EU to engage civil society, women and youth in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe’s second capital on current affairs in the country

By Wallace Mawire [caption id="attachment_44675" align="alignleft" width="600"] EU Ambassador to Zimbabwe Philippe Van Damme[/caption] The Ambassadors of the European Union and its Member States in Zimbabwe will meet with Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), female politicians, young entrepreneurs and key opinion makers in Bulawayo this week to discuss current affairs, hopes and concerns. The engagement with CSOs will assist the EU Delegation towards updating the “EU Roadmap for Engagement with Civil Society”. Initially developed in 2014 as a dynamic and flexible tool that guides the EU and its Member States in their engagement with Civil Society, the Roadmap now needs to be strengthened operationally for the period 2018-2020. The consultation in Bulawayo is one of several currently undertaken in a number of major cities and towns in Zimbabwe in order to listen to the challenges and opportunities identified by Civil Society, and to incorporate their views into the updated version. The meeting on Wednesday in Bulawayo will also provide an open platform for exchange on current affairs with the Ambassadors from the EU Member States. Ambassador Philippe Van Damme, Head of the EU Delegation, said he was looking forward to the engagement in Bulawayo: "The European Union is a partner of people, and civil society organisations play a fundamental role in shaping our actions. We promote and support inclusive approaches and an open and enabling space for civil society to play its full role as advocates and implementers of rights-driven, pro-poor policies. This dialogue with civil society is also enshrined in our Partnership Agreement with Zimbabwe. We will engage with local communities and local authorities, with trade unions, with faith leaders, with the private sector, with associations and charities." The European diplomats will also use the occasion of international Women’s Day on 8 March to meet with about fifty women from all political parties during an inter-party dialogue forum, organised by the Women’s Institute for Leadership Development. The Ambassadors will have the chance to engage with the female politicians’ on the preparedness of women for the upcoming elections and the challenges they face. In addition, a meeting with young, digitally connected entrepreneurs is meant to increase exposure for and awareness of Bulawayo-based talent to the diplomatic community. The work session will be concluded by a meeting with the local media and culture stakeholders. The Ambassadors can be followed virtually under the usual hashtag #EUonTour and on their respective social media accounts.