburg.

An impressive turnout of about forty delegates representing up to 35 different Zimbabwean civic society groups that are based in South Africa attended the event.
The Forum seeks to co-ordinate the Zimbabwean CSOs common vision and strategy in the struggle for a new democratic dispensation in Zimbabwe.
The vision of the forum is of a democratic Zimbabwean society where all citizens are able to participate in all decision-making processes that have an impact on their lives be it at home or abroad.
The mission of the forum is to promote civil society by uniting and strengthening the CSO sector to enable it to influence development policy and advocate for a new prosperous and democratic Zimbabwe.
The following is the summary of some of the major resolutions of the 2006 AGM:
1. The AGM noted with continued concern and condemned the deteriorating situation in Zimbabwe at both political and socio-economic levels and pledged to continue its fight for a new democratic dispensation in Zimbabwe.

2. The AGM affirmed plans to launch the Zimbabwe Democracy Centre by 1st February 2007. The centre shall be located at Braamfontein in Johannesburg and shall be the general office complex for several Zimbabwean CSOs that are based in South Africa.

3. The AGM also re-affirmed plans by the Forum to host the first ever international Zimbabwe Diaspora Conference in Johannesburg. The date of the conference has now been set as October-November 2007.

4. The AGM resolved to continue to engage the various other formations that are part of the pro-democracy movement and develop strong partnerships with them. These include among others the Zimbabwe Solidarity Forum, Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition, North American Coalition for a Free Zimbabwe, and all other similar groupings in Zimbabwe and the rest of the Diaspora communities.

5. The AGM also resolved to set up or strengthen the various Committees of the Forum such as the Gender Committee, HIV & Aids Committee, Policy & Advocacy Committee and the Humanitarian Committee, among others, to ensure the maximum effectiveness of the Forum in its quest to promote the cause for a new democratic Zimbabwe.

6. The AGM also noted with concern the need for an urgent solution to the plight of Zimbabwean refugees in South Africa, and tasked the Humanitarian Committee to meet the Central Methodist Church leadership and the Department of Home Affairs.

7. The AGM also appreciated and thanked the various media institutions that include The Zimbabwean, New Zimbabwe.com, Zimonline, Voice of the People, CAJ News, Studio Seven, SW Radio Africa, among others, for their active role in promoting the various Diaspora civic society formations that are actively involved in the struggle for a new democratic Zimbabwe.

(The above statement has been issued by the Management Committee of the Forum on behalf of the 2006 AGM on this 26th day of November 2006 in Johannesburg, South Africa.)
For any more details, please contact Daniel Molokele on +27 72 947 4815

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@