The Commission is already in consultation and co-operation with civil society organizations in Europe, and I see no reason that it should not enter into dialogue with civil society organizations in the ACP states. The conference endorsed the need to have a political exchange between the EU and the ACP to define common policies and objectives. The need to improve current institutional arrangements both formal and informal and the need to mainstream the practice of democracy in the co-operation. The citizen is both a player in and a recipient of democracy. All actors in a society must be included in a dialogue for democratic development.
Democracy is built day after day.
An important guiding principle to take into account in the dialogue is that democracy is not a final product, it must repeatedly be consolidated, reiterated and renewed. The conference also highlighted the need for new institutional structures, formal and informal, that could facilitate an on going exchange of opinions and views, to improve reciprocity. Development must be a subject for open and public debate. A conference summary and recommendations are being prepared.