What is the Platform?

SKOP is the National Platform of Maltese NGDOs and is Malta's broadest network of voluntary and non-governmental organisations working in international development cooperation and humanitarian aid.

SKOP was founded on 26 June 2001, on the initiative of Kopin (Koperazzjoni Internazzjonali - Malta), and now has 15 members and 3 associate members.  It is officially recognised by the Maltese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA).

The Platform aims to improve Malta's contribution to international development cooperation by promoting the exchange of experiences, ideas and information amongst its members, between networks of NGOs in Malta

and internationally. It also represents its members with the Maltese Government and other Maltese bodies with an interest in international development cooperation and humanitarian aid.

To support this work, the Platform manages training, advocacy and information services.

What does SKOP do?

SKOP works to promote the exchange of experience, ideas and information by acting as a broker for a variety of relationships and by collating and distributing information.

The Platform facilitates collaboration:

Between members
SKOP aims at enabling its members to learn together through sharing experiences to ensure that the best practice in the NGDO community is accessible to all. It manages from 2 to 3 training events annually on topics identified by members themselves. The Platform supports its members in building an understanding of the changing world in which they operate that enables them to adapt appropriately.

With the Maltese Government
Representation and consultation: As Malta's broadest network of NGDOs, SKOP represents the views and interests of the NGDO community to Government. Recent representation of members has included work on the Maltese Government's National Development Policy.  SKOP aims to ensure that mechanisms for consultation and financial support are designed to ensure that Official Development Aid is administered in the most effective way in the interest of those communities that the aid is intended for. The Platform aims not to represent all NGDO views on all topics but to ensure that Government has access to the work of the NGDO community on as wide a range of topics as possible.

With the European Union
As an active founder-member of the pan-European NGDO confederation CONCORD, SKOP has a key role in advocating with the European Union about its development policy. At an EU level, its shares CONCORD's aim to ensure that EC development policy is prioritised over political considerations, that an increasing share of EC aid goes to least developed countries and that EU external policies are consistent with development objectives and integrated with poverty reduction targets. The Platform has a role in ensuring that Maltese NGDOs (individually and collectively) are better informed about the actual and potential role of EC development policy and practice and are individually better placed to influence the EU.

Information collation and distribution
SKOP provides its members with information on EU-related issues made available by CONCORD and Trialog.  It also carries out regular research on the Maltese NGDO context and provides access to international organisations and individuals seeking information from or about the Maltese NGDO community.