{"id":106681,"date":"2020-09-03T21:47:17","date_gmt":"2020-09-03T20:47:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ufmsecretariat.org\/\/tribuna-zapatero\/"},"modified":"2020-11-05T10:01:33","modified_gmt":"2020-11-05T09:01:33","slug":"med-voices-zapatero","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/ufmsecretariat.org\/ar\/med-voices-zapatero\/","title":{"rendered":"Tribuna – Zapatero"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Jos\u00e9 Luis Rodr\u00edguez Zapatero<\/strong><\/p>\n

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\nof new challenges” font_container=”tag:h2|font_size:42|text_align:left|line_height:44px” google_fonts=”font_family:Lato%3A100%2C100italic%2C300%2C300italic%2Cregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic%2C900%2C900italic|font_style:700%20bold%20regular%3A700%3Anormal” el_class=”h2especial” css=”.vc_custom_1604323881152{margin-bottom: 40px !important;}”][vc_column_text font_size=”24px” line_height=”28″ el_class=”pespecial”]<\/p>\n

If we look back, we will see that the commitment is worth it. The 25 years of the Barcelona process and the Union for the Mediterranean have generated great advances and progress.<\/h3>\n

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This year, rocked by an unprecedented health and economic crisis, marks the 25th anniversary of the Barcelona Process. It\u2019s something, if I may speak personally, I have always felt very close to, ever since I attended the birth of the Union for the Mediterranean in Paris as President of the Spanish Government in 2008. It was a source of pride for our country to host the headquarters of its Secretariat in Barcelona.<\/p>\n

After leaving behind my political duties, I now travel to visit Mediterranean neighbors on every possible occasion. It is always stimulating to share ideas, reflections and new initiatives, whether in governmental, business or civil society. The courage and effort of the women and men who work for progress, democracy and equality are always very present in my memory.<\/span><\/p>\n

Looking back, we can see that the commitment proved worthwhile. The 25 years of the Barcelona Process and the Union for the Mediterranean have generated great advances and progress. Universities have been created to educate new generations with a unique Euro-Mediterranean vision. Job opportunities and training have been provided to hundreds of thousands of young people. The development of thousands of small and medium-sized enterprises has been made possible. Regional dialogue at a ministerial level on key issues such as climate action, environmental protection, gender equality, unemployment, digitalization and regional connectivity, among others, has put a common roadmap to meet the Sustainable Development Goals in the Mediterranean on the table. But we still see too many conflicts, too much inequality, poverty and unfulfilled ambitions. <\/span><\/p>\n

I worry about the conflicts in the countries surrounding our beloved Mediterranean. I am thinking, of course, of Syria and Libya; the conflict between Palestinians and Israelis and how terrorism continues to hurt our people. Not to mention the large number of refugees seeking a safe life that Europe has not yet worked out how to accommodate. <\/span><\/p>\n

And, of course, I think of the serious consequences of the new threat of the Covid-19, the lost opportunities for young people, the daily struggle of many to feed their families, the challenge of finding answers to serious economic situations, along with the risk of a resurgence of nationalism and intolerance. But there is hope. <\/span><\/p>\n

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There was an initial unilateral reaction to the pandemic: countries closed borders and people fought over medical supplies. But we\u2019re now seeing more positive signs. However, we have begun to see more positive signs. In a conference in May, the European Union promoted a clear plan for how the international community must fight Covid-19. Bringing together large companies and countries and pooling resources are the first steps of a response that must be global to tackle a global problem. <\/span><\/p>\n

To do this, we must listen to the powerful voice of civil society, calling for vaccines and universal access to treatment, and demanding a general ceasefire so that we can fight the epidemic together. <\/span><\/p>\n

The Union for the Mediterranean defends peace and sustainable development in the region. We must bear this in mind now that the pandemic disrupts our understanding of the relationship between economic progress and our ecosystem. <\/span><\/p>\n

Shockingly, reports point out that, in the last 40 years, while the population on earth doubled, half of our ecosystems were destroyed. When this crisis ends and we manage to save as many people as possible, we will have to reflect on this link between the balance of species, ecosystems and the risk of humans suffering new pandemics. It will have to be considered within the broader framework of the fight against all the consequences of climate change. The Union for the Mediterranean itself is already addressing, in this climate context, the relationship between the impact of Covid-19 and guaranteeing access to water in various Mediterranean countries.<\/span><\/p>\n

The European Union and the Union for the Mediterranean must build a common, clear and ambitious vision to ensure the stability and prosperity of our countries, as well as to resume trade and promote a new global, healthy, democratic and digital era. Let us use this anniversary to build solidarity through bold action, within our borders and across Europe, in the Mediterranean and around the world.<\/span><\/p>\n

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