"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
Brussels, May 13th 2013
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:
Partners:
Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung e.V.
European Integration
Armenia
Azerbaijani Youth Euro-Atlantic Organisation
Azerbaijan
The International Educational NGO AKT
Belarus
The Assembly of Pro-Democratic NGOs
Belarus/Lithuania
International Center on Conflict and Negotiation
Georgia
Institute for Development and Social Initiatives
Moldova
Initiative Centre to Support Social Action/
Ednannia
Ukraine
Transtec
Belgium
Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung e.V.
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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):
• Project & Guidance Manager (KE 2) :
• Expert in Communication (KE 3) :
Christine Leiser
Simon Paul Hinchliff
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.
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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 visibility
b) 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)
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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
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So far not involved in the EaP CSF
Assembly of Pro-Democratic NGOs of Belarus / Belarus
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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
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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
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Main target groups:
CSOs in Belarus (all regions)
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So far not involved in the EaP CSF but participating in individual platform events
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Experience with EU projects and applications (with NDI on social contractin in
Belarus)
International Center on Conflict and Negotiation / Georgia
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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
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Main target groups:
Media, civil society actors (especially young leaders, women and members of
minority groups; IDPs)
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ICCN is a member of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum (WG 1: Governance
and Human rights) and participated in all CSF meetings
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Specific expertise in CSO mapping within the organisation
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Beneficiary of various grants from the EU/ Instrument for Stability
Institute for Development and Social Initiatives / Moldova
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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
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Main target groups:
Generating policy/stakeholder dialogues amongst municipal governments, central
government agencies, private business, think tanks, academia and mass media
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So far not involved in the EaP CSF
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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
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Main objective:
Strengthening civil society and improving the social environment through citizens‘
initiatives;
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Main target groups:
Supporting cooperation amongst various stakeholders (CSOs, government, business,
academia
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Specific expertise in the field of CSO mapping (NGO Directory published)
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Implemented together with Transtec TACIS projects in support of civil society
development in the Ukraine
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So far not involved in the EaP CSF
Transtec / Belgium
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Main objective:
Delivering technical cooperation services for public, private and third sector
organisations in the field of organisational governance, decision-making and
implementation
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Consulting firm which implemented EU funded service projects in the past 10 years in
Moldova, Belarus, Ukraine
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Leader of the Consortium implementing the corresponding civil society support
project ENPI-South (KAS as partner)