Arab Spring and Spanish Cooperation 

The AECID’s Masar Program accompanies these countries’ societies and public institutions in their democratic governance processes.

How is Spanish Cooperation responding to the “Arab Spring?”
Alberto Virella Gomes (AECID)
Read the original article in El País - Planeta Futuro

We could call what is happening in the South and in the Eastern Mediterranean and beyond the “Arab Spring,” “Arab Springs,” “Arab Awakening” or even the “European Awakening.” However, what Arab, Berber and Muslim societies are experiencing is of historical importance to both shores of this sea.

Since December 2010, when Tunisian Mohamed Bouazizi set fire to himself, leading to movements throughout social networks, various political dynamics began to emerge all over the region. These necessarily tumultuous, dialectical scenarios have uncertain outcomes, because a window has been opened towards change, to a redistribution of power and, in the end, to a new social contract for the social, ideological and religious role-players, as well as labor unions and companies, in these societies (much more plural than people in Europe are aware). Nobody should be surprised, and even less so any Europeans who are familiar with their own history, that these moments bear with them crisis, suffering, tragedy and armed confrontations. Surmounting a state of violence (and therefore dictatorships and the chaos which they entail) requires long, difficult growth processes.

Surmounting states of violence, such as dictatorships and chaos, requires long, difficult growth processes.

In each country, a process is under way, going at its own pace, with its own historical, economic and sociocultural conditioning factors. Evaluating and measuring each process according to external parameters, even though they may be European and are meant to be universal, are likely of little more use than satisfying superiority complexes. Simplifying and standardizing them does not help analysis either, though it may feed into the Manichaean clash of civilizations.

In 2012, Spanish Cooperation, and more specifically the AECID, launched the Masar Program (masar means path in Arabic) to track democratic governance processes in North Africa and the Near East. The idea did not come out of nowhere. After years of cooperation on strengthening institutions (and governability) in several regions, we had learned two lessons on how to do so effectively: first of all, instead of exporting our models when and where we deemed appropriate (when one believes to hold the solutions to others’ problems, financial resources exist and experts want to travel, there is great temptation to do so), responding to specific demands; and, secondly, that it is as important to work with institutions as it is to do so with role-players from civil society who promote the change. We shift from governability to governance, which means collaborating in both areas, strengthening capabilities and the mechanisms for dialogue and interaction amongst them. The feedback which they create, not only because certain individuals move from one field to the other, but also because of accountability, on the one hand, and the mobilization of social support, on the other, make it apparent just how strategic this lesson is. Spanish Cooperation has a great deal of experience and skill in this two-faceted role as a technical and financial partner, and as a facilitator of dialogue.

We have experience at being both a technical and financial partner, and as a facilitator of dialogue

Listening to demands and trying to meet them, as well as striving to cooperate with an inclusive and respectful attitude. The genesis of the program’s name already illustrates this. It was at a meeting among well-known Moroccan journalists that we brought up the question of what to call it. Terms were being considered which could create a change in perception, because some had a historical or political connotation that could limit their acceptance (such as rafiq, colleague, which was reminiscent of Rafiq Arafat and his ideology; other terms could be rejected due to Islamist sensitivities). We also ruled out referring to the region as the Arab world when young politicians from several Moroccan parties drew our attention to the Berber, non-Arab identity.

Since it began and up to 2015, the Masar Program’s budget has risen to 10.4 million euros. This does not include the funds granted to the countries in that region which are a priority for our cooperation, with two bilateral programs, as well as other financing instruments. Until 2014, 52% of Masar’s funds were aimed at public institutions in these countries (government ministries, human rights entities) and 48% to role-players in their civil societies (NGOs, study centers). Major limitations on the management of funds and fundraising by social role-players makes parity in allocating the budget quite difficult. But what can be done and what is achieved with these limited resources given such endless needs?

The fight against gender-based violence: the number one common objective of Morocco’s female MPs

During the first week of December 2012, eight Moroccan women MPs belonging to every party in Parliament were given the chance to become familiar with Spain’s institutions and regulations for gender equality and fighting gender-related violence. That very month, upon returning to Rabat, they created a group of female MPs working for gender equality (which now includes more than 20 female MPs). They are the promoters of a bill against gender-related violence, which is their first common objective, shared by liberal, Islamist, Socialist, Berber and other MPs alike. The support provided by Masar (with an expenditure of just 6,000 euros) was complemented by financing for participation by a female MP at the 57th session of the UN Commission on Women and a subsidy granted to the Moroccan Women’s Rights Association (174,000 euros) to fight gender-related violence.

There are many more examples. The program has contributed to the political empowerment and training of 240 Palestinian women elected in the 2012 municipal elections; to increasing awareness and giving a voice to Egyptian society with opinion polls and social research carried out through Masar Citizenship; in several countries, to the modernization of the justice system, penitentiary systems and police so that they will respect human rights and provide better service to society. Masar still has a long journey ahead of it.

Alberto Virella Gomes is the Director of Cooperation with Africa and Asia (AECID).