SKOP, the National Platform of Maltese NGDOs, has presented a five-point political manifesto to Malta’s political parties, saying the forthcoming general elections were “a unique opportunity to bring the most salient issues related to international development to the attention of the national political parties and the general public.”
The platform has asked the Nationalist Party, the Malta Labour Party and Alternattiva Demokratika to include their manifesto in their forthcoming electoral programmes.
The document asks political parties to commit themselves to genuine aid, support and opt for fair trade where possible, support development education initiatives, ensure real participation of civil society organisations and to commit themselves to place policy coherence for development high on the agenda.
Specifically, it calls for a commitment to real and genuine aid to reach 2010 and 2015 targets with genuine aid resources which would not include refugee, student costs and debt relief in official aid reporting; and to commit to transparent aid reporting. It also calls on the parties to avoid policies that affect development objectives negatively.
It asks the parties to support fair trade amongst government ministries and departments, local authorities and schools to opt for fair trade products wherever possible and include fair trade criteria into public tenders and purchasing policies.
In other areas, SKOP asks the parties to commit themselves to a multi-actor process, making best use of shared expertise and experiences, and establish a National Strategy on Development Education. It added that civil society should be involved closely in any policy and action plan pertaining to development.
The National Platform of NGDOs is Malta’s broadest network of voluntary and non-governmental organisations working in international development and humanitarian aid.
The Platform aims to improve Malta’s contribution to international development by promoting the exchange and sharing of experience, ideas and information amongst its members, between networks of NGOs in Malta and internationally, with the Maltese Government, and between its members and other Maltese bodies with an interest in international development and humanitarian aid.
SKOP’s members are Camyouths, Forum for Justice and Cooperation, Inizjamed, Integra Foundation, Jesuit Centre for Faith & Justice (Malta), Jesuit Refugee Service (Malta), Kare4Kenya, Koperattiva Kummerc Gust, Kopin, Moviment Graffitti, Share Foundation, Thirld World Group.