C U R R I C U L U M V I T A E

C U R R I C U L U M V I T A E Neila Akrimi, PhD in European Development law with specific focus on the euro-mediterranean model of Development, extensive experience in the fields of public administration reform, Development project and International contract management. Former lawyer at the Tunisian Bar and former Diplomat at the Tunisian Ministry of Foreign affairs Neila Akrimi has been a researcher, published author and lecturer in several universities (Tunisia, France, Belgium, Malta, Malaysia, Turkey, Italy, Egypt, Libya, Lebanon, Morocco, Jordan), and recently in Harvard Educational program on Female leadership, Neila Akrimi is an established expert for the European Union, World Bank and the United Nation agencies, she has occupied for several years a position of Business Unit director for Francophone Africa at VNG international, the agency of international cooperation of the association of Netherlands municipalities based in the Hague, a European Mandated body specialized in Local Government Development support, Neila Akrimi is member of the VNGi board of Directors in Charge of The MENA programs and strategies, she has been appointed since 2012 to the position of Director General of VNGi daughter organization for the MENA region the Centre for Innovative Local Governance (CILG-VNGi) based in Tunis. Her knowledge of EuroMed region, cultural sensitivity and expertise in field of International cooperation, democratic transition, institutional reforms, strategic planning, local governance, Local Economic Development and Job creation as well as gender equity and Fund raising and management has been an asset to develop programs and contribute to the capacity development of several partners in the region. PERSONAL INFORMATION Name AKRIMI, NEILA Telephone Tunis: 0021671860245/Mobile: 0021629255700 Netherlands: 0031629125308 Address Tunisie : Résidence IRIS 3 eme étage à droite Rue du Lac Malaren 1053 Les berges du Lac Tunisie E-mail neila.akrimi@vng.nl; neila.akrimi@cilg-international.org WORK EXPERIENCE Date (from to) September 2011 to present Name and Address of employer VNG International Development Centre for Innovative Local Governance (CILG) VNG international -Tunisia CILG is the daughter organization of VNG International that covers the MENA. VNGi is the agency of International cooperation of the Association of Dutch municipalities, European Union mandated bodies implementing wide projects worldwide supporting local development and decentralisation processes. CILG was established in 2011 and its headquarters are in Tunis. 1

CILG supports decentralisation processes and public reforms in the MENA region. It provides capacity building services to strengthen local governments, their associations, training institutes and decentralisation task forces. CILG builds on existing experience and encourages innovation and best practice across local governments and related bodies. With the tools it develops, CILG fosters good governance and strategic leadership and supports action to improve local government workforce capacities and policies involving all citizens to get the best of their communities Main activities and responsibilities Director General of CILG VNG International, Member of the board of Directors of VNGi in charge of the MENA strategies and funds: -Strategic Planning: Determine CILG s strategic objectives, policies, and procedures. - Determine short-term and long-term planning. - Ensure that CILG's organizational structure, operational policies, and other processes are sound and able effectively to deliver on the strategic objectives Operational Planning - Develop and implement operational policies to guide the center - Direct the activities of CILG in a manner such that agreed upon targets are met. Management and administration - Manage staff, preparing work schedules and assigning specific duties. - Direct and coordinate organization's financial and budget activities to fund operations, maximize investments, and increase efficiency. - Determine staffing requirements, and interview, hire and train new employees, or oversee those personnel processes. Program director and key expert on the following programs: Support to democratic local governance for peace building in Tunisia This program intends to ; - Strengthen local capacity for crisis management will certainly be a priority during the first months of implementation of the program on the promotion of principles and tools of local democracy, with social, financial, safety and environmental concerns, which require urgent management - Enhance the participation of youth and women in local democracy - Promote the principles and tools of a democratic urban governance (DUG) - Support cross-border cooperation between Tunisia and Libya Support to economic development and job creation at the local level This program has 3 main components : Support to job creation by providing trainings to 600 young job seekers to develop interpersonal skills to help them better approach and integrate the labor market Support to entrepreneurship through supporting 200 young people with ideas for projects to create value-added businesses, innovative and job creating, The promotion of cooperation and public-private partnership and the promotion and establishment of projects through the implementation of 4 municipal projects which would create direct and immediate jobs and promote PPP. Support to Urban Democratic Governance and Local Economic Development Support Program in Tunisia PAGUDEL This program is implemented in 12 municipalities in Tunisia and 3 Libyan cross-border municipalities and provides support in 5 main areas: - Capacity building of municipalities in terms of local economic development favouring job creation - Capacity building of municipalities in terms of urban democratic governance - Capacity building of local civil society associations in terms of support to democratic transition, gender equality and youth participation 2

- The support to decentralisation and institutional democratic transition - The strengthening of cross-border Tunisian-Libyan cooperation Through this program, concrete tools were also developed to improve the quality of municipal management such as the development of a balanced scorecard for municipal performance, the implementation of pilot municipal One-Stop Shops, the development of a handbook of procedures for municipal internal management and the setting-up of a local economic database. Support to Local Democratic Governance for peace building in the MENA region Libya and Tunisia This program aims to Consolidate democratic local governance contributing to stability and peace in Libya and Tunisia through: - Promoting democratic principles and capacity building tools in municipal planning and local basic services, and the relationships between local and national governments - Enhancing the participation of civil society, women and young people and women in local democracy - Linking of (interim) local government to local civil society organizations in order to establish mechanisms for conflict prevention, including the preparation of non-violent elections - Promoting cross-border cooperation between Libyan and Tunisian local governments Dates (from to) May 2007 September 2012 Name and address of employer Type of business or sector Occupation or position held Main activities and responsibilities VNG international (Agency of international cooperation for development of the Association of Dutch Municipalities) The Hague Project Management for International development Regional program director MENA region (Middle East North Africa) based in Tunis. In charge of project management and consultancy in the domain of : institutional capacity building, Decentralisation, local governance and development,.gender equality and women empowerment, local economic development and job creation Program director support to local democratic transition and development for the MENA Region : this program provides technical and financial support at first stage in order to accompany the local democratic transition and overcome local economic challenges in Tunisia and Libya. The second phase of the program started in 2013 and includes Libya. Manager program of Gender equity in local development (GELD): the program address issues linked to local development and how it benefit and empower women, for that the program provides designs with particular needs and situations in mind. National and local government policymakers and bureaucrats, as well as civil society organizations, are our target groups considering their role in ensuring that women play an active role in decentralized systems, and that locally managed services and resources promote gender equity. - Backstopping regional program Cooperation in Urban Development and Dialogue. CIUDAD aims at promoting Good Governance and Sustainable Development in urban area through a mechanism of technical support of decentralized cooperation bilateral and multilateral projects between EU and it s southern and eastern neighbors.the project address vital issues for the sustainable development for the EU neighbouring region and especially to back the efforts of local authorities to implement an effective and modern institutional, legislative and local framework, and provide a structural support in the definition, promotion and implementation of a strategy of sustainable urban development and supports the enforcement of specific urban policies, in particular for economic development, environmental protection, transport and mobility and the protection and integration of the socially excluded within a context of interregional cooperation. - Key expert for the GTZ program on «Coopération des villes et des municipalités» (CoMun) enhancing exchange of experiences et and dialogue between cities of the central Maghreb region (Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia) on key issues of urbain developmemt. - Responsible for the conceptualisation, implementation and monitoring of several projects in Morocco: the project Maroc Gouvernance et Démocratie Locale 2007-2010 financed by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Project on Waste 3

management planning 2009-2011, financed by the Dutch Ministry of environment. Coordination and monitoring of the projects between Dutch and Moroccan municipalities within la plateforme de cooperation intermunicipale Maroc-Pays Bas, 2000, 2012. - In charge of business development related to the European Neighborhood Policy Instrument with southern Mediterranean countries. - Responsible for the conceptualisation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the local governments capacity building program for West Africa, 2007-2010: Mali, Benin, Burkina Faso financed by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. - Carrying monitoring mission several times a year in West Africa and the MENA region. - Coordinator of «cadre de concertation des partenaires techniques et financiers pour l Afrique de l Ouest dans le domaine du développement local» ( Donor Group Decentralisation with UNDP, World Bank, Euroean commission, GTZ, DANIDA ) - Membre of the Pilot committee of the World Bank initiative on Forum régional sur la décentralisation en Afrique Francophone». - Facilitator of Municipal Management Training Programme on gender equality and women empowerment, Decentralisation and Good Governance. - Intermediate between the national government, the regional / provincial government, the municipalities, non governmental organisations, donors and private parties aiming o To find an agreement about a developing programme regarding a number of major projects concerning water, waste, local economic, public areas, sustainable urban development, capacity building o to find subsidies and grants (fundraising) and to divide the budget over projects and regions o to plan, prepare and implement and monitor regional development projects including dealing with the technical, financial and legal issues o to advice the different departments of involved Ministries, the municipalities and the non governmental bodies in decentralisation and capacity building o to develop the administrative capacity for the evaluation and monitoring of local and regional management and services o to achieve multi disciplinary regional development plans, through intensive community participation and institutional strengthening Skills - Deep and extended knowledge on local government and poverty reduction, development strategies and planning, decentralised cooperation, gender equality and institutional capacity reinforcement. Large experience in West Africa and MENA region. - Highly familiar with political and governmental circumstances on international, national, provincial / regional and local level - Focus on professional quality and experienced in communicating with donors, governmental and non governmental organisations as well as private enterprises - Extensive experience with Project Cycle Management, Logical Framework Approach and participatory planning - Courses in training skills, in planning and organisation and in contracting management - Respectful in personal and business involved relations, diplomatic and effective in negotiation - Highly culturally sensitive which is an added value for international development worker, strong familiarity with managing multicultural partnerships Dates (from to) April 2002 - March 2007 Name and address of employer Centre d Etudes et de Recherches sur le Partenariat Euro-Mediterranéen (CERPEM), 38 avenue de l Europe, 13625, Aix-en-Provence, France Type of business or sector Scientific sector Occupation or position held Deputy director-associate researcher Main activities and responsibilities - Coordinating research projects linked to euro-mediterranean issues mainly funded by the European commission - Developing scientific researches and reports: developmental issues in the euromediterranean partnership, Gender, Euromed free trade area, Decentralized cooperation. - Organizing and running seminars and workshops on gender issues, intercultural dialogue and on the legal dimension of the euro-mediterranean partnership. 4

- Managing result oriented researches with involvement of junior researchers - Monitoring input of regional research offices with regards joint publication - Logistic preparation for conferences and scientific meetings Dates (from to) March - September 2006 Name and address of employer The Anna Lindh Euro-Mediterranean Foundation for the Dialogue between Cultures Type of business or sector Consultancy work Occupation or position held Independent Consultant Main activities and responsibilities Consultancy work for the preparation of the study on Culture and Communication related to Gender issues for the preparation of the EuroMed Ministerial Conference on Equality of Opportunities, to be convened in November 2006. Editing and Providing translation supervision. Dates (from to) April 1999-Mars 2002 ( on duty)- Since 2002 «out of duty» Name and address of employer Ministry of foreign affairs of Tunisia; Relation with European Union department Type of business or sector Diplomacy Occupation or position held Counsellor of foreign affairs Main activities and responsibilities - Organizing and follow up of meetings with official foreign delegations as well as internal interdepartmental meetings. - Translation of official documents in three languages (from, to): French, Arabic and English. - Evaluating projects of technical cooperation between the European Union and Tunisia focusing on quality and assessment. - Enhancing decentralised cooperation within the cooperation with EU - Draft projects of speech addressed by high Tunisian officers in Euro-Mediterranean diplomatic gathering. - Reporting of meetings and conversation synopsis. - Working in a research team carrying out in-depth qualitative evaluation of project of cooperation between Tunisia and the European union - Contributing to the Steering Group developing action plans in order to reinforce and widen different fields of cooperation - Dates (from to) September 1997- April 1998 Name and address of employer Law Firm, Imm Mesk N19 Monplaisir, Tunis Type of business or sector Legal affairs Occupation or position held Lawyer trainee Main activities and responsibilities Legal assistance in Arbitrage for cases related to intellectual property rights issues EDUCATION Dates (from to) September 2002 - December 2007 Name and type of organisation Faculté de droit et de Science Politique d Aix-en-Provence, France en cotutelle avec la Faculté providing education and training des Sciences juridiques politiques et sociales de Tunis II, Tunisie. Principal subjects/occupational Dissertation title: Le partenariat euro-méditerranéen, un modèle de développement régional à skills covered l épreuve de la globalisation Title of qualification awarded Doctorat/PhD in International-Development Law, specialized in European Law studies ( 27 th January 2007) Dates (from to) May 2002 Name and type of organisation The lawyer Bar of Tunis. providing education and training Title of qualification awarded Certificate of ability to practise law profession (Certificat d Aptitude pour la Profession d Avocat ) Dates (from to) September 2000-June 2001 Name and type of organisation The Mediterranean Academy of Diplomatic Studies of Malta providing education and training Principal subjects/occupational Thesis title: The Mediterranean Policy of The Enlarged European Union. skills covered 5

Title of qualification awarded Masters in Diplomacy, Dates (from to) April 1999-May 2000 Name and type of organisation L Institut Diplomatique pour la formation et les études, Tunisia providing education and training Principal subjects/occupational Diplomacy, strategy studies, negotiation technique, protocol, International relations. skills covered Title of qualification awarded Certificate of ability to join the Tunisian diplomatic corps. Dates (from to) September 1998- June 2000 Name and type of organisation Faculté des Sciences juridiques politiques et sociales de Tunis II, Tunisia providing education and training Principal subjects/occupational Thesis title: «la propriété intellectuelle dans l accord d association Tunisie/Union européenne». skills covered Title of qualification awarded (Masters) DEA en Droit Communautaire et Relations Maghreb-Europe (Diploma of profound studies on European law and Maghreb-Europe Relation) Dates (from to) September 1993- June 1997 Name and type of organisation Faculté des Sciences juridiques politiques et sociales providing education and training de Tunis II, Tunisia Principal subjects/occupational Judiciary law, administrative law, International public law, International private law, social law. skills covered Title of qualification awarded Bachelor of legal, political and social Science Honours - First Tunisian PhD in European law studies with honour and Jury distinction - Price of Merit of the Committee of regions of Brussels June 2008 - PhD Scholarship: France-Tunisia Cooperation Scholarship Program (November 2001-June 2005) - Received Masters in Diplomacy with distinction - Received Masters in Droit communautaire et relations Maghreb-Europe with distinction PERSONAL SKILLS and competences MOTHER TONGUE ARABIC OTHER LANGUAGES Reading skills Writing skills Verbal skills FRENCH Reading skills Writing skills Verbal skills ENGLISH Reading skills Writing skills Verbal skills DUTCH GOOD GOOD GOOD GERMAN 6

Reading skills Writing skills Verbal skills GOOD FAIR FAIR 7

SOCIAL SKILLS AND COMPETENCES -Team work: Involved in research team programs: Managing development program with multiple parties and coordinating all initiatives reflects high skills in team work Member of the research project of «Centre national français de la recherche scientifique» (CNRS) on «le droit économique du partenariat euro-méditerranéen», December 2003- December 2006. Centre d Etudes et de Recherches sur le Partenariat Euro-Méditerranéen (CERPEM), Faculté de droit of Aix-en-Provence. Member of the research project: Integration and cooperation in and between the EU and the Mediterranean» December 2002-December 2004. Jean Monnet Research Network: «EU-Med Translational and Regional Research Network» University of Malta. Contributing to the Euro-Mediterranean Consortium for Applied Research on International Migration (CARIM) about International Migration in the Euro- Mediterranean Area and the Enlarged European Union Florence, December 2004. ORGANISATIONAL SKILLS AND COMPETENCES -Coordinating: Acquired an aptitude for coordination and diplomacy thanks to my work in the Tunisian Ministry of foreign affairs and the international development sphere Coordinator for the Research Project The Role of Intercultural Dialogue for the Development of a New (Plural, Democratic) Citizenship, known as the Papisca Project, University of Padua, 2005-2007. -Running and organizing meetings and workshops: Visits of the president of the republic of Benin under the theme decentralised cooperation, January 2009 Exchange activities in the Netherlands and abroad on different themes: gender and local development, woman leaders in local governments, inter-municipal cooperation Morocco- Netherlands, local governments and sustainable development Third International meeting of young researchers on Enlargement and the new Europe after 2004. Centre d Études et de Recherches Internationales et Communautaires (CERIC) of the Faculté de droit et de science politique d Aix-Marseille III (Aix-en- Provence) 24th and 25th, Septembre 2004. Workshop on «Construire la région euro-méditerranéenne: l approche culturelle», Centre d Etude et de Recherche sur le Partenariat Euro-Méditerranéen (CERPEM), University Paul- Cézanne of Aix-en-Provence, December 2005. - Lecturing On «Le système européen des droits des femmes» for the «Master international conjoint de deuxième niveau» : «femmes, civilisations et systèmes juridiques»,university Cadi Ayyad Marrakech, 9-14 April 2007. «Towards a Mediterranean European Cultural Policy: Opportunities and constraints of cultural cooperation within the ENP», in Conference on Intercultural dialogue for the Development of a New (Plural, Democratic) Citizenship, European Commission DG Education and Culture, Jean Monnet European Centre of Excellence of the University of Padua, Padua, March 2007. «Women s Rights and Political Reforms» in XXI Information and Training Seminar for Euro- Med Diplomats October 2006, The Mediterranean Academy of Diplomatic Studies of Malta. «Inclusive euro-mediterranean space: reinvigoration the role of civil society» in the civil society conference on «Family values in the European union and Malta», Mai 2006. 8

Series of lectures related to the Euro-mediterranean partnership in the conferences, Seminars and debates organised by European Movement- France, Spring 2004- Autumn 2005- Autumn 2006. The Specific themes are: Euro-mediterranean citizenship and role of civil society, intercultural dialogue and development patterns in the Euromed space, gender equality in the Euro-Mediterranean partnership, decentralised Euro-Mediterranean co-operation. «Politique européenne de Voisinage : Vision du Sud», Institut des Etudes Internationales of Tunis, Septembre 2004. «Europeanisation versus Global Governance» in the Jean Monnet conference on Europeanisation, Marmara University, European Community Institute (Istanbul), may 2004. «Europeanization and Globalisation» as a contribution to the mediterranean program of the Institute of European studies of Limerick (Ireland), March 2004. -Providing research services as member of: Association Tunisienne des Etudes Internationales, Tunis, Tunisia. Association Tunisienne des Etudes Euro-méditerranéennes, Tunis, Tunisia. Fondation méditerranéenne d Etudes Stratégiques, Toulon, France. TECHNICAL SKILLS and competences DRIVING LICENCE(S) -Proficiency in word processing, Excel, spreadsheets, presentation and database. -Some experience in web site creation as I did create a web page dealing with Euro- Mediterranean issues: www.euromed-forum.net. B (car) 9

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PUBLICATIONS Mai 2014 October 2013 October 2011 May 2011 December 2010 December 2010 January 2009 September 2008 March 2008 January 2008 December 2007 December 2007 Novembre 2007 Octobre 2007 March 2007 December 2006 «Rôle de la société civile dans la Gouvernance Locale en Tunisie» La presse Tunisie. L évolution des villes et des municipalités tunisiennes après la révolution» Archibat Tunisie Gender equality and the Arabic Spring: Challenges and perspectives, UN Women and European Union joint Initiative to support women s empowerment in the MENA region, Brussels. Local and Regional development and democratic transition: Main challenge of the Arabic spring, European Parliament, Strasbourg Women at the Centre: Gender Equitable Local Development (How to improve women s access to resources and services at the local level during times of economic crisis and recovery). European Development Days Bulletin, European Commission, Brussels. Différenciation statutaire dans la politique de voisinage de l'ue, le cas de la Tunisie», CERIMED Rabat and Konrad Adenauer Stiftung publication,. Capacity development for local governance. A clear case for harmonisation and alignment. Examples from Benin Co-authored with Jan Willem Nibbering, policy advisor with the Aid Effectiveness and Quality Department of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Publication for the Development Partners Working Group on Local Governance and Decentralization, January 2009. «Gouvernance européenne versus gouvernance globale : quel impact pour le partenariat euroméditerranéen?», European Documentation and research centre, Jean Monnet European centre of Excellence, university of Malta, September 2008 reinforcing local government capacities in terms of gender equality, mainstreaming and local governance, VNG international, March 2008 «La gouvernance locale : un défi ou une condition de développement local en Afrique de l Ouest?» VNG international, January 2008. «Le rôle des associations des communes dans l intégration sous-régionale en Afrique de l Ouest», VNG international, December 2007 «Le «Dialogue 5+5» : «boîte à idées» pour relancer le Processus de Barcelone en Méditerranée occidentale?». Publication de l IRMC, Tunis, décembre 2007. «Beyond building bridges: a new direction for culture and development in the euromediterranean region. DPRN regional expert meeting, Arab world, 2007: Culture to bridge the gap. Clingendael Institute, The Hague, 16 November 2007. The EU Global Approach to Migration: Challenges of a Strategy towards the Southern Mediterranean Third Countries In Implementing the Global Approach to Migration : Towards a New Compromise between the EU and its Neighbourhood?. Dir. Jean Pierre Cassarino, The Robert Schuman for Advanced Studies and the Fritz Thyssen Stiftung, 12th October 2007. «Inclusive Euro-Mediterranean cooperation: the crucial role of civil society. In Intercultural Dialogue and Citizenship Translating Values into Actions A Common Project for Europeans and their Partners, Marsilio Editori, Venice, March 2007, pp. 277-297. «The Mediterranean: Cultural Identity and Prospects for Intercultural Dialogue. Discussion paper, European Movement International, Aubagne, France. December 2006. December 2005 «Pour une participation effective de la femme dans la promotion et le renforcement du dialogue interculturel dans l espace euro-méditerranéen», travaux du CERPEM sur le thème «Construire la région euro-méditerranéenne: l approche culturelle», University Paul-Cézanne of aix-en- Provence, December 2005. November 2005 10 «Política Europea de Vecindad: alcance y límite de una estrategia». Dossier: Relaciones Euro- Mediterráneas, "Relaciones Euro-Mediterráneas: una puerta a la estabilidad?". Papeles,

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