NDI - National Democratic Institute for International Affairs

About NDI: Mission

The National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI) is a nonprofit organization working to strengthen and expand democracy worldwide. Calling on a global network of volunteer experts, NDI provides practical assistance to civic and political leaders advancing democratic values, practices and institutions. NDI works with democrats in every region of the world to build political and civic organizations, safeguard elections, and to promote citizen participation, openness and accountability in government.

NDI MANDATE AND PHILOSOPHY
NDI's APPROACH TO DEMOCRATIC DEVELOPMENT
NDI PROGRAM ACTIVITIES
I. NDI MANDATE AND PHILOSOPHY
The 1984 statute creating the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) mandated the Endowment to support U.S.-based organizations that would work with foreign counterparts in the development of democracy abroad. The National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI) is the independent organization, affiliated with the Democratic Party, that was created to conduct nonpartisan and multipartisan programs to meet the broad objectives of the NED, namely:
- to promote democratic training programs and democratic institution-building abroad;
- to strengthen democratic electoral processes abroad in cooperation with indigenous democratic forces;
- to foster cooperation with those abroad dedicated to the cultural values, institutions, and organizations of democratic pluralism; and
- to encourage the establishment and growth of democratic development in a manner consistent with the broad concerns of the national interests of the United States and with the specific requirements of the democratic groups that are aided.
A. Democratic Values and American Self-Interest
NDI firmly believes that the United States should attach the highest priority to democratic development as a facet of foreign assistance.

Democratic values were not generalities to our founders; they were crystal clear truths about the only sensible way to reconcile institutions of government with human nature. They remain specific, rational beliefs today. Democracy requires working democratic structures: legislatures that represent the people and oversee the executive; elections in which the voters actually choose their leaders; judiciaries, steeped in the law, that are independent of outside influences; a system of checks and balances within society; and institutions and leaders that are accountable to the public.

The democratic revolution of the past decade demonstrates the nearly universal appeal of those values. The United States continues to play a unique leadership role in the promotion of these values. At the same time, we also realize that nothing better serves the interests of the United States -- economic, political, ideological -- than the promotion of democratic practices and institutions.

The notion that there should be a dichotomy between our moral preferences and our strategic goals is a false one. Our ultimate foreign policy goal is a world that is secure, stable, humane and safe, and where the risk of war is minimal. Yet the undeniable reality is that geostrategic "hot spots" most likely to erupt into violence are found, for the most part, in areas of the world that are nondemocratic or where governments are anti-democratic.

A democracy remains viable at home by resolving conflicts within society nonviolently and through compromise. Thus, it carries with it a predisposition to seek solutions abroad that are neither violent nor maximalist. This is not to say that democracy is a perfect insulator against conflict, or that if all nations were democracies, ancient enmities would disappear. They would not. The question, however, is whether war would still be the preferred method for resolving conflict between two democratic adversaries.

B. Economic Development vs. Political Development
The fall of communism demonstrated that it is not enough to satisfy the need for food and shelter, that freedom from want must be accompanied by freedom from fear, freedom of inquiry, freedom of association, and freedom of speech. Economic development without political freedom is a contradiction and ultimately doomed to failure. Democratic political systems and free-market economies are two parts of the same process, sustaining each other. Where guarantees of individual rights within a society do not exist, the inevitable result is exploitation, stratification, disorder and the inability to compete. This is essentially true in a world where more nations are embracing democratic principles.

In the past, the United States has hoped that development aid could achieve the kind of economic growth and opportunity that leads to social stability and peaceful competition. It has become increasingly apparent that a growing number of problems in the developing world are beyond the reach of traditional economic aid because, while they have economic consequences, the problems are not fundamentally economic, but political, in nature. In the development sphere, what ultimately differentiates nations is not the nature of their problems but, rather, the ways in which they resolve them. Truly sustainable development requires the capacity to resolve problems without a resort to violence or repression, in a way that ultimately adds to the stability of society and enhances the ability of the nation to address future problems.

Even from the perspective of traditional foreign assistance, the establishment of democratic institutions is the best way to assure sustainable development. Rural dislocation, environmental degradation and agricultural policies that lead to famine all trace to political systems in which the victims have no political voice, in which government institutions feel no obligation to answer to the people, and in which special interests feel free to exploit resources without fear of oversight or the need to account.

In the former Soviet Union, for instance, if efforts at economic restructuring fail to reassure a general public anxious about its economic well-being, political reform is likely to collapse. And without restructured political institutions, economic reform is unlikely to succeed. To successfully overcome the current crisis, reformers in the former Soviet Union must build up fledgling democratic institutions and develop a broader political coalition. This continues to be a difficult battle and one that warrants steadfast international support.

This is not simply a defense mechanism for the avoidance of chaos in former Soviet states. The development of a multitude of pluralistic institutions is an essential part of the evolution of a democracy. These institutions diffuse power and legitimacy from the center without diminishing it -- an important concept in a state like Russia.

C.Democratic Change
The most significant pressure for democratic change comes from within a country. International reaction becomes meaningful only after domestic forces have created a critical degree of expectation inside the country and awareness beyond its borders. Even then, democratization rarely results from popular revolution.

The transition to democracy most often commences with concessions made by a ruling oligarchy under internal or external pressure. Such ruling authorities provide openings for limited democratic practice by making compromises in pursuit of self-perpetuation, domestic tranquility or international legitimacy. It is this last goal -- legitimacy -- that has become so important in a world transformed by interdependence, connected by the electronic media and sensitized to the specifics of human rights.

Each time a democratic institution takes root, each time a new democratic government addresses old problems with peaceful methods, the rationale for democratic solutions is strengthened and democratic forces encouraged and sustained. This in turn makes it harder for autocrats to arrogate legitimacy to themselves, or to operate as if in a political vacuum. Successful steps toward democracy in one country are also conducive to democratic transition in other, particularly neighboring, countries.

II. NDI APPROACH TO DEMOCRATIC DEVELOPMENT
Three aspects of NDI's approach to democratic development work distinguish it from other organizations carrying out these activities.
- NDI, along with its Republican counterpart, is the only organization dedicated solely to political development programs.
- NDI's programs rely on volunteers who donate their time and expertise to support the Institute's hands-on technical assistance programs.
- NDI has structured its programs to be multinational, marshaling the talents of expert political practitioners from the United States and around the world.
A.NDI's Unique Role as Party Based Institute
NDI is dedicated to democracy programs centered on political development work. NDI has an institutional role that lends itself to an approach to democratic development that focuses on the roles and functions of political parties and other institutions fundamental to democracy. Parties -- along with civic organizations, legislatures, election commissions, and others -- function to educate the citizenry, facilitate popular participation in the political process, and improve the political, legal, and governmental environment within which they operate.

Further, NDI derives uniqueness from the traditions and accomplishments of the party it represents. The Institute's identification with the Democratic Party, the oldest ongoing political party in the world and a party that periodically governs a superpower, gives NDI a special international standing and access that stems from both party traditions and political realities.

In recognition of this connection, NDI has consistently strived to maintain pluralistic relationships abroad, opting to work on a multiparty basis to avoid being ideologically pigeonholed or used for political ends. This approach helps ensure that NDI's work does not interfere in a country's political process, but rather supports broader democratic development objectives. NDI's logical partners abroad are parties and other organizations that support democratic political activity, such as civic groups and parliaments.

B.Multinational Approach and Volunteer Network
A key to promoting democracy efficiently in a world of limited resources is international cooperation. The United States is a model for democracy, but it is not, nor should it be, the only model. The United States is an exporter of democracy, but the cause of democracy is best served when we are but one exporter among many. We have been most successful at NDI when we have joined with others to share practical democratic skills. We have found, not surprisingly, that Latin Americans listen closely to other Latin Americans who have been through a democratic transition, just as Africans appreciate other African experiences and Eastern Europeans respond to neighbors from their region.

But cultural affinity is but one element of successful democracy-building. As a practical matter, peoples attempting to make the transition to democracy require diverse skills and experiences. The insights of democrats from other nations are often more relevant than our own.

Americans have no real experience with a transition from autocracy to democracy, but Latin Americans, Europeans, and many Africans now do. Americans understand parliamentary systems but our congressional experience is often not directly applicable. Yet there are scores of experts in other nations, many of them members of parliaments, who have grown up in parliamentary systems and who are eager to share their understanding of how parliamentary democracy works.

Cooperative approaches such as these are not merely a matter of common sense. They convey a deeper truth to nations attempting a transition to democracy: that they are not conceding something to the United States when they develop democratic institutions; rather, they are joining a community of nations. That other nations have traversed the same course. That while autocracies are inherently isolated and fearful of the outside world, democracies can count on natural allies and an active support structure. That other nations are concerned and are watching -- something that would-be autocrats will bear in mind.

NDI from its inception has structured its programs to be multinational. Our experience has been that would-be recipients in other nations come to us with specific requests -- for election assistance, for help with civic organization or party-building, for training in municipal or parliamentary reform. Each program is tailored to meet the political needs and cultural sensibilities of the nation where it will take place.

NDI then will call on experts -- political party practitioners, civic organizers, election officials, legislators -- from its network of more than 500 volunteers around the world, to donate their time and expertise. A typical training program will involve experts from half a dozen countries. Election monitoring missions often bring together citizens of a dozen or more countries. The international nature of these programs sends a powerful message about the larger concerns of the community of democratic nations. This approach also reinforces the message that there is no ideal democratic system, although certain core principles are shared by all democracies.

C.Focus on Process, Programs and Partnerships
What also distinguishes NDI's democratic development work is the Institute's focus on political processes, programs and partnerships. NDI is not a grant-making enterprise, but rather an operational or program-implementing organization. NDI programs, usually of a technical assistance nature, concentrate on political processes and on developing partnerships -- either on an individual or institutional basis -- with those involved in the process of democratic reform and consolidation.

It should be noted that as a program-oriented organization, NDI requires sufficient political space in country for its technical assistance programs to be carried out. Therefore, the ability of NDI to work in a given country will be determined to a significant degree by the general political situation.

Because NDI's partners abroad are necessarily engaged in their countries' political arena, the Institute's program approach maintains the degree of flexibility necessary to respond to changing circumstances in a political environment. Timing is important in any political enterprise -- whether it be an election, the legalization of political parties, or the signing of a peace accord.

NDI programs are based on continuity of relationships with its partners abroad. By maintaining close contacts over a period of time, NDI is sensitive to the changing realities in a particular political situation, such as: evolving political developments, cultural differences, or the relevance of American political techniques. NDI can therefore be responsive to requests for assistance that, if provided at the appropriate moment, can make a positive impact on democratic change.

Whether a program provides nuts-and-bolts political training, offers exposure to the practical experiences of democratic governance, or encourages international support for free elections, it is always part of the NDI plan to strengthen institutions -- political parties, civic organizations, legislatures or electoral systems.

III. NDI PROGRAM ACTIVITIES
Since 1984, NDI has built and sustained a record of achievement in its democratic development work. This record results from a partnership between the Institute and those committed to strengthening democratic processes within their countries. NDI's programs are concentrated in new democracies, societies in conflict and non-democratic countries with strong democratic movements. Working in these areas, NDI seeks to consolidate existing democratic institutions and nurture peaceful transitions to democracy.

NDI does not presume to impose solutions nor does it believe that one democratic system can be replicated elsewhere. Rather, NDI shares experiences and offers a range of options, so that leaders of new democracies can select those practices and institutions that may work best in their own political environment.

NDI activities do not stop with elections, but continue immediately after to assist the ongoing development of political institutions -- parties and legislatures -- as well as those civic organizations that seek to carry out nonpartisan political activities These organizations serve as important intermediaries between elected officials and the citizenry.

NDI programs focus on the following functional areas:

A. Political and Civic Organization
1. Political Party Building
Stable democracy requires the development of strong, broadly based and well-organized political parties. If democratic party organizations fail to fulfill their special role in society, the citizenry will quickly lose faith in the governing process itself.

NDI conducts programs to assist political parties across the democratic ideological spectrum. NDI draws party practitioners from around the world to forums where members of fledgling parties can learn first-hand the techniques of organization, communication and constituent contact. Often NDI organizes multipartisan training seminars and then conducts workshops with individual parties.

Political party organization programs have been conducted in Angola, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Benin, Bolivia, Bulgaria, Burundi, Cambodia, Central and Eastern Europe (regional program), Chile, C�te D'Ivoire, Czech Republic, Ethiopia, Georgia, Haiti, Hungary, Kenya, Korea, Latvia, Malawi, Nicaragua, Northern Ireland, Panama, Poland, Romania, Russia, South Africa, Taiwan, Ukraine, Uruguay, (former) Yugoslavia and Zambia.

2. Civic Organization
NDI recognizes that civic organizations are an integral component of democratic development. Democratic political institutions will not endure unless they are buttressed by a strong civic culture and supported by a populace that is committed to such ideals as the rule of law, individual liberty, freedom of religion, free and open debate, majority rule, and the protection of minorities. Intermediary groups promote democratic values, and civic and political participation. In many countries undergoing democratic transitions, large sections of the population are unfamiliar with their rights and responsibilities as members of a democratic community.

In many countries where NDI is engaged in political development work, the image of political parties is a negative one. After years of one party-rule, with party membership practically obligatory, many citizens of countries undergoing a transition to multiparty, democratic rule, often reject the idea of involvement in party politics. Civic organizations offer an alternative and less threatening avenue for citizens to engage in the political process. As the image of political parties improves, citizens who have been encouraged by NDI to become active in nonpartisan civic organizations will start to consider direct participation in politics. Many civic leaders in newly emerging democracies will become the political leaders of the future.

NDI programs focus on those nonpartisan groups that are engaged in the political process. Examples of their activities are programs on transparency and accountability in government, and "town hall" meetings that promote communication between citizens and their elected representatives.

NDI also supports and advises nonpartisan groups and political parties engaged in civic and voter education programs. These education campaigns relate to basic democratic principles, ranging from the secrecy of the ballot to the role of citizens in government. NDI programs also focus on efforts to enhance the organizational capabilities of civic organizations.

Civic organization programs have been conducted in Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Benin, Bulgaria, Burundi, Cambodia, Central African Republic, Czech Republic, Estonia, Ethiopia, The Gambia, Georgia, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liberia, Lithuania, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Malawi, Mexico, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Paraguay, Peru, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, South Africa, Thailand, Ukraine, Uruguay, Venezuela and the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

3.Women's Political Participation
NDI is committed to promoting the participation of women in politics and government. Support for increased participation of women in political leadership roles is consistent with NDI's mandate to strengthen the inclusive and representative character of democratic institutions worldwide. In some countries, NDI organizes programs devoted primarily to encouraging and enabling women to assume responsibility for their own increased participation in democratic politics. Such programs provide emerging women leaders with political leadership skills. In other countries, one or more components of a comprehensive democratic development program are devoted to encouraging women to participate more actively in the political arena. In all of its democratic development programs, NDI seeks to encourage the equitable participation of women.

Women's political participation programs have been conducted in Argentina, Bangladesh, Chile, Central and Eastern Europe (regional program), Jordan, Kenya, Malawi, Nepal, and the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

B. Election Processes
Elections must be open and democratic if people are to have confidence in the political system. An election is not just a technical exercise, but rather a dynamic process in which political parties, civic organizations and other institutions can learn the skills necessary to participate actively in the political life of a country. NDI programs utilize elections as a vehicle to help develop these nascent institutions that are the foundation of a civil society. In recent years, elections have been used to initiate democratic transitions in Latin America, Eastern Europe, Asia, Africa and the former Soviet Union.

1. Advice on electoral systems
Transition elections often bring with them a struggle over rules -- election laws and procedures may be a major point of controversy. In attempting to resolve disputes, usually between the governing regime and opposition parties, electoral authorities or political parties may seek models or examples from other countries. In such an environment, outside experts can help to frame the debate and promote understanding of international standards for free and fair elections.

Drawing upon its experience and its network of election experts, NDI has provided an independent perspective on the proposed election system and the electoral infrastructure in a number of countries holding genuinely competitive elections for the first time. At the request of parties and governments, NDI experts have studied and recommended improvements to electoral codes and procedures in order to increase confidence in the fairness of the process. In several countries, the presence of an NDI team of outside experts has helped to bridge a gap between the government and the opposition over the election system, thereby helping to defuse political tensions; NDI's recommendations for improvements in the election system have formed the basis for compromise over the conduct of elections.

2. Domestic election monitoring
NDI has provided technical assistance for political parties and nonpartisan civic associations to conduct voter and civic education campaigns and to organize election monitoring programs, such as pollwatching and independent vote counting systems. Support for these indigenous institutions is a major priority for NDI. The organizations not only have helped ensure a free and fair electoral process, but have played key post-election roles in the consolidation of democratic initiatives.

3. International election monitoring
The Institute has also organized more than 30 large-scale international observer delegations that have attested to the honesty of electoral procedures, helped deter electoral misconduct or exposed fraud where it has occurred. These observer missions have been widely credited with enhancing confidence and participation in elections, and promoting understanding of international standards for free and fair elections.

Programs on election processes have been conducted in Albania, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Bangladesh, Benin, Botswana, Bulgaria, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chile, Congo, C�te D'Ivoire, Croatia, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, Ethiopia, The Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Hungary, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Liberia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Malawi, Mali, Mexico, Namibia, Nicaragua, Niger, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Russia, Senegal, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Taiwan, Togo, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, West Bank and Gaza, Yemen and Zambia.

C. Governance
NDI places major emphasis in the field of governance. It is not enough to promote democratic values -- democracy must provide mechanisms and institutions that allow for adequate debate and consideration of public policy issues. NDI works to promote representative, responsive and transparent governing institutions as a vital component of a democratic society.

1. Legislative Programs
Effective democratic governance depends on a professional, accountable, transparent and responsive legislature. The national legislature is the forum where the citizens' representatives -- often affiliated with a wide range of parties -- debate public policy issues and translate policies into laws. There are a number of U.S. government-funded programs designed to enhance the technical capability and infrastructure of legislatures. NDI programs, however, are unique because they focus on political organization -- the foundation of functioning legislatures.

NDI responds to requests for assistance from legislators, political parties and civic organizations that are working to strengthen the effectiveness and democratic character of their country's legislature. This assistance focuses on legislative procedures, staffing, constituent services, legislative oversight, executive-legislative relations, and the function and role of party caucuses. NDI's legislative programs also seek to promote access to the legislative process by citizens groups and the public at large. Programs encourage legislators to engage in a dialogue with their constituents and, at the same time, assist civic groups to communicate with elected representatives.

Legislative programs have been conducted in Albania, Argentina, Bangladesh, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burundi, Cambodia, Central African Republic, Georgia, Guyana, Hungary, Kazahkstan, Latvia, Madagascar, Malawi, Namibia, Nepal, Niger (regional program with legislators from Benin, Mali, and Burkina Faso), Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovenia, South Africa, and Ukraine .

2. Local Governance
It is often at the local level of government that people look for solutions to their most pressing problems. If a populace is to understand and believe in democracy, it must experience democratic governance at work at the local level. In many countries, democratic advances have prompted a dispersal of authority from centralized regimes to newly-elected regional and municipal governments. Local officials have turned to NDI for information and advice on a range of topics related to the processes of local governance, including the division of responsibility between mayors and municipal councils, and between local and national authorities.

In addition, NDI's programs promote mechanisms and processes that enhance communication between local officials and their constituents. These efforts are designed to support local autonomy and the ability of municipalities to govern their own affairs, thereby building the public trust essential to a representative, effective and stable democratic system.

Local governance programs have been conducted in Angola, Bulgaria, Chile, Czech Republic, El Salvador, Estonia, Guyana, Lithuania, Paraguay, Russia, South Africa and Ukraine.

3. Civil-Military Relations
Mutual respect between the armed forces and civilian authority is a precondition for democratic rule and civil order. A military committed to a professional rather than a political role is critical to the success of democracy. At the same time, civilian authorities must acquire the expertise in military affairs necessary for effective oversight of the armed forces. NDI brings together military and political leaders to promote dialogue and establish mechanisms for improving civil-military relations. Experts from democracies that have successfully integrated the military into civil society have been active participants in these programs.

Civil-military relations programs have been held in Angola, Argentina, Nicaragua, and Panama.

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