The Center for Mediterranean Integration and the Secretariat of the Union for the Mediterranean: a new partnership in addressing common challenges facing the Euro-Mediterranean Region

The Strategic Council of the Center for Mediterranean (CMI) convened on October 14, 2011. The Strategic Council opened with the signature of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the CMI, represented by Mats Karlsson and the Union for the Mediterranean (UfMS), represented by its Secretary General, H.E. Mr. Youssef Amrani. The Strategic Council thus served as a great opportunity to welcome the Secretary General for his first visit and to introduce him to the Center and to its eminent members.

The objectives of the MoU are to develop a technical partnership and pursue cooperation in selected areas of common interest and in particular in the areas of urban development, transport, environment and water, higher education as well as investment and business development. It is a pragmatic partnership between independent but highly complementary initiatives.

More specifically, this cooperation will strongly contribute to reinforce the networks of expertise and will pursue a shared goal of greater regional integration. The knowledge agenda, encompassing knowledge generation and dissemination, will be at the core of this structural partnership. Through joint studies and events, the Center and the Union for the Mediterranean will inform the decision-making processes in the Mediterranean. This joint commitment to develop a true and efficient partnership is based on adopting a comprehensive and multi-partner approach to push the agenda of regional integration. The overarching and ultimate objective is to serve the promotion of a coherent and inclusive vision to guarantee an efficient framework of action.

The CMI will notably assist the UfMS through technical assistance and capacity building activities and will thus provide technical expertise especially in improving the transition to a true knowledge Economy which encompasses Investment and Trade, Education and Innovation, as well as ICT; in promoting an integrated and balanced Urban Development which includes the issue of improved Transport and Logistical networks’ organization in the region; and in developing the Environment and Water sector, at strategic and operational level, which also surrounds the critical issue of Climate Change and Adaptation.