The Impact of EU-Funded Initiatives on Transforming Capabilities and Agencies in the Swana Region through Multi-Stakeholders’ Partnerships
Traditionally viewed as mere support mechanisms for multilateralism, these partnerships are undergoing a paradigm shift, evolving into alternative narratives that might have the potential to reinvigorate agencies. Given the urgency to address diverse global conflicts and their implications for regional development, this study advocates for a transformative approach of cross-Mediterranean cooperation, emphasising partnerships with the private sector and civil society in response to limited government commitment and power imbalances.
Informed by insights from EU-funded initiatives on community involvement, the paper examines the role of these initiatives in fostering alternative narratives and dialogue among communities entrenched in mistrust, thereby nurturing a healing process at community level, giving citizens agencies needed to co-produce effective solutions to the conflicts brought by anthropocene.
Beyond conflict zones, the study explores multi-stakeholder partnerships’ expansive transformative capacity. It contends that advancing regional cooperation in the SWANA region through these partnerships mandates the promotion of inclusive diplomacy featuring diverse participation, investments in capacity building, and support for research and innovation at a non-State level.
The proposed holistic approach aims to formulate an integrated and effective strategy for confronting regional challenges while empowering the people. The incorporation of continuous improvement, grounded in lessons learned, is intrinsic to the proposed model, ensuring adaptability and resilience. Through this exploration, the paper contributes to the discourse on the evolving nature of multi-stakeholder partnerships and their potential to shape a more responsive and inclusive framework for addressing complex regional issues in the SWANAregion and reversing anthropocene premises.