While the Covid-19 pandemic has slowed down the United Nations (UN) 2030 Agenda in several countries, particularly in Africa, the International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF) is launching its fourth call for projects to reverse the situation by providing technical and financial support to civil society organisations (CSOs) involved in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Non-governmental organisations (NGOs), foundations, economic interest groups, cooperatives, private research institutes and social partners are invited to apply for the fourth call for projects launched by the International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF). This initiative targets civil society organisations (CSOs) that contribute to the implementation of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“CSOs are essential partners in international cooperation actions because of their in-depth knowledge of the field and of the needs of populations, as well as their great power of mobilisation and transformation”, the OIF emphasises. The initiative, launched for the first time in 2019, is jointly supported by the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, the Government of Quebec and the Principality of Andorra.
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The projects submitted by the applicant organisations will take into account SDGs 5 and 13 on women’s empowerment and the fight against climate change respectively. In this sense, initiatives adapted to the local context and implemented in mountainous regions or in rural areas will be favoured, says the IOF. In addition to grants ranging from 5,000 to 20,000 euros, the selected projects will benefit from support from the IOF through its Civil Society Unit, which will offer training and presentation opportunities at international events.
Furthermore, applications from Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, the Central African Republic (CAR), the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Mauritania, the Comoros, Madagascar, Djibouti, Burundi, Rwanda, Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, Senegal, Chad, Togo and Benin will be strongly encouraged due to the drought, food insecurity or natural disasters that affect these OIF member countries.
For more information on the call for projects, click here.
Benoit-Ivan Wansi
