Expert Exchange: Civil Society Organizations as the New Partner of Choice in authoritarian contexts? The cases of the Sahel and Egypt

The Brussels Office of the German Institute for International and Security Affairs – Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik (SWP) and Megatrends Afrika, are pleased to invite you to our next expert exchange on collaborating with civil society organizations in authoritarian contexts. 

The recent wave of coup d’états in the Sahel region revived discussions on cooperation approaches in authoritarian contexts. Western partners are faced with a dilemma: While they wish to maintain relations and influence, they also want to avoid unintentionally strengthening unconstitutional rule by providing support to military regimes. In order to bypass the national leadership, Western donor's current approaches therefore aim at intensifying collaboration with civil society actors. However, as research shows, lines between civil society and the state are not always clear-cut. In light of narrowing civic space and increasing state repression, civil society actors face a heightened risk of cooptation. Civil society organizations may also intentionally decline international funding to avoid accusations of advancing foreign agendas. 

The policy workshop has two main objectives. First, it discusses research on the challenges of collaborating with civil society in authoritarian settings. Second, it provides a platform to reflect on the current state of civil society in the Sahel and in Egypt and to engage in a critical reflection on the potentials and limitations of civil society collaboration. 

The event takes place under the Chatham House Rule. The invitation is personal. We hope you will be able to join us and kindly ask you to register by 02 April, 15h00 (CET) by replying to: Registration.Brussels@swp-berlin.org.