Brussels, 13/02/2012 (Agence Europe) - A meeting of the foreign ministers of the states of the 5+5 dialogue, which brings together the countries of the Western Mediterranean (five from the EU - Italy, Malta, France, Spain and Portugal - and the five countries of the Arab Maghreb Union, AMU - Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia along with Libya and Mauritania) will be held in Rome on 20 February. This 9th meeting will be jointly chaired by Italy and Tunisia.
These countries, disappointed by overall Euro-Mediterranean policy and the lack of progress of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), would seem to be keen to re-boot long-existing cooperation. This cooperation, centred on security and management of migratory flows, is tending to extend into economic, environmental and also agricultural issues (see EUROPE 10550).
Integrating the Maghreb and making it the interlocutor with the EU. At the same time, Tunisia, which currently holds the presidency of the AMU, is trying to re-ignite cooperation between the five member states of that organisation. Visiting Rabat, Tunisia's interim President Moncef Marzouki stated his desire to convene a “summit”. He said: “We have paid a heavy cost for our lack of unity in the Maghreb. It is time to take advantage of what this area has to offer”, and “it is time to get the Arab Maghreb going again … so that this area can recover its position and influence in the African Union and take on a central role with regard to the European Union”. Marzouki said that he had seen a “sincere desire” on the parts of the King of Morocco and Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika “to overcome the problem” of the Sahara. “Our countries have taken the path of reform and construction, and we need a strong Maghreb in the image of the European Union”, he said. (FB/transl.rt)