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"The PN is a key player in terms of coordination within the Team Europe"
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In May 2023, Expertise France took over the presidency of the Practitioners’ Network for European Development Cooperation (PN) for one year. From today, the operational unit of the Austrian Development Agency (ADA) joins Expertise France to lead the Network for the coming year.
In this joint interview, Friedrich STIFT, Director General of ADA and Jérémie PELLET, Director General of Expertise France, share their views on the Network and their ambitions for this year of co-presidency.
How would you sum up your year as president of the PN?
Jérémie PELLET : In a changing geopolitical context, 2023-2024 has been a strategic year for the Practitioners’ Network and its Members..
On behalf of its members, the Network has reaffirmed and stepped up its efforts for a stronger, more efficient and visible European development cooperation, in a Team Europe approach. In that regard, the PN actively contributed to European debates, both at high and technical levels, and participated in many high-level European and International fora, where we collectively shared messages for the Network..
In the last months, the Network turned increasingly towards European neighbourhood, key priority for European actors, organising the second Country Visit in March 2024 in Tirana, Albania. This field visit brought European development partners together, learning from each other, and identifying new opportunities for collaboration, for a reinforced and coordinated technical offer from Team Europe in Albania and the wider Balkans.
Internally, Expertise France Presidency has pledged to concentrate on the PN for its Members : meaning to strengthen participation and involvement of all and more inclusiveness, and to ensure a Network fit for the future. We have moved forward on important issues for the sustainability of the Network by reflecting together on two main packages: a legal one, with a new Charter for the PN, including statutes for the PN to become an association in Belgium, and a financial and management package, exploring possibilities for strengthening the PN Coordination, and options for revised membership fees.
Together, we have achieved several successes. We have shared lessons with the European Commission on the functioning on Team Europe during the mid-term review of the EU multiannual financial framework. We have contributed to the consolidation of the Global Gateway initiative. We have continued to attract new members, as Finland.
It has been an honour to lead the Network, and I am delighted to continue with Friedrich Stift for the year to come.
What are your ambitions for this year of co-presidency?
Friedrich STIFT : As one of the initiators of the Practitioners’ Network idea, and a founding member in 2007, ADA has always been a strong supporter of this Network. During our co-presidency we want to consolidate on the Network’s core functions:
- providing a platform for knowledge-exchange and learning between public European development cooperation agencies;
- strengthening the dialogue between these organisations and the European Commission; and
- advancing the harmonisation of approaches between European public development actors.
The Network has experienced a period of strong growth in recent years and today counts 24 members – all European development organisations with a public service mandate.
This coming year, we want to strengthen the Network institutionally by establishing it as a legal entity – an international non-profit association based in Belgium. Moreover, we plan to create an enhanced coordination team that helps us run this vibrant Network.
We will also contribute our know-how and expertise to ensure European public development cooperation – including the Team Europe approach and Global Gateway strategy – provides a relevant and effective offer for countries in the Global South. Our joint objective is to support our partner countries in their individual efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
What do you see as the next steps in structuring and strengthening the Network?
Jérémie PELLET : First, this General Assembly will be a crucial moment for the Network, taking note of what has been achieved by the PN this last year, preparing the year to come, and approving important next steps for our community, both on internal and external challenges.
ADA and Expertise France are aligned on the next steps to be taken for the Network. This shared vision will facilitate our co-presidency, and will ensure a stability and continuity for the Network. We need to move forward and continue the work initiated this year to structure and strengthen the network.
One of the key priority for our co-presidency will be to tackle internal challenges for renewed Network by pursuing the establishment of PN legal entity in Belgium, continuing to strengthen the PN coordination and secretariat, and ensure the financial sustainability of the Network.
We will keep on enhancing the role of development cooperation in unlocking the full potential of the Global Gateway, the Team Europe approach and the Working Better Together agenda. The PN is a key player in terms of coordination within the Team Europe, between us implementing agencies, and with financial actors (EDFI and JEFIC members in particular). We must continue to strengthen technical and financial cooperation at both strategic and operational levels. Last, we need to reinforce the relations between the PN and its partners. This will be achieved by ensuring improved PN presence at selected European and international events throughout the year, communicating joint messages, increasing recognition and visibility of the Network and their members among key stakeholders. But also by further improving external communication targeted at key stakeholders, and by inviting external partners to relevant PN activities and working groups.
How is ADA already contributing to Team Europe's activities?
Friedrich STIFT : The Austrian Development Agency is currently contributing a total of more than EUR 66 million to Team Europe Initiatives (TEI) across 32 different projects in our partner countries and regions.
Our Team Europe interventions are all aligned with the SDGs and contribute to the national development plans of our partner countries.
In Sub-Sahara Africa for example, our TEI interventions increase access to renewable energy, enhance food security through strengthening local resilience to drought risks, support the transition from humanitarian to sustainable long-term water and sanitation services in refugee settlements and host communities, and support regional cooperation in transboundary water management.
In the EU’s Eastern Neighbourhood countries, ADA, through a Team Europe approach, supports sustainable resilience capacities of local communities in the Republic of Moldova. Furthermore, ADA contributes to inclusive, resilient, and sustainable socio-economic growth in the Syunik region in Armenia. In this project, we also focus on strengthening the monitoring and reporting functions of the TEI framework.
By engaging in Team Europe activities, we are bringing together our resources and expertise to transform and increase the development impact in our partner countries.
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