Identifying effective networking and communication strategies in a European development context

On the threshold of the UK Presidency of the EU, the G8 and the MDG Summit, this seminar organised by EUFORIC and ODI, was held to explore the importance and opportunities of networking and Internet information for development policy. In the understanding that 2005 is a vital year for the future of European development cooperation, what are strategies to follow and mechanisms to use for being really effective in influencing development policy? Which information foraging strategies are used by politicians, researchers or lobbyist? What could the Internet information landscape look like in ten years from now and how could development organisations prepare themselves? Having a website is one, but the issue is what then: how to really bring information across and be influential. The seminar brought together the experiences and expertise of ODI and a variety of cases from within the Euforic network.

A series of presentations were given during the workshop. From ODI, Simon Maxwell focused on policy entrepreneurship in 2005 – development’s year of destiny; Julius Court focused on what makes networks effective in influencing policy and whether Europe was networked enough on international development issues; and Peter Gee used the Commission for Africa e-consultations hosted by ODI to explore what makes Internet communication effective in informing policy. Ben Ramalingam was the lead facilitator for the afternoon group sessions, using a series of provocative challenges to lead discussions on various aspects of networking.