VENRO and the Ethiopian NGO umbrella association “Consortium of Christian Relief and Development Association” (CCRDA) held a joint meeting of European and African civil society in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa on the 15th 16th July.
The title of the Workshop was “Civil Society and the Joint Africa-EU Strategy”.

African partners of VENRO member organisations discussed issues together with representatives of the Economic, Social and Cultural Council of the African Union (ECOSOCC). ECOSOCC is the institutionalised continental representation of African civil society in the Joint Africa-EU Strategy.

The discussion centred on the issue of how African civil society’s involvement in the implementation of the Strategy can be improved. The participants agreed that they wish to become more active in ECOSOCC in future, which was welcomed by the ECOSOCC representatives.
This offers the African partners of the VENRO members the opportunity to bring their positions and demands to bear vis-à-vis political decision-makers.

You will find a detailed programme of the event here.