CANGO: Canadian Network of NGOs

About CANGO

CANGO Organizational Chart

CANGO Roles and Responsibilities
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CANGO General Assembly

The General Assembly is the primary decision-making body of the Canadian Network of NGOs. It is composed of all recognised CANGO Network Partners, each holding equal status. At present, it is composed of 18 Partners. The General Assembly meets every 3 months.

Any decisions concerning the structure of CANGO, its resources or its mandate are the sole responsibility of the General Assembly. Decisions are to be made by consensus whenever possible and are decided by a majority vote if necessary. The General Assembly is the last instance of conflict resolution within CANGO. Any conflicts arising among the Network Partners in other elements of CANGO may be brought to the General Assembly for review.

CANGO Network Lead

The role of Network Lead is held by one person. The Network Lead is appointed by a majority vote of the CANGO General Assembly for a period of 12 months. All members of CANGO are eligible to hold this position. Mr. Tibebu Bekele, Country Director, HOPE International, is presently the Network Lead.

The Network Lead is primarily responsible to chair General Assembly meetings, represent the best interests of CANGO whenever and however possible, maintain open communications with CIDA representatives in Ethiopia, supervise and support the implementation of decisions made by the General Assembly, contact the membership whenever opportunities present themselves to the Network and to represent CANGO Network Partners to external stakeholders, upholding the interests of the Canadian Network of NGOs.

Previous Network Leads:

Mr Sam Vander Ende, Regional Representative, Canadian Foodgrains Bank (2006/07)
Mr Feleke Tadele, Country Representative, Oxfam Canada (2007/2008)
Mr Tibebu Bekele, Country Representative, HOPE International (2008/2009)

CANGO Management Committee

The Management Committee members are the elected Thematic Leads (Lead persons from each CANGO Thematic Group) and the CANGO Network Lead. As elected representatives for the other CANGO Network Partners, the members of the Management Committee have a larger degree of responsibility to preserve the interests of CANGO. They are empowered with the mandate to do so.

The Management Committee is presently composed of the following four members:

Berhanu Ambaw, CANGO Network Lead (CCFC)
Dawit Seyhoum, Basic Services Thematic Group Lead (AMREF)
Mr David Rhody, Safety Nets and Livelihoods Thematic Group Lead (Canadian Hunger Fund)
Abby Maxman, Civil Society and Governance Thematic Group Lead (CARE International)

CANGO Coordinator

The objective of the CANGO Coordinator is to assist member organisations in achieving their objectives of sharing information, promoting cooperation and enhancing collective action. Specific objectives are set out in the CANGO Annual Plan.

The Coordinator’s key responsibilities are to:

Ensure the CANGO plans of action are implemented according to the approved Network agreements.
Inform Network Partners of policies, strategies and other initiatives and developments by the Canadian Government in the area of food security, good governance, and civil society support and poverty alleviation.
Assess the implications of the CIDA strategic directions on CANGO thinking and strategies.
Assist, wherever possible, to ensure the assignments of the CANGO sub-groups are accomplished in accordance with agreed time frames.
Maintain regular contact and good relations with the CANGO Network Partners.
Identify and develop good relations with key stakeholders, particularly those actors identified by CANGO as key partners or collaborators in lobbying for or achieving changes that will address issues identified by the network.
In accordance with the decisions of CANGO, maintain full awareness of, and active participation in regular internal and external meetings; ensure the solicitation and incorporation of comments, changes and corrections of agendas, concept papers, minutes and briefing papers.
To organise CANGO meetings, announce details, access minutes; prepare the necessary documentation and other support facilities as required by member agencies and/or CIDA.
To identify and work with the CANGO Network Lead or Leads for the sub-groups in the development of concept papers, proposals to new potential Canadian or other funding sources to expand or continue the CANGO initiative.
To provide progress reports as required to the CANGO General Assembly against the milestones, activities or outputs agreed upon by the member agencies.

CANGO Canada Focal-Person

Recognising the importance of Canadian interests in the achievement of CANGO goals and objectives, the Network Partners are determined on preserving a Canadian representation. This offers the possibilities of improved communications with Federal Canadian institutions, CANGO representation at critical events or functions and closer linkages with Canadian constituents. The CANGO Network Partners therefore affirm their desire to identify a Canada Focal-Person to act on their behalf in Canada, whenever circumstances require.

Communications is of particular importance to this position. The general purpose of the Canada Focal-Person is to facilitate the transmission of information between the Ethiopia based CANGO Network and Canadian stakeholders and public. As such, the Canada Focal Person:

Holds the role of spokesperson, he or she transmits, when mandated to do so, messages, positions and relevant documents that are developed by CANGO in Ethiopia, to Canadian stakeholders (CIDA, Parliamentarians, Diaspora, and various other stakeholders);
Plays the role of meeting convenor for Canadian representatives of partner NGOs as deemed adequate but minimally twice a year.

The Canada Focal-Person shall:

Preserve the values & mission of CANGO in all their relations;
Make the time necessary to contribute to CANGO in a productive fashion;
Ensure that leadership on any issues is given/developed by CANGO in Ethiopia and endorsed by its membership;
Abide on all aspects to the Code of Partnership signed by CANGO Network partners.

Thematic Groups

Thematic groups are formed wherever Network Partners express an interest to do so and where the theme of such a Thematic Group falls within the guidelines of the CANGO Code of Partnership. Thematic Groups are primarily information-sharing forums, guided by a specific “mandate” or “charter”. This document sets the procedures and guiding principles of each Thematic Group.

Thematic Groups may have as many or as few members as these members believe acceptable, all of whom must be CANGO Network Partners. The Thematic Groups will elect "Thematic Leads" for a term duration of twelve (12) months, to be revised at a set date each year, unless otherwise called for. Each Thematic Lead is automatically named to represent the Thematic Group on the CANGO Management Committee.

Thematic Groups may choose to take on specific projects. In some cases this may lead to the formation of a separate Working Group within the Thematic Group, which will determine its relationship with the Thematic Group at the time of its formation.

There are presently three CANGO Thematic Groups:

Working Groups

Unlike Thematic Groups, Working Groups are formed around one specific project and are dissolved upon its completion. Though Working Groups will generally fall within the thematic mandates of Thematic Groups, they are not hierarchically responsible to Thematic Groups.

Roles and Responsibilities of Working Groups will be defined by the members of each Group on the occasion of their first meeting.

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About CANGO