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MECC
briefing on informal partners meeting |
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Dear MECC Colleagues, Our prayers and hope is that the situation in Lebanon will calm down and peace will prevail as a final solution to ongoing conflict. It is my obligation to inform you briefly about the "advisory informal" partners meeting which took place in Amman on Sunday the 11th of May, replacing the formal scheduled partners meeting in Harisa - Lebanon. All participants prayed for peace in Lebanon, and for the safety of MECC Lebanese staff. Present in the meeting were 10 persons' partners representatives: Church of Sweden, FinChurchAid, NCC of Australia, PCUSA, CWS NewZealand, CWS USA, WCC, NCA, and partially ICCO (late arrival). MECC was represented by: General Secretary, IER director, Finance Secretary, Director of Damascus office, Director of Amman office and ELD. The meeting went from: 2 Pm till 8 Pm (11th May). It is decided to consider the outcomes of the meeting not as final decisions rather recommendations for further elaboration from other partners who were not present. The agenda discussed the following items:
1) GS address to partners (discussion on it was deferred to the next formal partners meeting). 2) Proposal for the new formal partners' meeting: 19 November 2008 (arrival), 20 - 21 November is meeting, 22 (departure. The venue: Lebanon. Second priority of venue: Egypt. 3) ICNDR issue: the report from the consultant Gregory was reviewed in some details. Notes, comments and questions were taken from participants to discuss it with Greg again. MECC GS announced the full acceptance and endorsement of the report, as well as the MECC Executive Committee, and the ICNDR director. It is recommended that the GS will send a formal letter to partners on this matter. On the other hand, partners are expected to send their comments and later approval also on the report. Recommendation was taken to move ahead in supporting the ICNDR for 2008 to continue its tasks, and for ICNDR to prepare its strategic plan of action. Full report on the strategic plan and further development in this issue will be presented in the next partners meeting (November). Notes were taken on the role of ICNDR in the midst of the recent conflict of Lebanon (possibly a rapid response appeal). Negotiation will continue about covering the 2007 - 2008 deficit of ICNDR (different opinions and suggestions were given in this specific matter). 4) MECC emergency contingency plan of action: If the situation in Lebanon continues to deteriorate (which we pray and hope not), and in case the MECC General Secretary and the Lebanese staff cannot function from their office in Hamra – Beirut, then it is recommended that the MECC prepare an “contingency emergency plan of operation”, which helps in continuing the functions of MECC in Lebanon and other countries. The first priority to MECC GS is to return to Beirut as soon as he can (he did already). The second priority is to operate temporarily from Egypt. It is recommended that the GS delegate a “crisis group” composed of some Lebanese staff to follow up on development and the GS be in contact with them. Partners need to know about the proposed emergency plan if applied and most of them are ready to support the plan of emergency through ACT Intl 5) 4-Years plan of action: An overview of the plan was presented by Razek Siriani to the partners. Discussion went on how much can some of the activities be implemented and feasible in situations such as Lebanon, and partners should consider continuing supporting MECC activities in due time of the recent Lebanese crisis. Recommendations were taken: to continue supporting MECC activities according to signed agreements, although the partners meeting did not take place formally. MECC staff should present in the next November meeting their assessments of the work of the Units, Departments and Programs which underline three main items: First: Vision; second: general aims, direct objectives, and then activities which should manifest these objectives; third: impacts of activities on beneficiaries and evaluation on how much was achieved. 6) Financial report: a summary of the financial report was presented by Ms Vivian Lorenzo. Discussions were on how to overcome the financial crisis of the first four or five months of each year until fund be made available by partners; financial planning should be done by MECC and partners on agreements and commitments of at least 2 years ahead of time; and partners should consider sending their fund at early time of the year.
Razek
Siriani Email:
rsiriani@scs-net.org,
mecc@cyberia.net.lb
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