09.00

Registration of the participants

09.30

(Open to the press)

Welcoming speeches: expectations on the project

- Ambassador Steinar Gil, Royal Norwegian Embassy
- Mr Owen Masters, former member of the Congress (UK), moderator of the Steering Group
- Mr Rahim Abbasov, Presidential Administration, Head of the Division on work with Municipalities
- Mr Mats Lindberg, CoE Special Representative of the Secretary General in Baku

10.10

Individual introductions of the participants (“Tour de table”)

10.30

Part I: The project

a) Presentation of the main partners

KS, Congress and FSCS

b) Background, objectives and methodology of the project

Congress, KS

c) Information on the launch seminar (15-16 September 2005)

Mr Owen Masters

11.15

Coffee Break

11.30

Part II:

The role of a National Association of Local Authorities: the promotion of an effective institutional dialogue and of a culture of partnership between central governments and national associations of local and regional authorities

a) Creation, functioning and funding
Mr Levan Urushadze, Mayor of Ozurgeti (Guria, Georgia), Board member of the National Association of Local Authorities of Georgia (NALAG)
Mr Kaimo Käärmann, Consultant of the Association of Estonian Cities

b) The specific role of national associations of local and regional authorities with regard to central authorities: promote local self-government and represent the interest of local and regional authorities at national level, notably in the process of drafting new legislation on local government
Mr Levan Urushadze, Mr Kaimo Käärmann

c) The services provided by national associations of local and regional authorities
Mr Levan Urushadze, Mr Kaimo Käärmann

13.00

Lunch

14.30

(30’ for each question)

(5’ per team for the reports)

Part III:
working session in teams: the current situation in Azerbaijan
3 Working Groups will be formed: 2 composed of “members” and 1 group composed of “observers” of the Steering Group.
The discussions in each group will be facilitated by a moderator.
Each Working Group shall appoint a Rapporteur who will then present the conclusions to the Steering Group.
a) What are the links between municipalities and central authorities at present? On what issues do they rely on each other?

Reports to the Steering Group

b) What kind of mechanisms and structures do promote and protect municipalities’ interests in Azerbaijan? What services do they provide?

Reports to the Steering Group

16.30

Coffee break

17.15

Discussion

17.45

Conclusions

18.00

End of discussion

19.00

Dinner

9.30

Summary of the discussions of the previous day

Mr Owen Masters, Council of Europe expert, former Head of the CoE office in Kosovo

9.40

(2’ each)

10.40

Part III (continued): working session in teams
3 Working Groups will be formed: 2 composed of “members” and 1 group composed of “observers” of the Steering Group.
The discussions in each group will be facilitated by a moderator.
Each Working Group shall appoint a Rapporteur who will then present the conclusions to the Steering Group.

c) What services are expected to be provided by a national association of local authorities?

Reports to the Steering Group

Discussion

11.00

Coffee break

11.15

Is there a need to create an Azeri national association of local authorities?

Short statements of each member of the Steering Group

Vote

Decision on the establishment of the Steering Group and agreement on its composition
Documents: list of criteria and list of members and observers

12.00

Part IV:
The Steering Group

a) Functioning of the Steering Group: glossary and rules of procedure

Documents: Glossary and Rules of procedure

Mr Fikret Rzayev, consultant of the NGO ‘For the Sake of Civil Society’

Congress, KS

Discussion and agreement on the documents

b) Appointment of the Rapporteur

12.30

Lunch

14.00

14.30

c) Involvement of the members
Statement by the project management
Expectations of the members (“Tour de table”)

d) Presentation of the possible themes of the next seminars
Preparation of the forthcoming seminars to be held in the course of the activity until April 2006

Document: Calendar of events

Discussion and adoption of the calendar

With inputs from international observers

15.15

Closing remarks of the participants (“Tour de table”)

15.45

Conclusions of the Seminar

Mr Owen Masters

16.00

End of discussion

Contact details:

Council of Europe in Baku

Mr. Mats Lindberg, Council of Europe Special Representative of the Secretary General
Address:
6-10 Vagif Mustafa-zade Kücasi
1st Floor, Icheri Sheher
Baku, 370004, Azerbaijan

Contact Details
Phone number.: +994 12 497 54 89
Fax number: +994 12 497 54 75
E-mail: [email protected]

Norwegian Embassy in Baku

Mr Steinar Gil, Ambassador
Address:
ISR Plaza, 11th floor
340, Nizami Street
Baku, Azerbaijan

Contact details:
Phone number: + 994 12 497 43 25/26
Fax number: + 994 12 497 37 98
E-mail: [email protected]

Congress Secretariat

Ms Caroline Martin, Project Manager
Address:
Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe
F - 67 075 Strasbourg Cedex

Contact details:
Phone number:  + 33 3 88 41 30 18
Fax number:  + 33 3 88 41 37 47 / 27 51
Mobile (during the stay) : +336 61 14 88 55
E-mail:  [email protected]

KS Secretariat

Ms Elita Cakule
Senior Executive Officer, Norwegian Association of Local and Regional Authorities (KS)
Address:
P.B.1378 Vika, 0114 Oslo

Contact details:
Tel: + 47 24 13 27 04
Fax: + 47 22 83 62 92
Mobile: + 47 90 54 68 32
E-mail: [email protected]