Brussels, 05/04/2013 (Agence Europe) - Meeting in Marseilles on Thursday 4 April at the initiative of the French region Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, under the aegis of the CGLU (Commission Méditerranée des cités et gouvernements locaux unis), elected representatives of 24 Mediterranean countries adopted a political statement. They call on the heads of state and/or governments, all international donors, parliamentarians and civil society to look at the importance of using the potential for cooperation in the region more fully.
The representatives restate their resolve to contribute to the creation of an area of peace, solidarity and concrete projects for their citizens, and present a series of practical recommendations and concrete courses of action. The statement is clear and final - the Mediterranean area is doing badly. There are more and more conflicts and people are suffering. On the three shores, the statement says, the unemployment rate is high, severely affecting young people, and the essential questions of a just and sustainable development are put to one side to the benefit of what is immediately essential and of greater urgency given the severity of the current economic crises. Insecurity and poverty are worsening, growing in scale and extending to other groups and segments of the population, the statement goes on, pointing out that there is the risk that this situation will become chronic.
The elected representatives of the regions underline the lack of confidence shown in the political situation. They regret the fact that the European Union has very little political impetus in the Mediterranean, while, on a more positive note, they note the recent decisions taken on the EU multiannual financial framework for 2014-2020. A “political watch” is to be organised to monitor implementation of those decisions.
The statement goes on to say that efforts are being made on a daily basis to provide answers to local needs but, collectively, another model must be conceived and promoted, another ambition that lives up to the legitimate needs of respect, dignity and equality expressed by the people. The Barcelona Process and the UfM, the statement says, have in their time upheld and embodied this common project. Today, this must be taken further and new prospects for the future must be sketched out together.
Given the magnitude of the challenges and the complexity of the situation, answers must be adapted to suit every reality, the representatives say, before going on to conclude that they are waiting for the European institutions to strengthen and deepen the Euro-Mediterranean partnership for 2014-2020. All major international donors are needed to accompany development - not only the traditional but also new players such as the emerging countries. (FB/transl.jl)