Towards higher growth and competitiveness: the Mediterranean on the agenda of the New World Forum of the OECD and the International Forum of the Savings Banks.

Paris, 19 April, 2013. Two important international assemblies of political and financial officials, organized in Paris from 17 to 19 April, called on the Secretary General of the Union for the Mediterranean to present the challenges of a bigger regional economic integration and the progress of the cooperation projects in the Mediterranean.

The New World Forum organized by the OECD examines ways to stimulate the competitiveness of the economies according to the experiences and the peculiarities of the major different economic areas: China, the Americas, Europe and Africa. The International Forum of the Caisses de Dépôts  that are present in the Mediterranean, notably in Morocco, Tunisia, Mauritania, Italy, Belgium and France- examines from its side the means to stimulate growth through the investment of savings in priority sectors that are keys to economic and social development (infrastructure, support of Small & Medium Enterprises, urban and territorial development). The Secretary General, Mr. Sijilmassi, emphasized the central role of the Mediterranean within the development of the greater Euro-African economic region and the importance of the regional economic integration in the Mediterranean, one of the least integrated economic regions in the world. He detailed the projects developed by the Secretariat of the UfM and the potential for promoting more cooperation and economic integration in the Mediterranean. To this effect, working relations between the Secretariat of the Union for the Mediterranean and the economic partners and financial participants in the forums of Paris shall be developed.

The Secretary General also participated in a meeting to reflect on the challenges of a desired regional cooperation in the Mediterranean within the field of health.