Brussels, 21/05/2012 (Agence Europe) - A call for a “re-think of the fundamentals in cooperation between the North and South of the Mediterranean basin” has been made by L'Économiste, an influential Tunisian daily newspaper (our translation throughout). This will “presuppose a revision of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), in favour of an integration project based, amongst other things, on an assumed political dimension”, states the newspaper, adding: “instead of feeding into the misunderstanding on the idea of a 'union' of the two shores, it would be wiser to conclude a cooperation and solidarity pact limited to the states on the two sides of the Mediterranean”.
The newspaper argues that the “structural inadequacies and the vagueness of the objectives of the UfM call its very raison d'être into question. A union that was dead before it was born, it is these days an empty shell, which is incapable of stimulating any kind of dynamic”, at least at political level, with the secretary general of the UfM now pleading for a union of concrete projects (see EUROPE 10595), a long way from the emphatic discourses on the Arab Spring which nobody, not governments or regional or sub-regional organisations, even picked up on.
“Previously unthinkable, the 'democratic problem' is now a requirement in relations with fledgling democracies on an equal footing. Obviously, it is best to avoid any discourse tainted with neo-colonialism or invested with any kind of 'civilising mission'. However, a Mediterranean integration process must - today more than ever -work towards the democratic aspirations of the Arab people. Support for fledgling democracies presupposes significant funding - fed into by a Euro-Mediterranean bank, possibly? - following a logic of co-development, which is in everybody's interests. This presupposes a reinforcement of the political dimension and the development of projects which are up to the level of the existing economic, ecological and human challenges.” These, the newspaper argues, would be the “conditions for the emergence of an integrated Mediterranean region, which is capable of responding to these challenges”. This, the newspaper continues, is a “major challenge, not to dash the expectations of the people who have created its history and its wealth”. It goes on to call for a common commitment to a “pact based on common values and principles, motivated by an objective of solidarity and development”. (FB/transl.fl)