The International Conference on New or Restored Democracies (ICNRD) is an intergovernmental process open to all UN member States. Since the first Conference was held with the participation of 13 countries, the ICNRD has grown into a global event bringing together more than 100 countries from the developing and developed world. To date, a total of six International Conferences on New or Restored Democracies have been held in Manila, the Philippines (1988); Managua, Nicaragua (1994); Bucharest, Romania (1997); Cotonou, Benin (2000) ,Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia (2003) and the latest in QATAR (2006). The ICNRD movement recognizes that new or restored democracies face multiple challenges brought about by both national and international forces. Although democracy has advanced rapidly in great parts of the world over the last thirty years, many countries are struggling to consolidate their sovereignty, their democratic achievements, and making democracy itself an irreversible process. New or restored democracies have pledged to ensure that all members of society benefit from the democratization process and are able to participate fully in their new systems of governance. ICNRD represents a forum to discuss and exchange views on democratic governance and developmental issues.
