Neighborhood Civil Society Facility Regional Seminar Brussels, 9 and 10 February 2012 ENGAGING STRATEGICALLY WITH CIVIL SOCIETY IN THE EUROPEAN NEIGHBOURHOOD

Purpose and structure of this session Provide overview of guidance Reflect and integrate recent EC/EU developments: ENP review, new policies, etc. Recent developments in ENP South and East Present cases of Morocco and Belarus Exchange experiences and ideas

PART 1: THE CORE QUESTION PART 2: CASES – BELARUS – MOROCCO PART 3: STRATEGIC AND OTHER GUIDANCE PART 4: MORE CASES – QUESTIONS - DISCUSSION

PART 1: The core question: How can the EC: –engage strategically and operationally –with both the state and non-state actors –on various development related issues –when it provides Budget Support –When it engages in Sector Policy Support Programmes? –Or when it cannot engage in these aid modalities?

EC guidance on strategic CSO engagement: three agendas…. 1. How to make aid more effective? 2. How to make development more participatory? 3. How to understand state-society relations?

.. And how to adapt or apply the guidance to the European Neighborhood 1. Contextual features of the European Neighborhood countries 2. EU institutional responses and changes 3. Policy responses

1. Global and regional context 3. New EU policies 2. EU transformations

1. Global and regional context - 16 countries – vastly differing in socio- economic and political profiles - Nature of partnership differs - The Arab Spring - Attention drawn on democracy and human rights

1. Global and regional context 2. EU transformations - Lisbon Treaty - EEAS/DEVCO - EUDs - PPCM,…

1. Global and regional context 3. New EU policies and tools/facilities - Modernisation of budget support - Agenda for Change - A new response to a changing Neighboorhood - A partnership for democracy and shared prosperity with the Southern Mediterranean - Civil Society Facility

Whats new? (Or, to what extent is this new?) Modernising budget support A new response to a changing Neighbourhood The Neighboorhood Civil Society Facility (Action Fiche) Fundamental values Encompass and reinforce support to NSAs Domestic accountability In structured way TransparencyAnd move beyondsimply providing financial support Civil society Towards enhancing engagement with civil society Coordination between EC and Member States Coordination and alignment And increasing its involvement in policy dialogue Differentiation Three components

PART 2: Examples from the field Morocco Belarus

Examples from Belarus and Morocco Non-state actorsState-society relations EC/EU and the state - EC/EU and state- society on development and poverty reduction

PART 3: operational and strategic guidance

The basic rationale 1. Making aid more effective 3. Improving knowledge of state- society relations 2. Making aid more participatory

Rationale and fit with EU policies and processes 1. Making aid more effective Budget support SPSPs 3. Improving knowledge of state-society relations PPCM 2. Making aid more participatory EU concensus Structured Dailogue

1. Making aid more effective – Budget Support and Sector Policy Support Programmes

More effective aid and so-called New Aid Modalities EC and other donors look for ways to make their aid more effective These efforts include among other things ways to: Align behind country policies (if these reduce poverty) Align behind country systems (if there are serious efforts to make these systems work for the poor) Reduce the burden on partners (through harmonization) And move from government ownership to country ownership, And from mutual to domestic accountability New Aid Modalities include Budget Support and Sector Policy Support Programs

1. Making aid more effective 2. Making aid more participatory

Participatory development Participatory development Development assistance includes support to and through NSAs Development is a multi-actor participatory process Development is a multi- stakeholder process where the central state is one of the actors NSAs are not only implementing agencies but also promoters of democracy, justice and human rights EU is committed to strengthening NSAs to fully participate in political, economic and social dialogue processes Civil Society is recognised in all its diversity Participatory development and Non-State Actors

Potential entry points for NSA participation in context of NAM Participation in context of NAM Poverty Reduction Strategies Monitoring the monitors (such as parliament) Monitoring the implementation (of the budget, of the policies,..) Dialogue on priorities in the budget and policies Contributing to the implementation of the policies Etc….

Yet in real life, many obstacles to overcome ARE YOU KIDDING? Is there political will behind pro-poor policies? Does civil society have the capacities/interest to engage with the state? Is there an enabling environment for Non-State Actors to participate? Is the budget transparent? Does it reflect priorities? Is it credible? Is there an open and transparent dialogue with NSAs? Do parliamentarians respond to demands from citizens?

1. Making aid more effective 3. Improving knowledge of State-society relations 2. Making aid more participatory

Understanding state-society relations In order to overcome these obstacles, And in order to make and more effective and PARTICIPATORY, Two more P-words matter: POWER and POLITICS What affects the opportunities for NSAs to participate? How are the relations between state and society? Between elites/power holders with civil society? What are entry points for civil society to engage with the state? What are the incentives for state actors, elites, power holders to engage with civil society? What prevents collective action?

Some generic guidance Consider NSAs as full fledge actors Analyze state- society relations systematically Explore full potential within and beyond NAM Be prepared to play new roles

Operational Guidance: potential entry points in state-society Participation in policy dialogue, sector coordination, mid-term and joint reviews Participation in formulation PRSP and sector policies Performance, budget monitoring and users consultation Contributions to implementation and service delivery

Operational guidance: Entry points in the EC cycle of operations programming identification and formulation implementation monitoring

Guidance in the Reference Document includes: WHAT ARE THE KEY ISSUES TO BE ADDRESSED IN EACH PHASE? WHAT ARE THE POTENTIAL ROLES AND ENTRY POINTS FOR NSAs PARTICIPATION? WHAT ARE THE MAIN STRATEGIC AND OPERATIONAL QUESTIONS TO BE CONSIDERED? EMERGING GOOD PRACTICES ?

Points of attention: develop knowledge about state and non-state relations Participation in dialogue on poverty reduction strategies and sector policies Engagement in sector coordination Involvement in performance budget monitoring Efficient service provision Capacity development with other NSAs EC will have to address capacity shortages if necessary

Points of attention: Ensuring Complementarity of Instruments Support to NSAs within new aid modalities Support of NSAs around new aid modalities Preparing the ground for NSAs involvement in NAMs Remaining engaged….

Points of attention: promote Smart Partnerships With other donors (division of labour, complementarity, harmonisation, etc.) With domestic state actors With domestic non-state actors Facilitate smart partnership between NSAs and Local Governments Promote transparency

Points of attention: new roles for the EC What does it mean for the EC to adopt a political facilitation role?

PART 4: How does all this relate to the field – the EN? What are entry-points for engagement with CS? Around these aid modalities? Operational, funding, policy related issues? Are there opportunities to engage more strategically? What would help? What is holding you back?

The Approach Tools and guidance Treat NSAs as Actors » Mapping methodology » Governance Analysis Framework » RD: Methodological tool 1, 2, 6 Analyze state-society relations systematically » Governance Analysis Framework » RD: Methodological tool 4 » Capacity4Dev (Political Economy Analysis) Explore and support the full potential of NSAs involvement in and beyond NAM » RD: Key questions to be posed through policy cycle (4.3) » RD: Methodological tool 1 » RD: Dialogue with NSAs, capacity development, combining tools, instruments and approaches (4.4) Do no Harm-be prepared for new roles » RD: EC new roles (6) » RD: Methodological tool 5, 6, 7 Practical info: where to find? Tools and practical Guidance 34

Thank you Jan Vanheukelom