At its fourth Annual General Meeting in Paris, France on 25 May 2012 the following Board of Directors was elected:
The Board of Directors meets at least four times a year, of which at least one is in person, most meetings are teleconferences on Skype. ll the Directors are non executive Directors.
In 2012, the Board of Directors have met four times prior to the AGM, on the following dates (places in brackets represent meetings in person):
10 and 26 January, 28 March, 23 April and 24 May (Paris).
The current Board of Directors have met on the following dates:
26 May (Paris), 18 June, 4 October and 19 December (London) and in 2013 on 15 and 16 January (London) and 29 Jauuary. The next meeting will be on 14 February.
ZEN held its first annual general meeting in November 2009 in Brussels, Belgium, where a workprogramme for 2010 was adopted and its first Board of Directors was elected to succeed the interim steering committee that worked to formally establish ZEN since October 2008. The second AGM of ZEN held 8 December 2010 in Copenhagen, Denmark, adopted a new work programme for 2011 and elected a new Board of Directors. The third AGM of ZEN was held in London, UK on 12 December 2013. This AGM decided to move the AGMs to the European spring. The first spring AGM was held in Paris, France on 24 and 25 May 2012, which elected a new Board of Directors (see above) and adopted a work-plan for 2013.
Since 1 July 2009 ZEN's day-to-day business has been run by a secretariat in Brussels led by a coordinator. The size of the secretariat will be need driven depending on the work to be undertaken at any particular time. The coordinator was working part time (three days a week) until 1 April 2010 when he became full time. The organisation also employs interns, preferably Zimbabweans based in Europe with backgound experience from NGOs, administration, research or advocacy and with a wish to learn about advocacy and lobbying at the European Union level.
Co-ordinator: Tor-Hugne Olsen: Tor@ZimbabweEurope.org
ZEN cooperates with a large number of European organisations working on Zimbabwe and/or with projects/programmes on the ground (see ZEN Partners section). From 2010 partner organisations have been asked to join ZEN as members and pay a membership fee. ZEN will still partner / cooperate with all organisations that work on Zimbabwe. However, only full member organisations can nominate candidates to the Board of Directors and vote at formal meetings. Member organisations will also be given preference in relation to Zimbabwean visitors programmes, if there are space constrains at ZEN activities etc. Organisations that subscribe to ZENs aims can join ZEN. A small membership fee is charged, for 2012 between Euro 100 and Euro 2.500 depending on organisations size and finances. Any organisation considering to join ZEN can contact the ZEN coordinator on email Tor [at] ZimbabweEurope.org. Click for a full list of ZEN Members.
ZEN aims to works closely with civil society in Zimbabwe and in an initial consulation in Harare in February 2009 a number of organisations committed themselves to cooperating with ZEN (See: Zimbabwean Partners). A National Reference Group (NRG) consisting of four main Zimbabwean apex bodies of organisations was appointed to inform ZEN policy positions (see: ZEN National Reference Group). The NRG meets in Harare when necessary and in connection with visits from Europe. It also meets with the ZEN Board of Directors and members when on advocacy missions in Europe. Wider consultations with the NRG and other organisations occurred at events organised by ZEN in Zimbabwe, including a training on "Lobbying the EU" in Harare September 2009 and roundtables on "Measures against the Zimbabwean Government by the EU and the USA" in Harare and Bulawayo in December 2009. In 2010 roundtables on "Role of European donors in current Zimbabwe" was held in March in Harare (11th) and Bulawayo (15th) and consultation ahead of donor meeting in Denmark was held on 21 October 2010 in Harare. In 2011 consultations were held in Harare in September. In 2012 a conference for ZEN members and the NRG on the role of Europe in the current situation was held at HIVOS Harare on 15 March and a round table discussion on the EU measures against Zimbabwe was held for Zimbabwean trade unions and civil soicety organisations and ZEN's European members and partners at Jameson Cresta Harare in July. An informal discussion was held with the Chargé de Affaires at the EU delegation and the NRG and local representatives of member organisations in November 2012. Find details of these events in the Events section of this website.
At the first annual general meeting of ZEN in November 2009 new statutes were adopted (AGM Minutes and ZEN Statutes English / Flemish). These were updated at the AGM in December 2011.