{"id":106692,"date":"2020-10-02T10:22:03","date_gmt":"2020-10-02T09:22:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ufmsecretariat.org\/\/tribuna-prodi\/"},"modified":"2020-11-19T12:39:20","modified_gmt":"2020-11-19T11:39:20","slug":"med-voices-prodi","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/ufmsecretariat.org\/fr\/med-voices-prodi\/","title":{"rendered":"Tribune Romano Prodi"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Romano Prodi<\/strong><\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_custom_heading text=”25 years of common objectives to gather both shores of the Mediterranean ” 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_1605783573241{margin-bottom: 40px !important;}”][vc_column_text font_size=”24px” line_height=”28″ el_class=”pespecial”]<\/p>\n

This year marks the 25th\u00a0anniversary\u00a0since the leaders from the North and the South of the Mediterranean met in Barcelona to start a Process based on dialogue, peace and common prosperity. It was also based on this bedrock that the European Commission launched in 2004 the European Neighbourhood Policy, with the goal of creating a \u201cring of friends\u201d\u00a0around Europe, and that in 2008 the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) was launched.<\/h3>\n

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Our shared Sea has been rocked by many waves\u00a0of challenges on different fronts, including political, social and economic crises, yet it has shown a degree of resilience. Now is the time to look at this legacy with fresh eyes and\u00a0try and envisage how the Mediterranean will be in 25 years\u2019 time and what this will entail for the European Union.<\/span><\/p>\n

A concurrent climate and health crises could\u00a0pose too much strain for a region which has endured years of financial crisis, record youth unemployment and rising environmental degradation, unless we collectively decide to act concretely.<\/span><\/p>\n

As a result of the work carried out by the Scientific Network of Mediterranean Experts on Climate and Environmental Change (MedECC), we know that the Mediterranean region is warming 20% faster than the global region, with the\u00a0 <\/span>serious risk of reaching 2.2\u00b0 regional temperature increase by 2040 if current trends continue. What risks this could entail for our region are a topic for discussion, but we can see clearly how this could hamper regional economic growth and diminish resilience, posing threats to our shared security and\u00a0impacting the deep roots of migration. As climate and environment do not recognize political borders, any transition to a Green Deal must involve a suitable Mediterranean dimension.<\/span><\/p>\n

At the same time,\u00a0we must not forget that\u00a0over 60% of\u00a0the MENA population\u00a0is\u00a0under the age of 30,\u00a0making it\u00a0one of the youngest regions in the world and also one with the highest and most concerning unemployment rates.\u00a0 Focusing on building a positive agenda\u00a0for this area entails placing youths and women at the centre of all politics\u00a0and engaging young people as full partners.\u00a0We welcome therefore that the\u00a0UfM\u00a0has\u00a0since\u00a0long-time\u00a0placed youths at the heart of its actions,\u00a0notably through the Mediterranean Initiative for Jobs.\u00a0Nevertheless, we are acutely aware that much more should be done to support youths and women in the Mediterranean, and all development efforts should strongly take such consideration into account, in order to avoid a wasted generation on both rims of our sea.<\/span><\/p>\n

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A clear means for achieving both sustainability and economic opportunities for our youths is education at all levels.\u00a0If we want to achieve a generation of Mediterranean graduates driving sustainable economic growth, we particularly need to invest in the mobility of students, researchers and teachers, and on the deployment of employable skills across our countries.\u00a0Efforts are underway and must be supported and upscaled. <\/span><\/p>\n

This sudden health crisis is bringing back into the limelight the importance of advancing science and diplomacy, be it in\u00a0 <\/span>the health sector or in key challenges to the\u00a0sustainable development of the region, such as its agri-food systems, climate change, and its \u201cblue\u201d economy. The Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean (PRIMA) is a good example of this potential, putting 500 million euros in innovative research at the service of resilient food and water systems.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>During these exceptional times, accelerating\u00a0epochal changes, swift\u00a0and decisive action should be accompanied by appropriate resources in order to be fully effective. We call on appropriate financing mechanisms being put in place or strengthened for the implementation of green and sustainable initiatives that may move the Mediterranean in the right direction.<\/span><\/p>\n

Fields offering attractive economic, environmental and social returns on this regard. Whether it be on renewable energy, sustainable transport or circular economy, the Mediterranean has all the potential to overcome our shared challenges and change them into better opportunities for the next 25 years. This would be the best way to carry forward the spirit of the Barcelona Process,\u00a0by entrusting it to a new generation of Mediterranean\u00a0citizens.<\/span><\/p>\n

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