Brussels, 11/04/2011 (Agence Europe) - The Committee of the Regions (CoR) commission for citizenship, governance, institutional, and external affairs (CIVEX) discussed the situation in the Mediterranean region when it met in Brussels on Friday 8 April.
Hugues Mingarelli, Managing Director of the European External Action Service (EEAS), Abdelmaksoud Rachdi, President of the Euromed Non-Governmental Platform, and Sandy Boyle, President of the External Relations Section at the EESC, highlighted the need for contributions from different governance levels, including the local and regional levels and civil society. CIVEX President Luc Van den Brande argued that the EU had to act rapidly in a coordinated manner to bolster the development of a peaceful, stable, democratic and prosperous North Africa and Mediterranean region. “But”, he added, “democracy-building and democratic transition begin first and foremost at grassroots level and cannot be imposed from above if it is to be stable and strongly rooted in society”. He went on: “The EU can and should provide support for establishing lasting political and administrative structures”, including effective technical assistance and training for local and regional administrations. (G.B./transl.rt)