France
France will assume its thirteenth presidency of the Council of the European Union from January 1st to June 30th 2022
Coordination SUD is the French platform of international solidarity non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Founded in 1994, Coordination SUD is a non-profit organization. Today, it gathers 176 French NGOs implementing humanitarian and emergency actions, development and human rights projects, environmental protection; and global citizenship education and advocacy activities.
Coordination SUD relies on its members (NGOs, civil society groups), networks and partners to achieve its missions.
On January 1st 2022, France will take the presidency of the Council of the European Union for 6 months. The French government has announced that it will centre its Presidency around three key themes: recovery, power, and belonging. The French president Emmanuel Macron detailed the agenda and programme of this presidency during a speech on December 9th 2021. The government has identified the 6th summit between the African Union and the European Union as the flagship event of its presidency. France would materialise its priorities through this summit by advocating for a new alliance with Africa based upon peace and prosperity. Migration, economic recovery, green and digital transition, health, and youth will be at the center of this renewed partnership and a package of investments.
Coordination SUD and its 176 member NGOs have adopted and shared a list of 9 priorities. These priorities will be the guiding compass of Coordination SUD’s activities during the French presidency. They aim to make of this presidency an important political moment in favour of international solidarity, in particular for the most vulnerable. These priorities include:
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- Funding for sustainable development in favor of the needs of the most vulnerable, and permissive of NGOs’ right of initiative.
- Funding for sustainable development for all NGOs, in particular feminist and youth organizations.
- Policies to improve NGOs’ capacities, including the limitation of restrictive measures for NGOs in the context of money laundering and terrorist financing.
- Protecting humanitarian space and staff.
- Open, fair and sustainable partnership with Africa, and policy coherence for sustainable development.
- Gender equality.
- Decoupling development policies and migration policies.
- Sustaniable food systems and agroecology.
- Promotion the One health approach, effective access for all to health products and health systems.
4 missions
To professionalize NGOs through support and training
To promote and defend international solidarity NGOs
To support NGOs with monitoring, analysis and knowledge dissemination
To advocate for international solidarity among public and private institutions
Events
Coordination SUD is organizing a series of activities aimed at raising awareness on European and international solidarity issues among civil society, improving knowledge and skills on these issues; to empower civil society to develop a critical understanding of the EU’s role in international cooperation for development.
January, 13th - Launch event with the French minsitry for Europe and foreign affairs
Coordination SUD organized a launch event for the start of the French presidency of the Council of the EU, with representatives from the French ministry for Europe and foreign affairs. While the general department for globalization, the direction for relations with the civil society, and the crisis and support center of the ministry were represented, more than 30 civil society organizations attended the meeting, represented by 60 people.
Coordination SUD and its members presented again to the ministry their priorities for a presidency of the Council in favor of internationale solidarity. The ministry shared the French government’s agenda and the delivrables of this presidency. Below is the list of key events of the presidency for international solidarity:
- February, 15th to 18th: Civil society forum, event organized by the French development agency on the narrative for development, European Union – African Union summit.
- February, 22th: ministerial meeting on the Indopacific partnership
- March, 2nd: conference for a feminist Europe
- March, 6th and 7th: informal ministerial meeting of foreign affairs ministers on development
- May, 20th: foreign affairs council on development
- June, 14th and 15th: European development days
- End of June: European humanitarian forum (initially planned in January)
Among France’s priorities are a new alliance with Africa (peace, prosperity, security), mainstreaming climate and biodiversity, promoting international humanitarian law, protecting humanitarian space and staff, and strenghtening the involvment of youth and civil society in European policies.
January 21th - Call for proposals for French projects raising awareness on international solidarity and the EU
Coordination SUD launched a call for proposals, aiming to fund projects of French NGOs raising awareness on the EU’s role in international solidarity, through its policies, its funding and support to civil society. Between 4 and 5 projects will be awared a grant up to 10,000 € to implement their project during the French presidency of the Council of the EU.
This call for proposals aims to develop NGOs’ capacities to lead projects on EU affairs related to international soldiarity, and to increase the critical understanding among the public, on the EU’s role in international solidarity.
The awarded projects will focus on gender issues, youth, climate and environment, 2030 Agenda, EU institutions. They will primarly target youngs and girls, but also other people facing economic, social and cultural difficulties.
March - 5 questions on international solidarity to presidential elections' candidates
France will elect its next president in April. That is why Coordination SUD decided to organize an event to ask candidats what is their position on international solidarity, and what they want to achieve if they’re elected president of the French republic. Candidates will be asked on several themes such as: the French law on international solidarity and development; partnerships between civil society and national; European and international institutions and bodies;and how would they push their priorities at the European level.
April, 5th - Advocacy workshop on to better engage on EU affairs at the national level
The content of the workshop will soon be shared here.
May - African and European civil societies days
Bringing together representatives from civil societies from both continent after the European Union – African Union summit of February, these civil societies days will foster discussions and exchanges and the renewed EU-Africa partnership, its governance, and its implementation. Key debates will focus on how to improve civil societies’ involvment in the partnership, and how to monitor it.
A programme and a subscription link will soon be shared here.
June - Closure event on the sustainable development goals
Coordination SUD will celebrate the end of the French presidency of the Council of the EU during a meeting on sustainable development goals. The meeting will gather both French and European civil society organizations around debates sessions and peer-to-peer exchanges. It will aim to draw conclusions on the achievements of the French presidency in terms of international solidarity, and to reflect on the final years of the 2030 Agenda.
July - Workshop on the EU and international solidarity
This workshop will bring together French NGOs awared by Coordination SUD call for proposals. It will aim to present the results and achievments of each project, and to disseminate the lessons learned and the knowledge.
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