CDI Deputy Director in Indonesia & Timor-Leste

CDI Deputy Director, Quinton Clements, visited Jakarta and Dili from 28 January to 4 February 2007. The purpose of his visit was to determine agreed areas of co-operation with Indonesia's House of Representatives or Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat (DPR) and the National Parliament of Timor-Leste as part of CDI's ongoing assistance to parliaments in our region.

In Jakarta , Mr Clements was accompanied by CDI Associate, Dr Stephen Sherlock. Mr Clements held discussions on areas for cooperation between CDI and the DPR with the Speaker, H.E. Mr H. R. Agung Laksono , the Secretary General, Mr Faisal Djamal and other Members of the DPR and Secretariat Officials.

Mr Clements and Dr Sherlock discussed with the Chairman of the DPR's Commission on Foreign Affairs, Defense, Communication and Information (Komisi 1), Mr Theo L. Sambuaga, CDI's proposal to convene a workshop on the role of parliamentary committees in policy making involving Komisi 1, the East Timor Parliament's Committee on Foreign Affairs, Security and National Defence, and the Australian Parliament's Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade. Mr Clements also met with a number of donor and non-government organizations with an interest in parliamentary assistance in Indonesia.

In Dili, Mr Clements was assisted by Mr Karlito Nunes, Senior Program Officer, NDI Legislative Support Program. Mr Clements met with the Vice-President of the National Parliament, Mr Jacob Fernandes, the Secretary General, Mr Adelino Afonso de Jesus and other Members of Parliament and Secretariat Officials to discuss both the proposed committees workshop and other areas for cooperation between CDI and the National Parliament of Timor-Leste. Mr Clements also held discussions with multilateral and donor organisations such as the UNDP, the Asia Foundation and the International Republican Institute on their activities in Timor-Leste.

Mr Clements met with senior party officials from the major registered political parties to outline CDI's upcoming Political Party Development Course and invited them to nominate participants.