AGFUND'S Efforts and Accomplishments
The Arab Gulf Programme for Development (AGFUND) is a non-profit regional development organization, established in 1980 upon the initiative of HRH Prince Talal Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, and the support of the leaders of the Arab Gulf States: United Arab Emirates, Kingdom of Bahrain, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, State of Qatar, Sultanate of Oman and the State of Kuwait. These states constitute AGFUND’s membership and contribute to its budget.
The key objective of AGFUND is to support, without any discrimination as to sex creed or political affiliation, human development efforts such as: combating poverty, advancement of education, improvement of health standards, institutional development, teaching and training of workers, implementing development efforts targeting disadvantaged groups in the developing countries particularly women and children.
Since its foundation up-till 2010, AGFUND contributed to supporting and financing of 1264 projects in 133 countries in different continents: in Asia, Africa, Latin America and Eastern Europe. These contributions were provided through AGFUND's cooperation and coordination with 27 United Nations and international organizations, 22 regional organizations and 240 Arab NGOs, in addition to a number of governmental bodies and other international and regional institutions.
Regional Specialized Organizations :
Moreover, within the framework of its efforts to support development projects, AGFUND has established a number of Arab regional specialized organizations which include:
- the Arab Council for Childhood and Development (ACCD) in Cairo,
- the Arab Women Centre for Research and Training (CAWTAR) in Tunis,
- the Arab Network of NGOs in Cairo
- the Arab Open University (AOU) implemented in several Arab states.
The Agfund Annual Prize
Out of its conviction in benefits of highlighting pioneering development experiences and innovative projects among practitioners, AGFUND created the "the International Prize for Pioneering Human Development Projects".
The AGFUND Prize is an annually distributed prize that carries a financial reward of USS 500,000 (five-hundred thousand US dollars) distributed on winners among four categories.
The aim of the initiation of this Prize is to explore and identify annually, the best practices of implemented human development projects and consequently to reward the innovative feature of these projects. It is as well to promote the exchange of knowledge and enhance the development of better methodologies for the treatment of complex problems of poverty, social exclusion and socio-economic alienation of vulnerable groups. In addition, it is to anticipate the influence and results of a rewarded project and its possible replication in other parts of developing areas.
Agfund Model for Human Development
Elements of Vision I Lunching Development Project
The Idea - Strategic Partner - Frame – Financing - Evaluation - Dissemination