In her written answers to MEPs, Dubravka Šuica, Commissioner-designate for the Mediterranean, said that the new Pact for the Mediterranean should help to restore confidence between the EU and the countries of the region.
In her view, the Pact offers a “three-fold opportunity”: to underline that the EU considers its relationships with and in the region as a political priority; to rebuild trust through extensive dialogue and consultation; and to “craft a bold and focused agenda of agreed and concrete priorities in areas of mutual benefit”.
Ms Šuica explains that the new Pact should build on the existing Agenda for the Mediterranean and focus on areas of mutual interest, “such as investments, trade, economic stability, job creation, connectivity, energy, transport, food, security and migration, as well as education and science”. “It needs to be people-centred and developing further, together with the partner countries, initiatives based on common values and dialogue, supporting good governance and contributing to protection of human rights and civil liberties”, adds the Commissioner-designate.
The Pact will be based on two pillars. The first will be global and strategic partnerships with interested partners, as well as regional initiatives. “These partnerships will significantly deepen collaboration in priority areas of mutual interest and strengthen the EU’s presence in the region.”, adds Ms Šuica, stating that the partnerships already concluded with Tunisia and Egypt have created a positive dynamic, bringing tangible progress in areas of critical interest to the EU.
Within the framework of these global partnerships, cooperation on migration will be one of the main priorities, explains the Commissioner-designate.
The second pillar will focus on regional investment initiatives, “to mobilise investments at a large scale and contribute to job creation and growth in the region”. The Commissioner-designate is proposing the establishment of a trans-Mediterranean energy and clean tech cooperation initiative “to increase renewable energy trading and boost clean tech manufacturing in the region”. This initiative could be followed by other regional investment initiatives focusing on digital connectivity and transport.
According to her mission statement, the Commissioner-designate will also work on developing a new Middle East Strategy. In her view, the strategy’s economic cooperation programme should have an important role to play, “as the EU is the largest donor and trading partner of many countries in the region”. This programme should be based on a number of guiding principles: linking economic development and prosperity to peace and stability, building on stronger strategic and global partnerships with countries in the region, and promoting regional initiatives that help facilitate de-escalation.
Another important element of the strategy is the relaunch of the Middle East peace process, with a focus on promoting all the measures necessary for a two-state solution and addressing humanitarian needs. The strategy will therefore include a programme to support the Palestinian Authority in the essential reforms and modernisation process, as well as initiatives to support the recovery and reconstruction of Gaza, once the situation allows for it, explains Ms Šuica. She also promises to work to strengthen cooperation with Lebanon to ensure that immediate needs are addressed, and to step up efforts to support refugees throughout the region.
For the Commissioner-designate, engagement with the Gulf States is also essential. “The EU and this region have much to gain, in terms of economic opportunities and security objectives, from a stronger and more strategic partnership”, explains Ms Šuica. She intends to push forward the EU’s initiative to strengthen regional and bilateral cooperation, including the search for strategic partnership agreements with each of the six countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).
She also highlights specific cooperation with GCC members on the development of the trans-Mediterranean cooperation initiative on energy and clean technologies in the Mediterranean.
To see Ms Šuica’s written answers: https://aeur.eu/f/dzu (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)