IFES hosted key staff from the new United Nations Democracy Fund (UNDEF) and leading democracy-building organizations at a roundtable on April 28. Acting Executive Head of UNDEF, Magdy Martinez-Soliman, discussed the purpose of the new fund and parameters for applicants. "While democracy has always been one of the United Nation's goals, for the first time, [it] has decided to put 'democracy' explicitly in a program with UNDEF," he said. U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan announced the establishment of the fund in July 2005 to provide legal, technical and financial assistance and advice to new and emerging democracies. Martinez-Soliman also noted that the UNDEF is "not in the import/export business," explaining that the fund responds to local needs and does not support any single model of democracy.

Barbara Haig, vice president for programs, planning and evaluation at the National Endowment for Democracy, said that the establishment of UNDEF was welcome for bringing added legitimacy to funding democracy. It will be important, she said, to leverage strengths with other funding partners and set priorities to carry it through its long-term goals. IFES President Richard Soudriette concluded the roundtable, commenting that "IFES commends the establishment of UNDEF. It is an exciting initiative that really underscores the U.N. Declaration of Human Rights." The idea for UNDEF was sparked by a speech given by United States President George W. Bush before the U.N. General Assembly in 2004. The fund has since been embraced by the 141 nations that attended the third ministerial meeting of the Community of Democracies in Santiago, Chile in April 2005.