As one of the crucial events, VENRO organises a partner conference on the beginning of April 2009 (6-7) in Nairobi.
The main objective of the conference is to develop − together with African partner organisations − requirements and positions of the civil society in the fields of regional integration and trade, energy and climate as well as gender and governance. The joint Africa-EU Strategy is certainly one of the main focal points. The worked out results of the conference will be the basis for the further actions of the project “Prospects for Africa – Europe´s Policies” in the coming two years.
More events are planned around EU-Africa, one of them is 2 years after Lisbon planned in November 2009 with the purpose to review the state of play on the Implementation of the Action Plans. A supplement in the “Süddeutsche” with articles on the latest issues of the project is also planned.
With the project “Prospects for Africa – Europe´s Policies” VENRO aims at making an active civil-society contribution on the implementation of the Africa-EU Strategic Partnership.The project is planned as a follow-up on the successful EU presidency project of VENRO.On the background of the strategy´s main purpose − an equal partnership of European and African actors − the following objectives shall be achieved:
• To raise awareness of policy makers, specialist audience and the media towards the strategy.
• To support aspects of development within the partnership, especially in the field of trade and regional integration, energy and climate as well as gender and governance, the central issues of the project.
• To develop − together with African partner organisations − requirements and positions of the civil society in the fields of trade, energy and climate as well as gender. The contributions shall be considered in decision-making-processes by the political leaders.
• To develop lobby strategies how to influence the implementation of the strategy.
• To strengthen civil society networks in Africa as well as support the civil society in Africa to take part in the implementation processes of the Africa-EU Partnership.
The target-groups of the VENRO-project are political decision-makers, NGOs, experts and the general public. The focus on the subject area of energy/climate, trade and regional integration and gender reflect the main working areas of the VENRO members and their African partner organisations. The chosen topics have already been central issues of the VENRO-presidency project and had been identified as important topics for the African partner organisations.
Besides a detailed documentation of every activity, didactic material will be made available for further in-depth consideration of special topics. Furthermore there will be the opportunity of lobby-meetings with high-ranked politicians like the German Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development and others. The PR-campaign of the project will contain a website in German and English, a regular monthly e-mail-newsletter with articles and background-information on the latest issues as well as the project’s own logo and banner. On the occasion of the review conference in November 2009 and the final conference in 2010 official press conferences will be hold, additionally regular press releases on current issues and progresses of the project will be published.
