What makes networks effective in What makes networks effective in influencing the policyinfluencing the policy

SID – EDC 2010SID – EDC 2010A European case of A European case of

networking in practicenetworking in practice

Euforic AGMEuforic AGMLondon, 2 June 2005London, 2 June 2005

Gordana StankovićSID European Programme

What is SID European Programme ?What is SID European Programme ?

LT Goals of the European ProgrammeLT Goals of the European Programme• clear realisation of the external responsibility of Europe in all clear realisation of the external responsibility of Europe in all

Member StatesMember States • giving the Member States instruments and discourse with which giving the Member States instruments and discourse with which

they can convince their own constituencies of the necessity of they can convince their own constituencies of the necessity of development cooperation model based on solidaritydevelopment cooperation model based on solidarity

• ensuring that the EU development policy and aid delivery must ensuring that the EU development policy and aid delivery must form a part of coherent external relations, underpinned by form a part of coherent external relations, underpinned by effective multilateralismeffective multilateralism

• ensuring that all the EU members state act appropriately in ensuring that all the EU members state act appropriately in order to support their commitments made at Monterrey order to support their commitments made at Monterrey conference to increase ODA levels substantially by 2006 and conference to increase ODA levels substantially by 2006 and beyond as to contribute to global effort to double ODA volumes beyond as to contribute to global effort to double ODA volumes and progress in harmonised aid delivery, which is essential for and progress in harmonised aid delivery, which is essential for meeting MDGsmeeting MDGs

• Better visibility of European development cooperation on European and national levels, with a clear mandate for the Commission

Main Project ActivitiesMain Project Activities Are instruments to help achievement of the LT goals and in themselves Are instruments to help achievement of the LT goals and in themselves objectives of the current 3-year project:objectives of the current 3-year project:

• Conferences at European/InternationalConferences at European/International level: Vienna 2003 and level: Vienna 2003 and The Hague 2004The Hague 2004

• Establishing and/or strengthening focal points in at least 10 EU Establishing and/or strengthening focal points in at least 10 EU MS (end eventually all MS) with a mandate to raise public and MS (end eventually all MS) with a mandate to raise public and political awareness as well as to help to define the development political awareness as well as to help to define the development cooperation policies of these countriescooperation policies of these countries

• Strengthening network of concerned parliamentarians and Strengthening network of concerned parliamentarians and policy makers concerned with European development policy makers concerned with European development cooperation and policy, and bridging it to networks of academic cooperation and policy, and bridging it to networks of academic institutions and NGOs institutions and NGOs

SID – EDC 2010 SID – EDC 2010 a case of networkinga case of networking

Why network?Why network?• To further extend its network away from its traditional To further extend its network away from its traditional

parliamentarian support base to a more academic, parliamentarian support base to a more academic, research and NGO fields.research and NGO fields.

• To ensure that the European programme follows To ensure that the European programme follows multidisciplinary and coherent approach to the multidisciplinary and coherent approach to the development issues development issues

• To use its own resources and strengths most effectively To use its own resources and strengths most effectively and efficiently while at the same time relay on work and efficiently while at the same time relay on work already done by other partners in the network in their already done by other partners in the network in their field of expertise (i.e. research, electronic network)field of expertise (i.e. research, electronic network)

• Fundraising reasons, applying together for funds for Fundraising reasons, applying together for funds for future activities, complementing each other rather than future activities, complementing each other rather than competing for same funds. competing for same funds.

How?How?• By choosing the right partners, which have brought to By choosing the right partners, which have brought to

the partnership what SID was ‘lacking’ i.e. a stronger the partnership what SID was ‘lacking’ i.e. a stronger institutional networkinstitutional network

EADI and the EDC 2010 InitiativeEADI and the EDC 2010 Initiative brought to the brought to the partnership its network of members from academic partnership its network of members from academic and research institutes, together with the wealth of and research institutes, together with the wealth of knowledge and research on issues regarding the EDC knowledge and research on issues regarding the EDC and policyand policy

Euforic Euforic brought to the partnership its network of civil brought to the partnership its network of civil society organisations and individulas both in the society organisations and individulas both in the North and South, together withNorth and South, together with its expertise in the its expertise in the internet information on internet information on international development international development cooperationcooperation

Europe and the South: A New Era

European Development Cooperation.Towards policy renewal and new committment

SID/EDC 2010 International Conference The Hague 27-28 September 2004

Above was an example of successful networking ‘exercise’Above was an example of successful networking ‘exercise’ Strengths and constraints SID had in preparing the Strengths and constraints SID had in preparing the

conference:conference:• SID has a strong network of influencial individuals rather than SID has a strong network of influencial individuals rather than

institutional network, which enable it to:institutional network, which enable it to: secure funds, secure funds, secure participation from influencial individuals both as speakers secure participation from influencial individuals both as speakers

and participants, and participants, open doors to some high level political meetingsopen doors to some high level political meetings

• SID was constrained by:SID was constrained by: limited time, only 8 months to organise itlimited time, only 8 months to organise it Limited human resources Limited human resources Limited research and academic resourcesLimited research and academic resources Limited contacts among CS actors outside SID own network, Limited contacts among CS actors outside SID own network,

especially in the Southespecially in the South

The way the constraints were overcome:The way the constraints were overcome:

Partnership with EADI/EDC 2010Partnership with EADI/EDC 2010::• Brought in speakers and participants from the academic and Brought in speakers and participants from the academic and

research worldresearch world• Already existing research on EDC issue briefing and policy Already existing research on EDC issue briefing and policy

papers prepared for EDC 2010 project used as briefing papers prepared for EDC 2010 project used as briefing documents for the conferencedocuments for the conference

Partnership with EuforicPartnership with Euforic• Brought in speakers and participants from CS, especially the Brought in speakers and participants from CS, especially the

SouthSouth• Organised an e-debate from the Southern perspective on the Organised an e-debate from the Southern perspective on the

issues covered in the conferenceissues covered in the conference• Managed the European programme website Managed the European programme website

Both organisationBoth organisation alsoalso• Helped with more general tasks of the conference (i.e. Helped with more general tasks of the conference (i.e.

logistical, PR, etc), logistical, PR, etc), • By working in partnership with the two network organisations a By working in partnership with the two network organisations a

feeling of common European purpose was createdfeeling of common European purpose was created

LT benefits of the networking for LT benefits of the networking for this one off event this one off event

Agenda for Action Agenda for Action a short document ofa short document of main findings of the main findings of the conference to be used for influencing the policy theconference to be used for influencing the policy the Agenda Agenda presented at the meeting of Chairpersons of Commitees on FA of presented at the meeting of Chairpersons of Commitees on FA of the 25 EU MS in Luxemburg 14 February 2005 Lux Minister Schiltz the 25 EU MS in Luxemburg 14 February 2005 Lux Minister Schiltz present as well.present as well.

Activities in NMSActivities in NMS SID & EADI together with EADI members to SID & EADI together with EADI members to organise with a purpose to inform the debate and raise awarness organise with a purpose to inform the debate and raise awarness about EDC and policy through EDC 2010about EDC and policy through EDC 2010

Stronger network of main stakeholders in the development Stronger network of main stakeholders in the development debatedebate Individual and organisational links made in the Hague Individual and organisational links made in the Hague between policy makers, parliamentarians, researchers and CS are between policy makers, parliamentarians, researchers and CS are being further strengthened, with hope to be able to influence being further strengthened, with hope to be able to influence policy in the future. Face to face contact cannot be policy in the future. Face to face contact cannot be underestimatedunderestimated

Other SID ActivitiesOther SID Activities - SID (through Euforic) made important - SID (through Euforic) made important contact in Latin America, which have been used for SID NL Latin contact in Latin America, which have been used for SID NL Latin American lecture seriesAmerican lecture series

What can be improved What can be improved and lessons learnedand lessons learned

We still need to find a way of ensuring and We still need to find a way of ensuring and measuring influence that we have had and may measuring influence that we have had and may have on policy, both on development and have on policy, both on development and implementation ofimplementation of

More (pro)active involvement in networks of which More (pro)active involvement in networks of which SID is a member (i.e. Euforic) to reap even more SID is a member (i.e. Euforic) to reap even more benefitsbenefits

More permanent involvement and cooperation with More permanent involvement and cooperation with other organisations on issues and activities of other organisations on issues and activities of mutual interest, cooperation instead of competition- mutual interest, cooperation instead of competition- finding the ways to create a win-win situation for all finding the ways to create a win-win situation for all involvedinvolved

Involve actively a larger number of organisations Involve actively a larger number of organisations and in particular influencial individuals, which and in particular influencial individuals, which should give greater political weight to the networkshould give greater political weight to the network

What makes networks effective in What makes networks effective in influencing the policyinfluencing the policy

SID – EDC 2010SID – EDC 2010A European case of A European case of

networking in practicenetworking in practice

Euforic AGMEuforic AGMLondon, 2 June 2005London, 2 June 2005

Gordana StankovićSID European Programme