Given that the African continent now plays an essential role in the economic world, MAEDI and the EESC are organising two days of presentations, discussions, debates and meetings on topics related to African development on Thursday 22 September and Friday 23 September at the Palais d’Iéna (Paris, 16th district).

Groupe URD will therefore be taking part in a workshop on Thursday 22 September from 3 to 5 p.m. on the theme “Civil society and African development”, to highlight the essential role of these civil societies in crisis and fragility management.

This workshop will focus on sharing the experiences of people from civil society. Beyond States, local authorities and businesses, “civil society” (associations, youth clubs, women’s groups, NGOs, cooperatives, etc.) has a considerable and increasingly important role in Africa’s sustainable development projects. Researchers, practitioners, witnesses from France and African countries… will discuss this subject in an interactive way with all participants.

Groupe URD will focus on the particular role of African civil societies in contexts of fragility, conflict and post-crisis situations, where they have proved to be one of the keys to socio-political dynamics, which is vitally important in line with Objective 16 of the Sustainable Development Goals.

The Africa 2016 meetings are in line with the Africa-France summit that will bring together African and French heads of state in 2017 in Bamako.