Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita has called for a complete overhaul of the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership (Euromed), arguing it must become a space for tangible results and equal cooperation.
Speaking in Rabat at the “Future of Euro-Mediterranean Relations” retreat, Bourita offered a blunt assessment of the partnership, also known as the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM).
Bourita said that while the Mediterranean should be a unifying force, the partnership has been held back by political stalemates and unequal expectations between its northern and southern shores. He pointed out several key failures of the Euromed process such as a lack of clear identity for the partnership, northern countries focus on security, while southern countries prioritize development, the partnership has failed to effectively address health, energy, and food crises, and the project is seen as an elite initiative disconnected from ordinary citizens.
To address these issues, Bourita proposed a four-pillar roadmap: Ensure energy and food security for the region, create new corridors that link the Mediterranean with Africa and the Atlantic, turn migration into an opportunity rather than a challenge, and establish a new Mediterranean Forum to foster dialogue.
To achieve this vision, he suggested creating “coalitions of the willing”, where at least one northern and one southern country would partner on specific projects. These projects would be funded by a Euro-Mediterranean Cohesion Fund and would include clear accountability measures to restore the partnership’s credibility with the public.
By hosting this meeting, Morocco is positioning itself as a key platform for dialogue on the future of the Euro-Mediterranean region, which is currently at the center of geopolitical tensions and global challenges.
MK/ac/fss/abj/APA