ENC TEAM – Page 2

Aug 29

ENC In-Depth Podcast: Promoting Equal Opportunities through the EU-funded “Sanarip Insan” (Digital Citizen) project

By ENC TEAM ENC In-Depth, Podcast

ENC In-Depth Podcast: Promoting Equal Opportunities through the EU-funded “Sanarip Insan” (Digital Citizen) project

This ENC in-depth podcast is dedicated to “Promoting Equal Economic Opportunities and Resilience of Youth in the Kyrgyz Republic – Sanarip Insan (Digital Citizen)”, a project that is implemented by the European Neighbourhood Council (ENC) in collaboration with the Public Association “Internet Society Kyrgyzstan Chapter” (ISOC) with the financial support of the EU Delegation in the Kyrgyz Republic. The aim of the project is to provide knowledge of the work of the digital and green economy to young people and women living in rural regions of the Kyrgyz Republic.

In this in-depth discussion, Samuel Doveri Vesterbye, ENC Managing Director, and Talant Sultanov, co-founder of the Internet Society-Kyrgyz Chapter, talk about, among other topics, the main activities and the progress of the project, the power of digital literacy and the internet in Kyrgyzstan as well as the next steps in terms of training, funding, providing support and media skills.

The “Sanarip Insan” project has been ongoing since 2021 and it directly and practically promotes equal economic opportunity and youth resilience through digital access, media literacy training, support for programming in different languages and has been supporting over 100.000 rural and urban youths in the country with a special focus on young women and local entrepreneurs and civil society.

You can listen the in-depth discussion here:

Jul 25

ENC Analysis – Sustainable Commercialization of Uzbek Heritage along the Silk Road: A Perspective from the EU

By ENC TEAM Publications, Research

ENC Analysis: Sustainable Commercialization of Uzbek Heritage along the Silk Road; a Perspective from the EU

The European Neighborhood Council (ENC) released a new analysis on the tourism development and sustainable commercialization of Uzbekistan’s heritage.

This article is written by İpek Tekdemir, ENC and European Parliament Advisor for MEP and Secretary General of the EU-Uzbekistan Friendship Group in the European Parliament (EP), Nazlican Kavukcu and Javida Rahimova.

In light of its extensive historical past, natural surroundings, and delectable cuisine, Uzbekistan has the potential to become a significant tourism destination. In this ENC analysis, the authors examine how the EU may promote the commercialization of Uzbek heritage and the development of sustainable tourism by providing technical and financial assistance to help Uzbek tourism facilities’ efficient use of resources as well as how the recently formed EU-Uzbekistan Friendship Group in the European Parliament (EP) can work in tandem to support the promotion of Uzbek heritage and tourism.

The full analysis is available here.

Jul 18

ENC In-Depth Podcast – The Geopolitics of EU Enlargement: The Case of Georgia and the war in Ukraine

By ENC TEAM ENC In-Depth

ENC In-Depth Podcast – The Geopolitics of EU Enlargement: The Case of Georgia and the war in Ukraine

The in-depth discussion is dedicated to the recently published ENC Analysis: “The Geopolitics of EU Enlargement- The Case of Georgia” by our External Advisor Dr. Natalie Sabanadze.

In her article, Dr. Sabanadze examines how the EU can benefit from enlargement for its own geopolitical gain without sacrificing its fundamental values and the transformative agenda for the candidate states and offers an analysis of the present difficulties facing both the EU and Georgia as well as suggestions for how to overcome them.

The discussion was moderated by Samuel Doveri Vesterbye, ENC Managing Director, and features the comments and insights of Natalie Sabanadze, a Cyrus Vance visiting professor in International Relations at Mount Holyoke College, USA.

You can listen to the in-depth interview here:

Jun 26

Vacancy Announcement – Project Administrator Officer and Research Assistant

By ENC TEAM Vacancy Announcements

Project Administrator Officer and Research Assistant

Deadline: 30.06.2022
Work experience: 3 years
Location: Turkey
Involvement: 80% of time, 3-4 days per week
Schedule: 09:00-17:00

Context

European Neighbourhood Council (ENC) is an independent think tank that conducts research and implements projects with the aim of strengthening a common European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP), Enlargement Policy and the promotion of a Global Strategy for the European Union’s (EU) Foreign and Security Policy. ENC conducts research that aims towards improved dialogue and neighbourhood coordination among European Union (EU) Member States, EU Accession Countries, European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) countries, including also the ‘Neighbours of the Neighbours’ (Central Asian Republics, Gulf Cooperation Council, Iraq, Iran, and Sahel Countries). Website: http://www.encouncil.org/

European Neigbourhood Council (ENC) is announcing the position of Project Administrator Officer and Research Assistant.

The Project Administrator Officer and Research Assistant under the supervision of ENC managing director, will have the responsibility to oversee the implementation and produce reporting for the German MFA-funded project “Strengthening Business and Human Rights Awareness and Monitoring Capacity of Business and Civil Society Actors through Capacity Building” run by ENC (Belgium) and Minerva (Turkey). The overall objective of the project is to establish binding human rights due diligence obligations in Turkey and to generate awareness for responsible business practices. The aim is to enable actors from both the business community and civil society to build up the knowledge and necessary methods to guarantee human rights standards.

Mission:

Ensure high-quality and timely implementation and follow-up of the project
Manage and coordinate day to day administrative, logistical and various aspects of the project to successfully implement the project.
Ensure coordination between partners and with the donor. Attend meetings, take notes, and coordinate communication between project team members and partners.
Regularly monitor that the project is implemented in accordance with this contract and stays within budget.
Provide desk research, writing/editing from consultations, meetings and other data-collection/mapping
Provide administrative and logistical support: scheduling meetings, arranging travel, and ensuring that the necessary materials and resources are available when needed.
Support the Turkish partner in project implementation
Assist with budgeting: request payments, plan and track budget spending, identify areas where cost savings can be realized.
Support for project accounting, documentation. Ensure the collection of documentation required for reporting. Ensure receipt, verification and consolidation of project expenditure information, and prepare financial and narrative reports for donors.
Prepare a grant proposal to expand the project (concept note/budget/timeline/logframe, etc).
Inform the managing director about the progress of the project
Complete any other relevant tasks as assigned by the Management

Skills and Experiences Needed:

Bachelor’s degree required
2-3 years of experience in coordinating projects funded by institutional donors
Skills in human resource administration, logistics and procurement procedure
Experience of reporting, project management and budget tracking
Strong research skills
Experience in preparing organizational documents, minutes, follow ups, project letter templates in powerpoint, word, etc.
Experience in organization of project-related events, workshops, staff meetings, and general meetings, including dissemination of background documents.
Experience in preparing monthly human resources documents (timesheets, request for payments, invoices)
Experience in preparing terms of references for prospectives job announcements or procurement announcements
Experience in arranging travel and hotel reservations.
Advanced digital skills: Office, Internet, apps (Google, Microsoft services, Telegram). Cloud services (Zoom)
Fluent oral/writing expression in English and Turkish.
Ability to work with limited supervision and under deadlines
Proactiveness
Solution-oriented
Organizational skills
Ability to prioritize
Experience of working in Turkish NGOs is a plus
Turkish language is a plus, English language is a necessity

Contract:

Freelancing for six month (start date 1 July 2023)
80% time of time: 3-4 days/week
Contract until 31.12.2023 with the possibility of extension
Office in Brussels, Belgium
Remote work is possible (from Turkiye for example is an advantage)

How to apply: send your CV and one page cover letter to Ms Asuman Kubra Bas a.kubrabas@encouncil.org addressing how your experience matches the requirements for this job.

May 24

ENC In-Depth Podcast: Kyrgyzstan’s Foreign Policy in light of the war in Ukraine

By ENC TEAM Podcast

ENC In-Depth Podcast: Kyrgyzstan’s Foreign Policy in light of the war in Ukraine

The in-depth discussion is dedicated to the recently published ENC Analysis: “Walking a Fine Line: Kyrgyzstan’s Foreign Policy post-2022” by our Academic Council Member Dr. Aijan Sharshenova.

In her article, Dr. Sharshenova explains, among other things, how the Republic of Kyrgyzstan, a country that is in a particularly difficult situation due to its dependence on both the Russian economy and Western development funding, navigates its foreign policy choices in the context of the war in Ukraine.

The discussion was moderated by Samuel Doveri Vesterbye, ENC Managing Director, and features the comments and insights of Dr. Aijan Sharshenova a Research Fellow at the Foreign Policy Centre, UK.

You can listen to the in-depth interview here:

May 17

ENC Analysis: Walking a Fine Line- Kyrgyzstan’s Foreign Policy post-2022

By ENC TEAM Publications, Research

ENC Analysis: Walking a Fine Line- Kyrgyzstan’s Foreign Policy post-2022

The European Neighbourhood Council (ENC) released a new analysis on how Kyrgyzstan navigates the challenging situation in its foreign policy, in light of the Russia’s war in Ukraine.

This article is written by our Academic Council Member Dr. Aijan Sharshenova, a Research Fellow at the Foreign Policy Centre, UK.

After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Central Asian countries had to swiftly alter their narratives and behaviors regarding foreign policy. In this ENC analysis, the author examines how the Republic of Kyrgyzstan expresses its foreign policy preferences, as a nation that finds itself in a very challenging position by being dependent on both the Russian economy and Western development aid.

The full analysis is available here.

May 03

New Report on Media Consumption and Disinformation in Central Asia

By ENC TEAM Events, Projects, Publications, Research

New Report on Media Consumption and Disinformation in Central Asia

The European Neighbourhood Council released it’s new report on “Central Asian Media Consumption and Disinformation: a quantitative and qualitative assessment in the context of geo-politics”. The report produced under the EU-funded project titled “Resilience and Engagement with Varied Information for a Vibrant Environment” (REVIVE), implemented by Internews.

From the ongoing Russia’s war in Ukraine to controversial domestic events in the region, the report explains what information – and disinformation – Central Asians consume, as well as the reasons why they consume it. The research’s overarching objective is to deepen our understanding of regional media consumption patterns, with a focus on the audiences most vulnerable to disinformation—young, elderly, and linguistic minorities.

A mixed methodology was used to collect both quantitative and qualitative data for the study. In particular, CATI and extensive semi-structured interviews were done in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Desk research, on the other hand, covered each of the five states in the region, including Turkmenistan. 2,400 people participated in the large-scale survey, while the qualitative portion included 360 in-depth semi-structured interviews, including 60 with media consumers and 30 with media content providers (such as journalists and bloggers) each country.

The report and its recommendations are essential in understanding the media environment and combating disinformation in Central Asia.

Full report, executive summary and infographics in English.
Full report, executive summary, and infographics in Russian.

Apr 21

First official EU-Russia Parliamentary Committee meeting with the Delegations of the European Parliament to Central Asian Republics

By ENC TEAM Events

First official EU-Russia Parliamentary Committee meeting with the Delegations of the European Parliament to Central Asian Republics

The European Members of Parliament for the EU-Russia Parliamentary Committee will officially meet with the Delegations of the European Parliament to Central Asian Republics for the first time during the next D-RU meeting (room: SPINELLI 3G3) on the 24th of April at 16.30-18.00 at the European Parliament. In this Joint Delegation, the European Neighbourhood Council (ENC) has been selected to present expert advice to parliamentarians.

The exchange of views on the influence of Russia in Central Asia in the context of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine will be attended by the Delegation to the EU-Russia Parliamentary Cooperation Committee (D-RU) in association with the Delegation to the EU-Kazakhstan, EU-Kyrgyzstan, EU-Tajikistan, and EU-Uzbekistan Parliamentary Cooperation Committees and for relations with Turkmenistan and Mongolia (DCAS).

The ENC Director, Samuel Doveri Vesterbye, will present the findings and key recommendations of the INTERNEWS-ENC report on Media Consumption and Disinformation in Central Asia, and highlight why the EU should focus more on Central Asia. The exchange of views will continue with other distinguished experts such as Janne Leino, Programme Manager for Foreign and Security Policy, Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS), Andrea Rossi, Deputy Head of Division for Central Asia, EEAS, and Krzysztof Strachota, Head of the Central Asia and South Caucasus Department at the Centre for Eastern Studies, Poland.

The agenda of the meeting can be found here.

Click here to watch the meeting online.

Mar 24

ENC In-Depth Podcast: The EU, China and Russia’s engagement in Central Asia after the war in Ukraine

By ENC TEAM Podcast

ENC In-Depth Podcast: The EU, China and Russia’s engagement in Central Asia after the war in Ukraine

The in-depth discussion is dedicated to the recently published study titled “The Return of Central Asia: The EU’s engagement with a region threatened by the Dragonbear” by the European Neighbourhood Council and Konrad Adenauer Stiftung Multinational Development Policy Dialogue (MDPD) Brussels.

In this podcast, Samuel Doveri Vesterbye was joined by Dr. Farkhod Aminjonov, to discuss, among other topics, Russia’s position in Central Asia before and after the war in Ukraine, China’s growing security and economic interests in the region, how much investment will be needed in the Middle Corridor in order to reach the capacity in terms of trade and supply chains and how the EU can better engage in the region of Central Asia.

The discussion was moderated by Samuel Doveri Vesterbye, ENC Managing Director, and features the comments and insights of Dr. Farkhod Aminjonov, Assistant Professor at the College for Humanities at Zayed University, United Arab Emirates.

You can listen the in-depth interview here.

Mar 21

ENC Analysis: The Geopolitics of EU Enlargement- The case of Georgia

By ENC TEAM Publications, Research

ENC Analysis: The Geopolitics of EU Enlargement- The case of Georgia

The European Neighbourhood Council (ENC) released its new analysis on the EU enlargement as a unique instrument, which gives the EU a comparative advantage amid intensified geopolitical competition over its neighborhood.

This article is written by our external advisor Dr. Natalie Sabadanze, a Cyrus Vance visiting professor in International Relations at Mount Holyoke College, USA.

The European Union has given an exceptionally swift response to Russia’s war against Ukraine by imposing sanctions, reviving the transatlantic partnership, taking steps to ensure its energy independence, and offering Ukraine and Moldova candidate status, and Georgia a chance at the same. In this ENC analysis, the author examines how the EU can benefit from enlargement for its own geopolitical gain without sacrificing its fundamental values and the transformative agenda for the candidate states and offers an analysis of the present difficulties facing both the EU and Georgia as well as suggestions for how to overcome them.

The full analysis is available here.