EuropeAid (2011) Engaging non state actors in new aid modalities for better development outcomes and governance (flyer). Tools and Methods Series, Reference Document No 12.

Bringing together Non-State Actors and New Aid Modalities is not an entirely new agenda for the EC. In fact, the EC has a long tradition of working with and through NSAs. The EC is also one of the strongest promoters of New Aid Modalities. Reference Document No 12 pools EC experiences of working with Non-State Actors, and of working with Non-State Actors in a context of applying New Aid Modalities. The document also points to the importance of deepening the knowledge about how states and societies interact, about the distribution of power and resources, about how formal and informal institutions operate. Or about how external stakeholders such as donors influence domestic change processes, etc.

 Building on these three processes, there are three types of guidance that the document offers to the readers:

A. strategic guidance: this part summarises the foundations or the four fundamentals of a strategic engagement with both NSAs and the state, and provides strategic guidance.

B. operational guidance: already, EC practitioners have numerous guidelines for working with NSAs and for applying NAMs. Light touch operational guidance tries to fill the gaps for a more strategic engagement with NSAs in four clusters.

C. smart guidance: Finally, the document offers guidance on how to develop ‘smart partnerships’ for such ambitious agendas. It also provides clues as to what needs to be tackled within the EC for it to deliver.