Abstract:
This thesis presents the characteristics of the European Union's external
assistance programs meant to promote democracy and human rights in Middle Eastern
countries of the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership. It includes a case study on Lebanon,
as a partner country. Finally, it provides a critical assessment to the EuroMediterranean
Partnership and discusses the future role of the Arab civil society. Aim of this research is to provide a better understanding of the European
Union's democratization and human rights policy within the framework of the EuroMediterranean
Partnership. It provides the reader with a closer idea of the EU's
external assistance programs. Lastly, this thesis considers the different obstacles that
hinder an effective collaboration between the EU and Middle Eastern partner
countries concerning human rights issues, and ways to overcome them. The main content of the present research was backed by a training at the
European Commission in Brussels. The training lasted from the 1 st October 2004 to
the 1 st Marsh 2005 and took place at the Depaltment of Social and Human
Development in the Euro-Mediterranean countries of the European Office of
Cooperation (EuropeAid B4).
