Extraordinary times need extraordinary measures. One of the most important lessons from 1989 is that after a democratic revolution we need not only to support civil society but also the political parties. That is why the ALDE Group has just decided to send one of its staff members to the Arab world to support liberal and democratic forces.
 
Guy Verhofstadt: "The Arab Spring is changing the face of the world. Everyone should contribute in trying to make this democratic process succeed. We are the first political group in the European Parliament to take this exceptional step by sending one of our staff to Cairo. The task will be to identify and support liberal and democratic forces and to establish contacts between them and the ALDE Group. This is part of our commitment to all those people in the Arab world who are fighting day and night for liberty, democracy and justice."
 
Alexander Graf Lambsdorff (FDP, Gemany) ALDE deputy leader: "With the Friedrich Naumann Foundation and Liberal International we have already been working in Egypt for more then forty years, giving us good foundations there. However, this is a time when we must not hesitate but do whatever we can to make democracy a reality across the Arab world, not least during the elections in the months to come. If they are doing well, we are doing well. This should be the essence of all neighbourhood policy."
 
The ALDE staff member to be sent by the Group is Koert Debeuf, currently Chief of Staff of Guy Verhofstadt. He will open an office in Cairo, starting with a period of three months, from where he will coordinate the network of the ALDE group and the Network of Arab Liberals in the region of the Middle-East and North-Africa.