Bruxelles, 04/06/2004 (Agence Europe) - Finance and Economy Ministers of countries engaged in the EuroMed process are to meet on 7 June in Alexandria, Egypt, to take stock of the use of the Euro-Mediterranean Investment and Partnership Facility (FEMIP) managed by the European Investment Bank (EIB). This is the first ministerial assessment session for this financial instrument since the decision taken by the EU to strengthen it shortly before the EuroMed ministerial conference in December 2003 in Naples. This is also the first meeting after EU enlargement to ten new Member States. The last was held on 10 and 11 November 2003 in Naples.
Last October, the EIB and partner countries had inaugurated the regional seat of FEMIP in Cairo. A regional antenna has been set up since May in Tunis and another is being established in Rabat. The European Commission will be represented by the new Commissioner, Siim Kallas. Representatives of the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the African Development Bank (AfDB) are also expected to attend.