The EU’s new policy paper covering relations with the countries that make up its southern neighbourhood includes a number of initiatives aimed at helping them to achieve a sustainable recovery from the pandemic, ranging from a wide ranging new investment plan and help with digital and green economic transformations, to better management of migration and conflict prevention and abatement. However, much of this assistance will depend on the EU’s partners agreeing new economic and governance reform programmes, including on the fight against corruption, and experience shows that this will not be easy. Promotion of human rights, rule of law and democratic values will also be stepped up under the new agenda, though, again this presents major challenges. Past efforts to agree joint priorities on values and support for civil society ran into major difficulties. And on migration and conflicts, the EU has found it hard to speak and act with one voice, detracting from its potential influence, and marginalising its role in conflicts in Libya and Syria. Against this background, what are the prospects for this new agenda, what leverage does the EU have to effect it, and how can the EU raise its political game in the region?
This session will be run in Zoom, you must register in advance to gain access to the meeting and the details to join will be sent one hour prior of the event.
