EuroMeSCo Consultation Circles on New Pact for the Mediterranean Kick Off in Salé
Organized by the Policy Center for the New South (PCNS) and the European Institute of the Mediterranean (IEMed), the event is part of the IEMed-led project "Support to the reflection and consultation on the Pact for the Mediterranean."
The pact is poised to become the European Union's (EU) main political framework for strengthening cooperation with its Southern neighbors.
Karim El Aynaoui, Executive President of the PCNS, called for an in-depth reflection on the Euro-Mediterranean future relations. "The timing is spot-on to rethink these ties so that countries further reassess their foreign policies."
" Partners are potentially willing to engage on various issues within the framework of renewed cooperation." In this regard, El Aynaoui welcomed the EU's initiative to reconsider its approach through the new Pact for the Mediterranean.
Seven Florins, IEMed Executive President, highlighted the central role played by EuroMeSCO along with IEMed in promoting dialogue and research as well as in strengthening ties between Europe and its southern neighborhood.
He stressed the importance of independent expertise and multilateral cooperation to address the common challenges, especially in a geopolitical context characterized by conflicts and climate emergency and economic disparities.
For his part, Stefano Sannino, Director General for the Middle East, North Africa, and the Gulf at the European Commission, emphasized the importance of the new framework established by the Commission, which for the first time dedicates a portfolio exclusively to the Mediterranean region.
He highlighted that this reflects the particular interest the President of the European Commission has in this strategic area, marking an unprecedented evolution in the structuring of Euro-Mediterranean relations.
Running until May 14, the event is bringing together policymakers, experts, researchers, civil society representatives and private sector actors from both shores of the Mediterranean.
Conclusions of the consultations will be taken into account while drafting the New Pact for the Mediterranean, ahead of its expected adoption during the 30th anniversary of the Barcelona Process, with the aim of contributing to the security and well-being of both shores of the Mediterranean.
MAP:13 mai 2025
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Morocco World
2 days ago
- Morocco World
Europe Leads Morocco's Trade Despite Slight Drop in 2024
Rabat – Despite a slight decrease, Morocco's trade exchanges remain overwhelmingly dominated by Europe, new data has confirmed. European partners accounted for 62% of Morocco's total trade, the data from the Exchange Office said this month, confirming a modest decrease from 63.2% in 2023. According to the report, about 56.4% of Morocco's imports originated from Europe, while 71.4% of Moroccan exports went to the EU Trade with Europe increased by 4.1% in 2024, reaching MAD 754.9 billion compared to MAD 724.8 billion the previous year. 'A significant 86.6% of this trade was conducted with European Union countries,' the report said, ranking Spain as Morocco's top European trade partner, followed by France, Germany, Italy, and Turkey. The same report shed light on a 12.7% increase in trade between Morocco and Asian countries, after a decline of 15.8% in 2023. 'Its share in Morocco's total trade increased … from 18.9% in 2023 to 20.1% in 2024,' the report said, attributing the situation to growing trade with China. China tops the list of leading Asian partners to Morocco for the 13th consecutive year. Kazakhstan and India also contributed to the increase, the report explained. Increased trade with the US also contributed to trade momentum with the Americas, with which commercial exchanges grew by 6.1% Trade between Morocco and the US increased by 15.8%, according to the report. As for Africa, Moroccan trade with other African countries also rose by 6.3% this last year, following a sharp drop of -18.1% in 2023/ 'This increase was largely due to trade with Egypt,' the report said, defining Cairo as Morocco's top African trade partner for the sixth consecutive year. With Oceania, trade remains limited, but improved with a 48.1% increase in 2024, the report said, attributing the growth to increased trade with Australia. Overall, Morocco's trade with the world recorded an increase of 6.3%, compared to a 1.7% decline last year. Imports increased by 6.4% reaching MAD 761.3 billion last year, up from MAD 715.8 billion a year earlier, while exports amounted to MAD 456.3 billion in 2024- marking a 6.1% rise compared to 2023. 'As a result, the trade deficit worsened by 6.8%, standing at MAD-304.9 billion in 2024 compared to MAD-285.6 billion the year before,' the report said. Tags: EU and MoroccoEU and Morocco fisheries agreement
Morocco World
4 days ago
- Morocco World
Architect of Modern Morocco: Commemorating Hassan II's Passing Away
Rabat — Morocco pauses today to honor King Hassan II, a monarch who died 26 years ago but whose influence still echoes through the country's palaces and villages. They called him the architect of the Green March, the dam builder, the nation unifier. But Hassan II was something more — a King who bet everything on his people's courage and won. From exile to crown The late King Hassan II's story begins not with royal ceremonies, but with defeat, as he watched French colonizers strip his father, King Mohammed V, of power in 1953. Twenty-four years after his birth on July 19, 1929, the young prince found himself in exile — first on the Mediterranean island of Corsica, then in distant Madagascar. Most young men might have despaired. Hassan turned exile into opportunity, as he became his father's voice to the world, his diplomat in exile, and his bridge to freedom. When negotiations brought Mohammed V back to Morocco in 1955, Hassan had already proven himself indispensable. Independence arrived in 1956, and Hassan rose quickly through the ranks. The army made him Chief of Staff in 1957, then Commander-in-Chief. His father named him Crown Prince and Deputy Prime Minister. When Mohammed V died suddenly in 1961, Hassan stepped into power as the 17th ruler of the Alaouite dynasty. A Kingdom under pressure The early 1960s tested Hassan II like fire tests steel. With student riots in the streets, assassins' plots against his life, the new nation threatened to fragment before it could truly form. King Hassan II's response revealed his character, as he didn't just crush opposition — he channeled it. In 1962, the Late King gave Morocco its first constitution, creating a constitutional monarchy with multiple political parties. He launched massive infrastructure projects, including major strategies of dams that tamed rivers, mines that extracted wealth from mountains, and schools that educated a generation. The Late King understood that unity required more than force. He genuinely promoted rural development and brought Morocco's diverse ethnic groups into a unified national conversation, building a modern state while honoring ancient traditions. The diplomat King Hassan II possessed a rare gift for international relations. He championed Arab and Islamic causes, chairing the Al-Quds Committee and hosting Islamic summits in Morocco. Yet he also cultivated friendships with Western powers, navigating Cold War tensions with remarkable skill. His greatest diplomatic achievement came in the Middle East. The Late King secretly hosted meetings between Egyptian and Israeli leaders, laying groundwork for President Anwar Sadat's groundbreaking 1977 visit to Jerusalem. He welcomed Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres to Morocco, proving that dialogue could bridge even the deepest divides. The night that changed everything The most dramatic moment of the Late King Hassan II's reign began on a summer night in 1975. Spain planned to abandon the Western Sahara, but first wanted to hold a referendum on the territory's future. Morocco objected, arguing that historical ties bound the region to the country long before Spanish colonization. The International Court of Justice agreed that some Sahrawi tribes had sworn allegiance to Moroccan sultans. But legal victories meant little without popular support. The Late Hassan II later described the moment inspiration struck. Lying awake one night, he envisioned something unprecedented: a peaceful march of ordinary Moroccans into the disputed territory. Not an army invasion, but a human wave carrying green flags and Qurans to take back the country's legitimate territory. On October 16, 1975, Hassan addressed his nation: 'We must march from the north of Morocco to its south, and from the east of Morocco to its west. My dear people, we must move as one man, in order and discipline, to join the Sahara and reunite with our brothers in the Sahara.' The response overwhelmed everyone's expectations. From cities and villages across Morocco, 350,000 volunteers registered for the march, with one in ten being women. Families prepared to walk into the desert to claim their country's territory. November 5, 1975, brought Hassan's most famous speech, broadcast live across Morocco: 'Tomorrow, God willing, you will cross the border. Tomorrow, God willing, the Green March will begin. Tomorrow, God willing, you will tread upon a land that is yours, touch the sands that are yours, and embrace a land that is part of your dear homeland.' The Green March succeeded beyond Hassan's dreams, as Moroccans crossed peacefully into the Western Sahara, Spain withdrew, and Morocco reclaimed territory it considered its own. The march became a national holiday, its memory burned into Moroccan consciousness. But victory came with costs. The Polisario Front, backed by Algeria and Libya, launched a guerrilla war that lasted decades. The Late King Hassan II worked toward peace, agreeing to a 1991 ceasefire and supporting UN efforts to resolve the dispute through referendum. A King's final gift Hassan II died on July 23, 1999, after 38 years on the throne. His eldest son Mohammed smoothly ascended as King Mohammed VI, ensuring dynastic continuity and maintaining national stability. The numbers tell part of Hassan II's story, but his true legacy lives in Morocco's character. He took a newly independent nation and forged it into a modern state that honors its past while embracing its future. Hassan II once said, 'Le style, c'est l'homme' — style makes the man. His style combined ancient royal dignity with modern pragmatism, Islamic faith with global engagement, and firm authority with gradual democratization. Twenty-six years after his death, Hassan II's Morocco continues evolving. But the foundation he laid — unified, modernizing, proud of its heritage yet open to the world — remains as solid as the Atlas Mountains themselves. In the end, Hassan II's greatest achievement was not the Green March or the dams or the diplomatic breakthroughs. It was transforming a collection of tribes and regions into a nation that believes in itself. That belief, more than any monument, ensures his memory will endure. Tags: King Hassan IIlate King Hassan IIMorocco
Ya Biladi
5 days ago
- Ya Biladi
Rachida Dati and Carlos Ghosn to stand trial for corruption and influence peddling
After a six-year investigation, Rachida Dati and Carlos Ghosn will face trial. On Tuesday, July 22, two investigating judges ordered them to stand trial on charges of corruption, influence peddling, and breach of trust, according to Le Monde. At the time in question, Rachida Dati was serving as a Member of the European Parliament. Between 2010 and 2012, she received €900,000 in fees from Renault-Nissan, routed through its Dutch subsidiary. Dati maintains the payments were for legal services she provided to the group. However, investigators are questioning the legitimacy of the work she claims to have performed. France's financial prosecutor has described the payments as «disproportionate and undue», and considers the contract «a legal front used to conceal the corrupt arrangement». Carlos Ghosn, then CEO of Renault-Nissan, has defended the decision to hire Dati, calling her «an asset for Renault in brand promotion and business diplomacy efforts in Morocco, Algeria, Turkey, and Iran». He claims it was Dati who «offered her services» to the company. The former French justice minister denies any wrongdoing. She told investigators her work was legitimate: «I had a legal contract with Renault-Nissan for work in non-EU countries. My mission was in no way affected by debates in the European Parliament», she said, adding, «A lawyer cannot be a lobbyist». However, the judges found a clear conflict of interest, noting that Dati «never informed» the European Parliament of her private consultancy, despite speaking publicly on automotive-related topics during her term. Despite being referred for trial, Dati remains in her government post. A source close to President Emmanuel Macron stated, «A referral is not a conviction, she continues her duties». The first court hearing is scheduled for late September. Dati, who is also running for mayor of Paris, faces the possibility of a disqualification sentence. Carlos Ghosn, meanwhile, remains in Lebanon. Subject to international arrest warrants, he told Le Monde: «If I were allowed to leave Lebanese territory, any country would arrest me and hand me over to Japanese authorities». He added, «I'm the man they want to bring down».
