The EU Neighbourhood Info Centre has released a 2.6-minute interview with Michael Köhler, Director for the Neighbourhood at EuropeAid, which talks about strengthening and promoting the role of civil society actors in reforms and democratic changes in the Neighbourhood countries.
The video – in English with Arabic subtitles – is produced by the Info Centre’s partner ANSA and highlights the efforts made towards a more viable civil society through increased participation in the fulfillment of European Neighbourhood Policy objectives.
“They are two different approaches – one is to strengthen civil society, to support and make it more viable, make the NGOs partners in dialogue and that can happen through financial assistance, through advice, through bringing them in contact with European organizations”, says Michael Köhler, Director for the Neighbourhood at EuropeAid. “At the same time, of course we want to have civil society as an element of Governance”
Köhler also says that while in some countries the dialogue is easier, because there are national platforms where all the NGOs meet, in others things are more challenging and take more time.
(Source: EU Neighbourhood Info Centre)