Practitioners Network: Two years of (co-)Presidency to strengthen European technical cooperation

Published on May 7 2025

Institutional

Network for European Development — © Nadine Zineldin

The Practitioners’ Network (PN) held its General Assembly in Vienna on 23 and 24 April, during which the agencies from Belgium (Enabel) and Sweden (SIDA) took over the co-Presidency for a one-year term. In this article, we take a look at the two years of (co-)Presidency of the network by Expertise France, from May 2023 to April 2025.

In May 2023, Expertise France took over the Presidency of the PN for a one-year term. In May 2024, ADA, the Austrian Development Agency, and Expertise France were appointed as co-Presidents of the network.

During this two-year term, the PN underwent a major institutional reform with the adoption of a new Charter. At the instigation of the co-Presidency, this core document was prepared, negotiated and finalised during the year, with the unanimous agreement of all the members. The PN obtained the legal status of an international non-profit association in Belgium, which was officially recognised in January 2025. The Secretariat of the PN was also strengthened at the strategic level, with the recruitment of two full-time employees based in Brussels.

These developments highlight the increasing appeal of a renewed PN, which has now been strengthened by a solid legal base and a renewed governance.

Give voice to the network through a high-level dialogue

Over the last two years, the PN has significantly increased its influence in the European and international development cooperation landscape. One of the co-Presidency’s key priorities was to strengthen the external commitment of the network, ensuring that the collective voice of the members of the PN was heard and respected at the highest political levels.

This objective was achieved through the publication of two important joint statements: the first, published in November, stated that international development cooperation was a geopolitical necessity for Europe, and the second set out the network’s vision for the next Multiannual Financial Framework (2028-2034). These documents are much more than simply consensus texts: they represent strategic positions designed to shape the future direction of European development cooperation.

The co-Presidency also ensured that the PN had a strong voice during the main international and European forums, including COP29 in Baku, the Finance in Common Summit in Cape Town (South Africa), the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Berlin, and several high-level meetings with the European Union’s Directorates-General in Brussels, Budapest and Warsaw. All these meetings provided vital opportunities to promote the expertise and unity of the members of the PN, positioning the network as a credible partner with an important place in the international dialogue on development cooperation. As a result of these efforts, the PN has strengthened its role as a dynamic platform for political influence, knowledge sharing, and operational coordination between the main European technical cooperation agencies.

Strengthening technical cooperation and learning

In addition to increasing the visibility of the Practitioners’ Network, the co-Presidency also gave priority to improving internal collaboration.

Recognising that visibility alone is not sufficient, a comprehensive review of the architecture of the network’s working groups was launched to support a more results-based approach, and ensure alignment with the key European priorities, the Global Gateway strategy and the broader programme for international partnerships. This process included an e-consultation in October 2024 and led to a two-day strategic retreat, followed by a meeting of CEOs in Brussels in November.

This has resulted in forward-looking proposals, including the creation of new working groups on human mobility and migration, and on enlargement. These are two crucially important issues in the current European and international environment. The aim of these reforms is to make the network more agile, more focused, and better equipped to contribute to Europe’s ever-changing development cooperation objectives.

The PN is not only gaining in importance in high-level forums, but also on the ground, where cooperation is actually realised. This year, the PN has strengthened collaboration on the ground, for example, through the dynamic network in Burkina Faso, initiated under the SNV/FIAP co-Presidency. In addition, ad hoc meetings in Amman, Cali, Chisinau, Kyiv and Maputo have facilitated peer-to-peer exchanges and mutual learning between the members.

Supporting the work of the working groups on innovation and action

The PN working groups have delivered results this year, which were highlighted at the Team Europe Hackathon (March 2025), jointly organised by EDFI, JEFIC and the PN. This initiative gathered technical and financial cooperation operators to develop solutions for the fragile contexts in the Sahel and West Africa, while promoting operational collaboration and synergies.

The thematic groups have made progress with the essential work covering all the priorities, promoting innovation and alignment with European development objectives. The progress achieved in the course of the year reflects the common ambition of the network and the dedication of its members, whose expertise and commitment remain essential for shaping effective cooperation. As the transfer of leadership progresses, the PN is moving ahead with confidence, building on this basis to address emerging challenges and seize opportunities.