Ministry of Youth and Sport
of Azerbaijan Republic
Eastern Partnership Youth Forum
Baku, 14 June, 2011, Dalga Plaza
Azerbaijani-American Youth Social Association with the financial support of the Ministry of Youth and Sport of Azerbaijan Republic has organized Eastern Partnership Youth Forum on 14 of June, 2011 in Dalga Plaza conference room. The Eastern Partnership (EaP) is the first comprehensive initiative introduced into the system of the European Union’s external relations, addressed to Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. The Eastern Partnership is designed to help the countries of Eastern Europe and South Caucasus with their approximation to and integration with the European Union. The EaP has injected a new quality into relations between the EU and the countries covered by the initiative through their gradual integration with the European Union. Basing on Union values, standards and norms, it advances cooperation in such spheres as human rights, market economy, sustainable development, good governance, energy security and many others. The Eastern Partnership also stimulates the development and strengthening of contacts between people and of scientific and cultural cooperation. The Joint Declaration has opened the Eastern Partnership to participation by a wide range of actors. In addition to government institutions, they include parliaments, international organizations, local government bodies, financial institutions, the civil society and youth sector. Third states will be eligible for participation on a case-by-case basis in concrete projects, activities and meetings of the thematic platforms, where this contributes to the objectives of the Eastern Partnership. The primary goals of the Eastern Partnership include gradual steps towards visa liberalization, leading to the introduction of a visa-free regime, and the establishment of a structure of multilateral cooperation in the form of four thematic platforms (devoted, respectively, to democracy, good governance and stability; economic integration and convergence with EU policies; energy security; and contacts between people).
At the opening of the Youth Forum, chairman of AAYSA and coordinator of the project Mr. Vugar Ahmadov made introduction speech about the project and talked about the Eastern Partnership Programme and Azerbaijani participation and the role of youth organizations in partnership of this Programme. At the Forum have participated Deputy Minister of Youth and Sport of Azerbaijan Republic Mr. Intiqam Babayev, Head of Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Azerbaijan Mr. Ambassador Roland Kobia, Member of Azerbaijani Parliament, Energy security committee co-chair of Euronest PA, Vice-chair of Azerbaijani European Parliament Partnership Cooperation Committee, chairman of NAYORA, Mr. Fuad Muradov, MP, member of Euronest PA, chairman of Euro-Atlantic Center and head of Democratic Reforms Party Mr. Asim Mollazade, youth organization representatives from Romania, Sweeden, Netherland, Belarus, Georgia, Ukraine, Moldova and Azerbaijan.
The main topics during the Forum were visa liberalization between the EU and (EaP) countries, partnership between civil society, state bodies and international organizations in implementation of Eastern Partnership Program and action plan, participation of (EaP) countries youth organizations in Youth in Action Program, preparation mechanisms of (EaP) countries for direct participation in Youth in Action Program of EU, Azerbaijani role in energy security of Europe and regional conflicts still existing in Eastern Partnership countries. After attending panel sessions and lectures, participants have attended the working groups for preparation proposals according to the topic of the groups. Proposals of the working group have been presented to the public and to the respecting international organizations, foreign embassies based in Baku and EU Commission Brussels office and to Delegation of EU to Azerbaijan Republic. Discussion and working groups during the forum has been continued till the end of the day and totally 35 participants has been participated in the work of Forum.
The main discussions during the forum were on the subject of visa liberalization between the EU and (EaP) countries, partnership between civil society, state bodies and international organizations in implementation of Eastern Partnership Program and European Neighborhood Policy, Azerbaijani role in energy security of Europe and the level of inter-parliamentary relations between Azerbaijani and European Parliaments and participation of (EaP) countries youth organizations in Youth in Action Program, Regional conflicts and common challenges of (EaP) countries –Conflict as the threat to re-integration and democratization process in (EaP) countries-“Prospective from common background”, Partnership of NGOs and youth within 4th category of Eastern Partnership Program -people to people contact, Preparation special youth program of European Commission for (EaP) countries, participation of (EaP) countries youth organizations in Youth in Action Program, preparation mechanisms of (EaP) countries for direct participation in Youth in Action Program of EU.
