> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://strategy.gfmd.info/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://strategy.gfmd.info/governance/general-assembly/2026.md).
# 2026 Annual Meeting
**Date:** Tuesday 30 June 2026
**Time:** 15:00 - 16:30 CET
**Location:** Online via Zoom
### Registration
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Register to attend the GFMD General Assembly. **Reach out to the GFMD Secretariat for more information regarding the registration.**
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### Who is eligible to attend?
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All representatives of [**GFMD members**](https://gfmd.info/members/) are welcome to attend.
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Members of the GFMD Steering Committee are especially encouraged to attend.
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### Agenda
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GFMD gave notice of the meeting on Monday, 2nd March 2026, but has not received any suggestions from members for the agenda.
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The meeting will be chaired by GFMD chair [Rawan Damen](https://strategy.gfmd.info/steering-committee/current#chairperson), Director of [ARIJ](https://en.arij.net/).
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#### **Welcome (15:00 - 15:05)**
Opening the meeting and welcoming members and guests:
* GFMD's Chair, Rawan Damen (Director General, ARIJ)
* Executive Director, Mira Milosevic (GFMD)
Welcoming of members from the [2025-2029 Steering Committee](https://strategy.gfmd.info/governance/steering-committee/current), which was elected last year.
#### **Adoption of minutes from 2025 General Assembly (15:05 - 15:10)**
* Minutes from the Extraordinary General Assembly held in July to confirm the Steering Committee election result are available [here](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nhsWjA5HX7w9BV5q2uWxBDoQMPcOcYxnNZrKIpfOf88/edit?usp=sharing).
* Minutes of the GFMD General Assembly in May 2025 are available [here](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_ieMTWGcOHi5szB5-GqfajNVKJHsUGssJl0lSpqZQiE/edit?usp=sharing).
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General Assembly to vote to adopt minutes from the July 2025 Extraordinary General Assembly
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#### **Adoption of GFMD's 2025 audited accounts (15:15 - 15:25)**
* GFMD's audit report for 2025 can be found [here](https://drive.google.com/file/d/10QMnZnd1M9qeaJ-md4M7_GR2DrtIksa2/view?usp=sharing).
* GFMD's audited accounts for 2025 can be found [here](https://drive.google.com/file/d/145J7bFJLIcvwp93pDMAFRG9ksQWiT3Zc/view?usp=sharing).
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GFMD Treasurer, Caroline Vuillemin (General Director, Fondation Hirondelle) comments on the accounts and answer questions alongside GFMD’s Executive Director, Mira Milosevic.
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> Despite a very difficult year for the media development sector in 2025, GFMD has managed to end the year with a positive result (+62’930 EUR, composed of +13’967 from 2025, and +48’962 brought forward from the precedent period). This is despite negative exchange rates results. That alone is a big achievement and I would like here to applaud the Secretariat for its capacity to adapt to the uncertainty, its perseverance and its resilience.
>
> For transparency reasons we have set up the annual accounts in an excel sheet with the approved budget of 2024. Here we can find the most striking differences.
>
> **Incomes**
>
> The team has been able to raise more grants, including for new initiatives such as the Journalism Cloud Alliance, and a new OSF grant.
>
> Looking at the number of activities in which GFMD is involved, this is also a big achievement because all is done with a relatively small staff. The positive result mirrors the fact that GFMD’s reputation is now installed, with the Director or Chairwomen present in all relevant conferences, at the table with all relevant actors.
>
> Most of the funding is related to projects, as it is more and more difficult to raise for core funding. Since 2022, GFMD has a membership fund that is used to support membership fees of global South members who can't afford the fee(s) for a year or two and to cover travel expenses of Steering Committee members who represent GFMD in different events including the SC meeting. The rules on this were adopted by the GA in year 2022. As a result, some money of the fund is unspent in 2025 and will be deferred to 2026. I’d like to remind all members here that it is always possible to contribute to the membership fund, all year long. When and if you find yourselves with some left-over money at the end of the year, GFMD will always welcome your contribution.
>
> **Charges**
>
> The expenses are in line with the budget and in accordance with the projects and operational activities of the network.
>
> GFMD’s staff is still on consultancy contracts and most of the expenses are human resources costs in nature. The majority of HR costs however are related (and booked on) project costs.
>
> The surplus will be added to the continuity reserve (visible in the accounts as ‘social funds’), a strategic reserve that we need to continue to consolidate.
>
> The figures of 2025 show that GFMD Secretariat and Steering Committee is doing everything in their power to continue defending the importance of media development on behalf of their members in a more complex and uncertain environment.
\
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General Assembly to vote to adopt.
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#### **Acceptance of GFMD's auditor for 2026 (15:25 - 15:30)**
The GFMD Secretariat was going to recommend asking the General Assembly to nominate the same auditor for the last 3 years. However, since the Audited Accounts were not completed by the deadlines that we had agreed, the Secretariat will look for another Auditor and share this with the General Assembly to approve before the end of the year.
GFMD’s auditor for the 2023, 2024, 2025 financial years was:
*VRC REGISTERED AUDITORS*
*West Point Park, 't Hofveld 6 C3 - 1702 Groot-Bijgaarden*
*TVA: BE0462836191*
*Auditor - Mireille Decoster*
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General Assembly to vote to approve the Secretariat’s proposal to look for a new auditor for 2026.
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#### **Approval of update to Executive Director’s banking authority (15:30 - 15:35)**
The Secretariat proposes to ask the General Assembly to approve adding the Treasurer to the named officials who have the authority to manage and adjust bank user rights of GFMD’s ING Bank Account.
At present, only the Executive Director has the authority to do so.
In line with the rules related to GFMD’s Belgium registration as an AISBL, ING cannot modify user access or permissions without a formal mandate approved by the General Assembly.
Members are invited to review and approve this update to ensure compliance and enable the Secretariat to manage banking access efficiently.
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General Assembly to vote to approve.
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#### **Adoption of GFMD’s 2025 activity report (15:35 - 15:45)**
* A report on GFMD’s activities in 2025 can be found [here](https://canva.link/4tjv5cbca2g5muv).
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General Assembly to vote to adopt.
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#### **Updating members on GFMD's budget 2026 (15:45 - 15:50)**
* GFMD’s draft budget for 2026 can be found [here](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1h7C9nmVHNRpwk0juR26X5SWk-ZpFSncb/edit?usp=sharing\&ouid=102822672911138910905\&rtpof=true\&sd=true).
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No vote required.
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#### Updating GFMD's membership fee structure **(15:50 - 15:55)**
GFMD's new membership fee structure is available [here](https://gfmd.info/h-content/uploads/2026/05/240807-PDF-on-membership-for-website-English-version.pdf?x32453).
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General Assembly to vote to adopt.
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#### Adoption of GFMD strategy 2026–2030 (15:55 - 16:10)
* GFMD’s strategy for 2026-2030 can be found [here](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1o0l4zCL71VzX10LiGP2g9tZcm4Mb8Yje/edit?usp=sharing\&ouid=102822672911138910905\&rtpof=true\&sd=true).
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The GFMD 2026-2030 strategy is the product of a structured, six-phase process carried out through 2025 and early 2026: member and expert consultations; scenario development around two critical uncertainties; refinement of those scenarios into four internally consistent futures with early-warning indicators; testing with outgoing and incoming GFMD Steering Committee members; validation by external experts and 5 session with GFMD members; an assessment of Secretariat capacity; and will conclude with the establishment of an adaptive monitoring rhythm that will let GFMD adjust course as evidence accumulates about which futures are taking shape. The result is intended as a living strategy — not a fixed blueprint, but a frame within which decisions can be revisited without abandoning the mission or the values.
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General Assembly to vote to adopt.
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#### **Implementation and roll out of GFMD Strategy (16:10 - 16:25)**
Discussion on next steps on how to begin implementation, moderated by GFMD’s Chair and Executive Director.
#### **Any other business (16:25 - 16:30)**
– ENDS –
## Background about the GFMD General Assembly
This annual meeting of GFMD’s[ General Assembly](https://strategy.gfmd.info/governance/constitution/general-assembly) is being held in order to fulfil the legal requirements of our Brussels registration and the [GFMD constitution](https://strategy.gfmd.info/documents/constitution/general-assembly).
The General Assembly is the sovereign body of the GFMD and brings together all members, as well as partners and supporters, provided that only general members have the right to vote at General Assembly meetings.
The General Assembly:
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Receives a report on GFMD activities of the Steering Committee and Secretariat and the activities of subcommittees.
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Approves annual financial report, including remuneration of members of the Executive Committee and the Steering Committee, the appointment of auditors or representatives and their fees, and the annual budget.
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The agenda for the meeting is shared “[at least 14 days before the meeting](https://strategy.gfmd.info/documents/constitution/general-assembly#id-7.3-general-assembly-meetings)”.
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First notice of the 2026 General Assembly was provided to members on **Monday, 2nd March 2026,** meeting the requirement that notice be given “[at least 60 days before the meeting](https://strategy.gfmd.info/documents/constitution/general-assembly#id-7.3-general-assembly-meetings).”
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