Brussels, May 13th 2013

"Strengthening non-State Actors' Capacities to Promote Reform and to increase Public Accountability in

the Eastern Partnership Countries"

[Europeaid/132138/C/SER/Multi]

Presented by Andrea E. Ostheimer, Programme Director, KAS

Project Context

In May 2011, in the midst of dramatic changes sweeping the Southern Neighbourhood, the EU completed a major review of its European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP).

=> A new approach for a changing neighbourhood

According to a policy of “more for more”,committed reformers in the EU’s Southern and Eastern

neighbourhood would be awarded greater and broader EU support.

Project Context

The EU re-oriented assistance programmes and made EUR 1 billion more available in 2011-2013 to be

channelled through new innovative programmes –

SPRING for the Southern Neighbourhood and EaPIC for the Eastern Neighbourhood.

Project Context

A Civil Society Facility covering all ENP countries was launched in September 2011

with an initial budget of EUR 22 Mio. for 2011 and 23 Mio. for 2012 and 2013.

Project Context

At the Eastern Partnership Summit in Warsaw in 2011, a separate joint Communication proposed

A Roadmap to the autumn 2013 Eastern Partnership Summit.

Reforms need to be reinforced, and pace of reforms will determine the intensity of cooperation with EU => more for more approach

Particular emphasis was put on the need for engagement with societies as a whole.

Project Context

The roots of democracy and sustainable development: Europe's engagement with Civil Society in external relations OCT 2012

This Communication puts forward three priorities for EU support:

To enhance efforts to promote a conducive environment for CSOs in partner countries.

To promote a meaningful and structured participation of CSOs in domestic policies of partner countries, in the EU programming cycle and in international processes.

To increase local CSOs' capacity to perform their roles as independent development actors more effectively.

EU service project

"Strengthening non-State Actors' Capacities to promote reform and

to increase public accountability in the Eastern Partnership Countries“

Project period: January 2013-December 2015

Geographic scope: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine

The Consortium and the Project Team

Consortium Leader: Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung e.V.

Partners: European Integration Armenia

Azerbaijani Youth Euro-Atlantic Organisation Azerbaijan

The International Educational NGO AKT Belarus

The Assembly of Pro-Democratic NGOsBelarus/Lithuania

International Center on Conflict and Negotiation Georgia

Institute for Development and Social Initiatives Moldova

Initiative Centre to Support Social Action/ UkraineEdnannia

Transtec Belgium

Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung e.V.

• German Political Foundation (Status NGO)• Funded by German government• Mandate: Support to democratisation processes and the rule of law• Main target groups: Civil society and political actors• Geographical coverage: Worldwide active in over 100 countries• Represented with 80 country offices;

=> in the EaP-Region in Southern Caucasus (regional office Tiblisi); in Kiev/Ukraine; Moldova covered by office in Bukarest, Belarus covered from Vilnius

• Implementing currently 15 EU grants in Asia, Middle East, Europe and Sub-Sahara Africa; partner in 2 EU service projects; and leader of 2 EU service projects (previous or current EU funded projects in Belarus, Southern Caucasus, Moldova)

Project Team

EXPERTS• Team Leader (KE 1): Christine Leiser• Project & Guidance Manager (KE 2) : Simon Paul Hinchliff• Expert in Communication (KE 3) : Oleksiy Soldatenko

Project Team Staff• Training & Capacity Manager• Consulting and Finance Manager• Scientific Coordinator Caucasus (based in Tiblisi)• Secretary / Assistant

Project Objectives

OVERALL OBJECTIVE: To strengthen and promote civil society‘s role in reforms and democratic changes taking place in the Eastern Neighbourhood

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES :

I. CSOs have strengthened capacities to

a) engage in policy dialogues and reform processes

b) monitor the implementation of government commitments

I. CSOs manage projects better and are able to attract more funding

II. Multi-stakeholder consultations are organised and input of CSOs is taken into account

III. Recognition of CSOs role in reform is enhanced

5 Project Components

1. In-depth mapping of civil society landscape in partner countries=> including update of mapping every 6 months

2. Capacity building activities for CSOs 36 training courses 9 training of trainers courses 3 e-learning courses

3. Ad-hoc support to CSOs on a) project management and visibilityb) EU-funding, PADOR et al. Registration, partner

search, reporting

5 Project Components

4. Facilitation of multi-stakeholder consultations Support to the inclusion of CSOs in EU and partner country sector

policy dialogues Empowerment of CSOs to participate effectively in dialogues Facilitate access and quality of information given to CSOs

5. Ensuring the visibility of the Eastern Neighbourhood Facility

Liaising with media Creation of bilingual website Organising information sessions Organising information and partnership events

Link to Civil Society Forum

Civil Society Forum SC is part of the Advisory Board to the project (first meeting in April 2013)

CSF members are part of the project beneficiaries but not exclusively

!!!! Need to gather information on how to support CSF work in particular !!!

Thank you for your attention !

European Integration / Armenia

• Main objective: Promoting and lobbying for the European model for development and European values; engaging in the areas of human rights, civil society development and conflict

transformation

• Main target groups: Youth, civil society, media, but also government representatives (policy dialogue)

• Involved in the process of the EaP CSF right from the beginning; participating in the Armenian national platform

Azerbaijani Youth Euro-Atlantic Organisation / Azerbaijan

• Main objective: Promoting civil society, rising public awareness of Euro-Atlantic values, democratic

development of Azerbaijan

• Main target groups: Youth from different regions

• So far not involved in the EaP CSF

Assembly of Pro-Democratic NGOs of Belarus / Belarus

• Main objective: Development of civil society sector and conducive environment for it in Belarus => freedom of association => thematic focus on: common interests and solidarity actions; communication of Assembly members and members with external stakeholders, monitoring, analysis and evaluation of civil society activities

• Main features: 310 member organisations, 1/3 in Minsk, 2/3 in the regions

• Vast experience in the implementation of EU funded projects (Pontis Civil society campaign; KAS Media service project; Civil Society Stability for Belarus)

ACT – The International Educational NGO / Belarus

• Main objective: Building capacity of non-profit organisations focusing on social services, mentoring and advocating of CSOs but also interacting with respective Ministries=> kind of intermediary support organisation and CSO resource centre

• Main target groups: CSOs in Belarus (all regions)

• So far not involved in the EaP CSF but participating in individual platform events

• Experience with EU projects and applications (with NDI on social contractin in Belarus)

International Center on Conflict and Negotiation / Georgia

• Main objective: Prevention and peaceful conflict resolution; contributing to an open and democratic space for civil society to operate; providing space for participation of minorities as active citizens

• Main target groups: Media, civil society actors (especially young leaders, women and members of minority groups; IDPs)

• ICCN is a member of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum (WG 1: Governance and Human rights) and participated in all CSF meetings

• Specific expertise in CSO mapping within the organisation

• Beneficiary of various grants from the EU/ Instrument for Stability

Institute for Development and Social Initiatives / Moldova

• Main objective: As a think tank focusing ist research on modernization of the public sector (europeanisation); strengthening a functional market economy; support the transition to a free market and open society

• Main target groups: Generating policy/stakeholder dialogues amongst municipal governments, central government agencies, private business, think tanks, academia and mass media

• So far not involved in the EaP CSF

• Previous experience in the implementation of EU projects in cooperation with Transtec (Strengthening civil society in Moldova)

Initiative Centre to Support Social Action - Ednannia / Ukraine

• Main objective: Strengthening civil society and improving the social environment through citizens‘ initiatives;

• Main target groups: Supporting cooperation amongst various stakeholders (CSOs, government, business, academia

• Specific expertise in the field of CSO mapping (NGO Directory published)

• Implemented together with Transtec TACIS projects in support of civil society development in the Ukraine

• So far not involved in the EaP CSF

Transtec / Belgium

• Main objective: Delivering technical cooperation services for public, private and third sector organisations in the field of organisational governance, decision-making and implementation

• Consulting firm which implemented EU funded service projects in the past 10 years in Moldova, Belarus, Ukraine

• Leader of the Consortium implementing the corresponding civil society support project ENPI-South (KAS as partner)