Ceps reinforces international partnership |15 February 2024

Mr Laurence taking part in a discussion (Photo: Contributed)

The Citizens Engagement Platform Seychelles expects to address both the local and international agenda in parallel in 2024.

Citizens Engagement Platform Seychelles (Ceps) chief executive Alvin Laurence made the comment to Seychelles NATION following Ceps’ involvement in its first overseas mission this year, which included the regional exchange workshop on Economic Partnership Agreements and the annual high-level stakeholder symposium of the Southern African Council of Non-Governmental Organisations, SAf-CNGO.

The meeting in Johannesburg, South Africa took place from January 22to 26.

SAf-CNGO, formerly Sadc CNGO, in collaboration with the GIZ Project hosted the capacity-building and regional exchange workshop on monitoring the implementation of economic partnership agreements (EPAs).

Emphasis was laid on the need to foster networking among trade unions and civil society actors from the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) EPA and Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA) EPA regions. 

The workshop was followed by the inaugural high-level stakeholder symposium under the theme ‘Catalysing change for Sadc regional integration and development’.

The symposium brought together key stakeholders to foster dialogue, collaboration, and cohesion in the pursuit of regional integration and development.

“The year 2023 was a year of the continuation of 2022 projects but at the same time we have managed to also broaden our perspectives with our international partners,” said Mr Laurence.

Ceps embarked on the revival of the civil society sector in 2021 as part of the post-Covid-19 approach by reviewing its internal procedures and subsequently its local and international partnership in 2022 and 2023 respectively.

Mr Laurence added that “whilst this approach is bearing fruits, there are several challenges and opportunities locally and internationally that must be addressed in parallel.”

Therefore, this is why Ceps needs to have an active foreign policy, which is expected to broaden the collaboration in the region and facilitate resource mobilisation, said Mr Laurence. 

According to CEO Laurence the importance of collaborating with international partners cannot be overemphasised.

“This year we should expect to see Ceps addressing both the local and international agenda in parallel. However, this must be delicately managed as we participate primarily in funded missions,” he said.

According to Mr Laurence, Ceps has several other overseas mission planned for the year. It will focus on regional cooperation with the aim of mobilising more resources for the sector.

The aim is to reinforce the mutual understanding and synergy among civil society organisations in the SADC region. In addition, Ceps will also be looking at reviving the Indian Ocean platform.

Kassey Govinden / press release from Ceps