04/12/2007
The Ambassador of Norway, Torbjørn Frøysnes, and the Secretary of the Venice Commission, Gianni Buquicchio, signed an agreement on 4 December for the support by the Norwegian government of a co-operation programme between the Union of Arab Constitutional Courts and Councils (UACCC) and the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe.
This two-year programme will be financed by a Norwegian voluntary contribution of 180,000€ and will involve the constitutional courts of 13 Arab countries , members of the UACCC - an organisation created in 1997 at the initiative of the Constitutional Council of Algeria and the Constitutional Court of Egypt.
The programme’s aim is to strengthen the independence of the highest constitutional instances of the Arab region and to encourage a dialogue based on democracy, the rule of law and human rights. In doing so, this initiative strives to reinforce the co-operation between the two shores of the Mediterranean, Europe and the Arab world, and to contribute to peace and stability in this part of the world.