The Opportunities of CPA: For NSAs better Engagement in Development Partnerships & Perspectives for the future July 2010 Yitagesu Zewdu Non-State Actors Coalition

As Introduction The Cotonou Partnership Agreement (CPA) is a global Development framework that focuses on Sustainable Socio-Economic Development, Poverty Reduction & Regional integration between 79 ACP group countries and 27 member states of the EU.  Unique feature of the CPA is its comprehensiveness which addresses 3 pillars of partnership: political, development & economic cooperation.  Issues that addressed within these pillars include country fragility & Security, achieving MDGs, climate change, trade relationships, inclusive partnership from all sectors & aid effectiveness.

Opportunities of CPA for NSAs Participation in Dev’t  In the previous the EU- ACP group Countries development cooperation participation of the NSAs remains weak & almost non in aid cooperation and development programming with other partners.  The commencement of CPA has recognized participation as a fundamental principle in executing the partnership as it has stipulated in different provisions of the agreement.  The principle of participatory then promoted to active & a wide range of actors engagement - specifically the NSAs- apart from the central Gov’t as the main partners.  In this regard Art. 2 of CPA demands the active involvement of the NSAs in all aspects of development partnership processes.

CPA for NSAs Participation...  There are 3 areas of NSAs participation:- 1. Policy formulation and drawing up of programs (indeed rights are limited to information sharing and consultation) 2. Implementation of projects under the cooperation 3. Program Review & Evaluation  CPA has arranged for NSAs to participate and play significant role in strategic dialogue with the national governments & the EU on development plans.  Therefore, this agreement provisions have enhanced the NSAs role in shaping national policies to support the poverty reduction and sustainable development processes.

Ethiopian NSAs’ Experience in Participating on CPA  One of the opportunities of the CPA is bringing the NSAs on to the commune platform where they discuss and promote their views on the development issues.  With the aim of exploiting all its relevant provisions and instruments of the agreement and encouraging greater involvement of NSAs in Dev’t Partnerships, Ethiopian NSAs established CTF on November 2003 in consultation and significant support of the EU delegation and the GoE (specifically National Authorizing Office).  Since then, it has gone from strength to strength and by now it has transformed its arrangement & structure from TF level to formal and legal organization in the name of Non State Actors Coalition.  NSAC is a specialized consortium, which exist to coordinate the collective engagement of NSAs in the Global Development Partnership and aid effectiveness in general and EU-Ethiopia development cooperation based on CA in particular.  NSAC has been facilitated and ensured full & effective participation of all Ethiopian NSAs in the execution process of CPA and its benefits towards sustainable development processes.

Ethiopian NSAs’ Participation ….  Considering this CPA as golden opportunity, Ethiopian NSAs have been actively participating and playing imperative roles in the EU- Ethiopian dev’t Cooperation.  So far Ethiopian NSAs have been engaged and contributed for the achievement of the dev’t cooperation in the following matters: 1. Promoting, familiarizing and information dissemination on key development partnership issues & CPA/EPA at grass root & national level in order to enhance understanding of all actors about the principal objectives & principles of such dev’t agreements.

Ethiopian NSAs’ Participation Cont. 2 Conducting researches and assessments on the development partnership issues with the aim of creating awareness on key development affairs and contributing policy agendas as impute for national policy makers. 3 Enhancing capacities of NSAs that enable them to interact in the consultative dialogues with development partners. 4 Facilitation of NSAs’ participation in the tripartite consultative dialogue process on key development issues with GoE and other development partners. 5 Providing inputs and participating in the process of review Country Strategy Paper (CSP), National Indicative Programme (NIP), Mid Term Review (MTR) and Joint Annual Report (JAR).

Ethiopian NSAs’ Participation Cont. Generally, the CPA has created greatest opportunity & enabling environment for better participation & contribution of NSAs in the development cooperation in the contexts of Ethiopia. However, Ethiopian NSAs have faced some critical challenges that restricted their active engagement in dev’t process accordingly the CA due various reasons such as: 1. Institutional Capacity Constraints: that blocked NSAs effective engagement and contribution to the better results at the country level. 2. Legal Environment restraint: some provisions of the newly enacted Cherty Organizations and Societies legislation restricted NSAs from creating common platform in the sprite of CPA

Perspective for the future  CPA has created new phenomena & area of engagement for NSAs as they are expected to participate in development policy formation, & implementation process as well as structured dialogue with national government and the EU, that signifying as shift from development driven by the state to broader sharing of responsibilities.  There are 10 years in our frontage which provide more opportunities for NSAs to the better engagement in the development process collaborating with other development actors by reviewing the last lessens and over coming challenges.  Thus, it is our hope that all NSAs are prepared and fully energized to work towards a better world by contributing to fighting poverty, ensure sustainable development and engaging in a genuine tri-partite dialogue with all development partners.

As Way forward The CPA is a powerful partnership framework in terms of creating opportunity where NSAs involve on the national, sub- regional, continental and international development dealings with the national government and the EU, which was unimaginable few years ago. Nonetheless, to facilitate NSAs presentation beyond the current symbolic and limited role there are some critical issues that need swift actions by all actors: 1. Enhancing institutional and technical capacity of the NSAs is highly decisive to ensure their genuine participation that allows to them to play significant role to addressing & achieving the EU-ACP development cooperation.

As Way forward… 2. Creating enabling legal and policy environment for the NSAs where they engage flexibly on the public affairs accordingly the context and sprite of the CPA is also highly imperative. 3. Promoting and strengthening solidarity and partnership platforms between ACP and the EU countries NSAs is very urgent to magnify their collective voices in order to address common interests and agendas on the CPA.

Thank You!