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Fondazione AVSI - ETS

Fondazione AVSI - ETS is an international, non-profit, non-governmental organization (NGO) founded in 1972, with headquarters in Milan, Italy and an office in Washington, DC.

Lobbying Activity

Meeting with Stefano Sannino (Director-General Middle East, North Africa and the Gulf)

13 Nov 2025 · Cooperation in the MENA region, notably Syria

Meeting with Massimiliano Salini (Member of the European Parliament)

3 Sept 2025 · Affari Esteri

Meeting with Barry Andrews (Member of the European Parliament, Committee chair)

3 Sept 2025 · DEVE

Meeting with Marco La Marca (Cabinet of Commissioner Dubravka Šuica), Raül Hernández Sagrera (Cabinet of Commissioner Dubravka Šuica)

2 Sept 2025 · Development cooperation

Meeting with Marco Tarquinio (Member of the European Parliament)

6 Feb 2025 · human rights, migration, education

Meeting with Stefano Signore (Head of Unit Directorate-General for International Partnerships)

5 Feb 2025 · Discussion on the upcoming UNFCCC COP30 and the CODEWAY Expo 2025

Meeting with Mariateresa Vivaldini (Member of the European Parliament)

16 Oct 2024 · Meeting conoscitivo

Meeting with Paolo Inselvini (Member of the European Parliament)

16 Sept 2024 · Presentation of the association

Meeting with Fabio Massimo Castaldo (Member of the European Parliament)

27 Nov 2023 · Event: Haiti: act now to overcome the crisis. Concrete proposals from the field

Response to New Agenda for Latin America and the Caribbean

9 Feb 2023

The consultation on the Joint Communication on a new agenda for relations between the EU and Latin America and the Caribbean (EU-LAC) is a positive opportunity for exchange with civil society in the run-up to the EU-CELAC summit. We welcome the renewed European will to reaffirm a historic link with this area of the world and that the EU's external action has a broad and inclusive vision that takes into account this area beyond Africa and Asia. The events of recent years have taught us how interconnected the world is and how today's challenges are global and multi-level. AVSI has been present in Latin America and the Caribbean since the 1980s and this experience allows us to draw some recommendations that the New Agenda should take into account: - The recognition of Haiti as a country integral to regional peace and stability and the consequent commitment to foster a roadmap to stability for the country that has been in socio-economic and political paralysis for too long; - To think about programmes and funds dedicated to fostering the socio-economic integration of migrants, starting from the Venezuelan crisis. A cross-border approach is desirable to manage the phenomenon in its entirety and experiment with solutions adapted to people's mobility needs. Taking into account all actors affected by the migration phenomenon, such as host communities, civil society organisations, local authorities and migrants themselves is the key to mutual understanding; - To preserve one of the world's richest areas of environmental heritage by extending the new vision of the European Green Deal. Driving this ecological transition is the participation of young people as well as women for their role in management, food security and biodiversity conservation. Special attention must be paid to poorer rural contexts because the effects of climate change are exacerbated by poverty and vice versa; - To maintain a constant focus on supporting respect for human rights, particularly in Latin American prisons, and strengthen management and promote a leap in scale of the APAC methodology as public policy in new territories in Latin America and Europe in a mutual exchange of experiences; - The strengthening of EU-Latin American and Caribbean relations must go through systemic consultation processes with civil society organisations that can give a voice to the most remote areas of the countries and the most disadvantaged and fragile population groups. It is also desirable to provide a channel through which civil society can also be represented at the EU-CELAC Summit and can concretely contribute to the Summit's conclusions and its follow-up.
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Response to Delegated act framing the programming of the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI)

31 May 2021

AVSI Foundation welcomes the opportunity to provide integrations to the objectives and priority areas of cooperation per sub-region as laid down in this draft Delegated Regulation and its annex: I. Neighbourhood South (1c)[added]:Improving quality and equality of education systems; [promoting alternative education pathways for refugees and host community children: supporting access to school, inclusion and retention,formal and non-formal activities]; empowering young people; strengthening healthcare systems; promoting digital literacy and skills, [academic skills alonside life skills]; IV. East and Central Africa (1c)[added]:[Promoting productive use of energy in the water- energy- food nexus and circular economy]; (1d)[added]:Supporting [climate smart value chains, agri-food sector and smallholder farmers];[and enhancing youth participation/capacity in agriculture]; (2d)[added]:[Strengthening capacity and empowering civil society organisations at regional and local level, including women and youth organisations]; (2e)[added]:[Promote smart and inclusive city solutions]; (3a)[added]:Promoting private sector development [including SMEs, cooperatives and producer groups]; improving the business environment and the digitalisation of business as well as the investment climate; digital governance and the development of eservices; (3b)[added]:Supporting skills [and vocational development] and the creation of decent employment [enhancing youth participation and engagement], as well as research and innovation; (4b)[added]:Supporting greater access to and quality of education at different levels; [recovering Covid - 19 disruption]; promoting digital literacy and skills; (5c)[added]:Strengthening migration governance and management and fostering cooperation on voluntary return, reintegration of migrants [and other durable solutions]; (6d)[added]:[Promoting a dialogue between cities on urban planning and environmental management] V. Southern Africa and Indian Ocean (1a)[added]:Promoting private sector development [including SMEs, cooperatives and producer groups]; improving the business environment, the investment climate, the digitalisation of business and transparency of public finances;digital governance and the development of e-services (2e)[added]:[Supporting management and durable solutions for forcibly displaced people]; (5d)[added]:[Promoting a dialogue between cities on urban planning and environmental management]; (5e)[added]:[Promote smart and inclusive city solutions considering the increasing urbanization and social situation in slums; strengthening the contribution of cities and their citizens, OSCs and LA to the process of local development, good governance and promotion of human rights and democracy]; XI. The Americas (4a)[added]:Strengthening and promoting peace, conflict prevention, the rule of law, independent judiciary, the fight against corruption, governance and oversight, including transparent, accountable, effective and inclusive institutions at all levels; [through CSOs involvement, innovative programmes and methodologies to tackle recurrent social problems (violence, insecurity and impunity)]; (5d)[added]:Deepening dialogue with partner countries, regional and international organisations, the private sector and CSOs on social cohesion and the fight against inequalities; [supporting capacity building processes for CSO to participate at the political dialogue at country level, encompassing concrete participation and dialogue mechanisms with public and private decision makers]; (6b)[added]:[Encourage dialogue between civil society, NGOs and businesses, highlighting the link between human rights and development, support companies to be reported on their human rights performance, improving transparency and accountability]; (6c)[added]:[Encourage a multi-stakeholder dialogue and collaboration and knowledge sharing as a working method fostering best practice scaling up and/or replication from country to country;
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Meeting with Stefano Manservisi (Director-General Directorate-General for International Partnerships)

12 Mar 2019 · Meeting Dir. Silvestri - Exchange on last developments at EU level

Response to Multiannual Financial Framework: Proposal for the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument

16 Aug 2018

AVSI welcomes the public consultation on the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI) proposal of which we appreciate the intent to simplify the current architecture of the external financial instruments.We also appreciate its focus on geographical priorities, resulting in enhanced ownership and in greater support to LDSs and those most in need; complemented by thematic programmes where European added value should be more emphasized (i.e. fostering the involvement of European actors in global initiatives). Consistently with these premises, we think that the commitment towards poverty eradication and sustainable development should be better spelt out throughout the whole regulation (not only in the preamble and annexes), in line with the Agenda 2030 and the ECD. Regarding the EFSD+, we think that profit / not for profit partnership is key to fighting poverty, in line with SDG 17. Therefore, CSOs should be involved throughout the entire project cycle, in order to help the private sector to embrace “Creating Shared Value”, a business strategy that combines company’s economic success with decent work and people centred development. AVSI reiterates the proposal that programmes that include the CSOs in the implementation should be awarded an additional score in the selection phase. We believe that the EU support to CSOs should become more prominent in the geographic, thematic and rapid response pillars, in line with the Council conclusions of 19 June 2017. NDICI should promote the role of the CSOs both as partners in the implementation and defenders of civil space. It is essential to preserve the right of initiative of CSOs and their role as service providers, especially in situation of fragility and crisis, where states are unable or unwilling to meet the populations’ basic needs. The regulation also should foresee compulsory mechanisms of consultation of civil society in the programming cycle, including in Joint Programming with the EU Member States. Consultations promoted by EUDs, together with access to timely and relevant information on planning and funding are key to enabling CSOs to play their role as actors of development. AVSI welcomes greater diversification in the forms of funding and methods of implementations according to contexts. This may help to select the partner most capable in meeting the needs of the population; this being particularly relevant in situations of fragility and of suspension of the budget support. However, the scope pursued through the differentiation and conditionality in budget support can be achieved through the strategic engagement of the CSOs in the budget support. Therefore, the EU should promote the CSOs inclusion in the implementation of the budget support by the governments. We believe that this can help in harnessing the potentialities of a wide range of actors towards poverty eradication, while ensuring at the same time the scrutiny in preventing corruption, human right abuses and violation of environmental standards. We are available to furthering discussion and we are interested in participating in future consultations, at HQ and country level, to contribute to the finalization of the regulation towards a sustainable development focused on the value of each person, with special attention to the most vulnerable groups. AVSI Foundation is active since 1972 in many areas of development cooperation, including education, job creation and vocational training, agriculture and nutrition, energy, urban development and upgrading. It is currently implementing 169 projects in 31 countries in partnership with 700 local actors, always focusing on people dignity.
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Response to Joint Communication: "The European Union and Latin America and the Caribbean: A renewed partnership"

26 Mar 2018

Suggestions for EU-LAC renewed partnership: ● Promote integrated actions in the field of public policies for transparency, good governance and criminal enforcement through CSOs involvement, innovative programmes and methodologies to tackle recurrent social problems (violence, insecurity and impunity). ● Implement alternative prisons’ systems where holistic rehabilitation reduces violence in the future and support the replication in different countries in the region ● Encourage dialogue between civil society, NGOs and businesses, highlighting the link between human rights and development, support companies to be reported on their human rights performance, improving transparency and accountability. ● Rely on an Education and Vocational Training approach to enhance youth entrepreneurship. ● Support educational training and continuous updating of teachers through the exchange of best practices for a comprehensive education to allow people to participate as active and responsible citizens. ● Stress vulnerable women protection, also in the area of public security, enhancing alternative system of penal execution. ● Take collective actions to address climate change and migrations and ensure affordable, efficient and sustainable energy alternatives. ● Enhance city twinnings for the promotion of intercultural, best practices and local developments projects exchange. ● Strengthen South-South cooperation, especially in migration management in all phases, from emergency to integration ● address EU perception of Latin migrants’ threat, especially for its links to baby-gang urban violence. ● Encourage a multi-stakeholder dialogue and collaboration and knowledge sharing as a working method fostering best practice scaling up and/or replication from country to country ● Promote an active participation of CSOs in Consultations and innovative programme decision- making and monitor dutifully projects’ implementation through periodical missions and offering technical assistance. ● Increase the access to exchanges programmes, scholarship and technical practices not only to higher education students but also for low income ones. ● Promote education and updating pedagogical exchange programs for teachers, including those of primary education. ● Promote voluntary programmes to stimulate cultural and social exchange among the two continents.
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Meeting with Paolo Berizzi (Cabinet of Vice-President Neven Mimica)

3 Jun 2015 · Presentation of civil society position on the main development themes