📢 A New Chapter for Democratic Asia! CCW and Verité Research Sign Memorandum of Cooperation 🤝

We are proud to announce that on July 3rd, 2025, Citizen Congress Watch (Taiwan) and the renowned Sri Lankan think tank Verité Research officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Taipei!
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This is more than a symbolic agreement—it is a long-term commitment with Asia as our stage and democracy as our shared goal.

🔍 Why are we working together?

As Parliamentary Monitoring Organizations (PMOs) in our respective countries, we believe that a transparent and trustworthy parliament is the cornerstone of a healthy democracy. In the face of growing democratic backsliding across Asia and the world, PMOs should not work in isolation—we must connect, collaborate, and form a regional support network to defend democratic values.

🌐 What are we setting out to do?

CCW and Verité Research are committed to advancing the following areas of cooperation in the coming years:
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1️⃣ Launch the Asian PMO Network – A regional platform for organizations across Asia dedicated to parliamentary transparency, accountability, and citizen participation, enabling long-term learning, exchange, and action.
2️⃣ Develop the Asia Parliamentary Transparency Index – A regionally aligned framework to assess openness in areas such as information disclosure, legislative transparency, and civic engagement, with regular reports to drive reform and enable cross-country comparison.
3️⃣ Promote international linkages and policy advocacy – Collaborate with international NGOs and initiatives like the Open Government Partnership (OGP) to amplify the voice and impact of Asian PMOs in global democratic governance conversations.
4️⃣ Co-author comparative research and publications – Produce studies on best practices, institutional frameworks, and strategic pathways in parliamentary monitoring, generating resources with global relevance and regional insight.
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💬 We especially thank Dr. Nishan de Mel, Executive Director of Verité Research, who made a special visit to CCW during his Taiwan trip at the invitation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The idea was to discuss future cooperation, but with great enthusiasm, we decided to sign the MoU immediately.
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📸 This was not just a ceremonial moment—it marks a significant step forward for democratic cooperation in Asia. Going forward, we will continue to invite more countries and organizations to join us in this growing civic alliance to defend and advance democracy across the region.
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📍 Location: CCW Office, Taipei
📅 Date: July 3rd, 2025
✍️ Signatories: Dr. Nishan de Mel (Verité Research) & Jeffrey Tung-Ru Shieh (Chair, CCW)