Arab NGO Network for Development (ANND)

The Arab NGO (Non-Governmental Organization) Network for Development (ANND) is a collective of some two dozen member advocacy organizations and several hundred affiliate groups across the Middle East. The network was founded in 1997 and has maintained a headquarters in Beirut, Lebanon since 2000. The ANND aims to promote globalization, liberal economic policies, and liberal social values, particularly the devaluation of traditional gender roles, as well as Western models of political participation and governance. 1 The network also opposes Israel in its conflict with the Palestinians and has accused the Israeli government and military of displacing and targeting Palestinian civilians. 2 3

Read More

At-A-Glance

Type: Non-profit, Other
Issue Areas: Multi-Issue Advocacy
Website: www.annd.org
Formation:

1997

Headquarters:

UNESCO Street, UNESCO 4191, Building Block A, Floor 7

Location:

Beirut, Lebanon

Director:

Ziad Abdel Samad

Contents

    The ANND has received funding from the Open Society Institute (now known as the Open Society Foundations), the leading grantmaking entity within the activist philanthropy network of liberal billionaire George Soros. 4

    Policy Positions

    The Arab NGO Network for Development has argued for the legalization and removal of restrictions on abortion in Middle Eastern countries and has pushed for international agreements on the practice to supersede local law. 5

    The ANND has endorsed the environmentalist goals set by the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference, also known as the Conference of Parties 27 or COP27. The network has pushed for greater restrictions on the use of conventional fuels with the goal of reducing emissions to near-zero sometime between 2030 and 2050. 6

    The ANND opposes Israel’s control over certain areas in the Gaza Strip and the Jordan River Valley (known as the West Bank). The network has accused the Israeli military of using indiscriminate military force against civilians, forcibly displacing non-Jewish residents of the disputed areas, and creating the circumstances for a humanitarian crisis in the region. The ANND also claims that Israel is encouraging Jewish settlers to claim Palestinian territories in the Jordan Valley to turn the region into de facto Israeli territory and preempt potential future moves towards establishing a Palestinian Arab state. 2 3

    Leadership

    Ziad Abdel Samad is the founder and executive director of the ANND. He previously worked as an instructor at the Lebanese American University in Beirut. Prior to that, he worked with a variety of non-government organizations in Lebanon and around the world, including as a member of an advisory committee at the United Nations Development Program and the United Nations Foundation, which provides funding to the international organization. 7

    Zahra Bazzi is a program manager at the ANND. She also previously worked with the United Nations Development Program. Bazzi received a master’s degree in law from the Beirut Arab University. 8

    Adham Al Hassanieh is the communications manager at the ANND. He started out as a consultant for the organization, and previously ran an environmentalist organization. Al Hassanieh received a master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Lebanese International University, and also attended the American University of Beirut for a certificate program. 9

    Funding

    The ANND has received funding from the Open Society Institute, a grantmaking arm of the Soros Network, including a $200,000 grant in 2013. 10 The network has also received support from the United Nations Democracy Fund. 11

    Contact InfluenceWatch to report errors, suggest edits, or provide tips for additional profiles.

    Contact Us

    Mentioned in this Article

    References

    1. “Arab NGO Network for Development.” ArabOrg. Accessed February 5, 2023. https://arab.org/directory/arab-ngo-network-for-development/
    2. The deterioration of the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip during the Israeli war aggression.” Arab NGO Network for Development. June 11, 2021. Accessed February 5, 2023. https://www.annd.org/ar/publications/details/%D8%AA%D8%AF%D9%87%D9%88%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A3%D9%88%D8%B6%D8%A7%D8%B9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A5%D9%86%D8%B3%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D9%81%D9%8A-%D9%82%D8%B7%D8%A7%D8%B9-%D8%BA%D8%B2%D8%A9-%D8%AE%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%84-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D8%AF%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AD%D8%B1%D8%A8%D9%8A-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%A6%D9%8A%D9%84%D9%8A
    3.  “To confront the occupation in the Palestinian Jordan Valley.” Arab NGO Network for Development. March 1, 2022. Accessed February 5, 2023. https://www.annd.org/ar/publications/details/%D9%84%D9%85%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%AC%D9%87%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%AD%D8%AA%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%84-%D9%81%D9%8A-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A3%D8%BA%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%81%D9%84%D8%B3%D8%B7%D9%8A%D9%86%D9%8A%D8%A9
    4. Open Society Institute 2015 Internal Revenue Service Form 990-PF. Accessed February 5, 2023. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/137029285/201423189349101912/IRS990PF
    5. [1]Issam Al-Subaihi. “Mary’s case brings back the debate on abortion to the façade in Morocco.” Arab NGO Network for Development. October 31, 2022. https://www.annd.org/ar/publications/details/%D9%82%D8%B6%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D9%85%D8%B1%D9%8A%D9%85-%D8%AA%D8%B9%D9%8A%D8%AF-%D9%85%D9%86-%D8%AC%D8%AF%D9%8A%D8%AF-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%86%D9%82%D8%A7%D8%B4-%D8%AD%D9%88%D9%84-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A5%D8%AC%D9%87%D8%A7%D8%B6-%D8%A5%D9%84%D9%89-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%AC%D9%87%D8%A9-%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%BA%D8%B1%D8%A8-%D8%B9%D8%B5%D8%A7%D9%85-%D8%B5%D8%A8%D9%8A%D8%AD%D9%8A
    6. George Nasr. “Developing Countries and Conference of the Parties 27.” Arab NGO Network for Development. September 28, 2022. Accessed February 5, 2023. https://www.annd.org/ar/publications/details/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A8%D9%84%D8%AF%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%86%D8%A7%D9%85%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D9%88%D9%85%D8%A4%D8%AA%D9%85%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A3%D8%B7%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%81-27-%D8%AC%D9%88%D8%B1%D8%AC-%D8%AC-%D9%86%D8%B5%D8%B1
    7. [1]Ziad Abdel Samad. LinkedIn. Accessed February 5, 2023. https://www.annd.org/ar/publications/details/%D8%AA%D8%AF%D9%87%D9%88%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A3%D9%88%D8%B6%D8%A7%D8%B9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A5%D9%86%D8%B3%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D9%81%D9%8A-%D9%82%D8%B7%D8%A7%D8%B9-%D8%BA%D8%B2%D8%A9-%D8%AE%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%84-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D8%AF%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AD%D8%B1%D8%A8%D9%8A-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%A6%D9%8A%D9%84%D9%8A
    8. Zahra Bazzi. LinkedIn. Accessed February 5, 2023. https://lb.linkedin.com/in/zahra-bazzi-4715b413
    9. Adham Al Hassanieh. LinkedIn. Accessed February 5, 2023. https://fr.linkedin.com/in/adham-al-hassanieh
    10. [1]Open Society Institute 2015 Internal Revenue Service Form 990-PF. Accessed February 5, 2023. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/137029285/201423189349101912/IRS990PF
    11. “The 2030 Agenda in Lebanon: Promotion of the Private Sector at the Expense of Obstructing Sustainable Development.” Social Watch. Accessed February 5, 2023. https://www.socialwatch.org/node/17792