During JOICFP's Consultative Meeting with Donors, 27th and 28th August, Joerg Maas, Executive Director, German Foundation for World Population (DSW) spoke with JOICFP eNEWS.

eNEWS: Prior to the G8 Summit in Germany in 2006, DSW carried out many activities. From them, what lessons would you like to pass on to JOICFP and other NGOs?

Maas: We found it important to collaborate with NGOs from all sectors of development, not just population and health. Through collaboration, more leverage can be applied to government policy and statements.

Furthermore, this had the effect of showing these NGOs the importance of population and how it related to their particular field in development, and we were able to forge new alliances.

We also found it valuable to integrate population with other concerns, thereby not forcing government into making choices between, for example, population and the environment.

eNEWS: What advice would you then give to JOICFP and other NGOs in preparation for TICAD IV and the G8 Summit 2008?

Maas: Success for these meetings is more than the inclusion of suitable policy and statements. Clear targets for financial commitment must be agreed to, governments must be made to make clear their commitments, and NGOs must follow-up on these commitments in a watchdog capacity.

I would suggest as well that during the meetings, NGOs make their views known to the media on the statements being issued.

And as I said before, work with as many NGOs and civil organizations as possible prior to the meetings.