Euromed Summit 2022 Economic and Social Councils and Similar Institutions - opening speech

Distinguished Presidents,
Ms. Aawatif Hayar, Minister of Solidarity, Social Integration and Family,
Mr Ahmed Réda Chami, President of the Economic, Social and Environmental Council of Morocco,
Mr Abdelkader El Khissassi, Deputy Secretary-General of the Union for the Mediterranean in charge of Economic Development and Employment,
Dear participants, 

I am very glad to welcome you and to open the 26th Euromed Summit that the Economic and Social Committee organises with Mediterranean Economic and Social Councils and similar institutions. I would like to start by warmly thanking this year's co-organiser, the Moroccan Economic, Social and Environmental Council, for its support, and especially its president, Mr Réda Chami. I am especially pleased to see so many of you here today, after a fully virtual edition in 2020 and after a 2021 summit that had to be postponed.

Allow me to start my speech with a point that is very close to my heart:  our solidarity with the more than 13 million Ukrainians that had to leave their homes due to the unjustified and unprovoked war in their country. The European Economic and Social Committee expresses a profound grief for all the victims of aggression and calls for humanitarian actions to support their access to essential items such as water, food, medicine and electricity. We strongly condemn the unilateral aggression against Ukraine and fully support the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia. We also condemn the massive use of propaganda and disinformation by the Russian government and underline the need to assist independent Russian and Belarusian civil society and journalists. 

Let me now come back to the topic of today's summit, notably "COVID-19: The role of civil society in the reconstruction and resilience of the Euro-Mediterranean region. Europe as well as Northern Africa and the Middle East have been hit by several waves of the pandemic. This has severely affected all our economies and societies because of lockdown measures, the disruption of supply chains and, especially for the Mediterranean countries, of a strong decline in revenues from tourism, to which we can add the reductions in labour remittances.

Micro, small and medium-sized enterprises have also seen a significant reduction in their turnover and most of them have been compelled to reduce their labour force. According to the World Bank's regional economic update for this year, the GDP of North Africa and the Middle East contracted by 3.8% in 2020 and grew by 3.3% in 2021, with a GDP loss of almost 200 billion dollars due to the pandemic. 11 out of 17 countries in North Africa and the Middle East will still have lower standards of living at the end of 2022 than before the start of the pandemic. 

The current recovery is threatened by the war in Ukraine and the corresponding rise in food and energy prices. The IMF forecasts an average inflation rate of 14.8% in North Africa and the Middle East. Furthermore, we cannot exclude future COVID-19 waves: it is clear that fighting the pandemic will be crucial for recovery, especially in the most vulnerable sectors, such as tourism. This demands international co-operation.

The crisis could offer an opportunity for comprehensive reforms and foster decentralisation, private sector development and social protection. It could also serve to support a more inclusive growth model. However, let us not forget to monitor the impact of the sanitary situation on the rule of law. New laws and controls put in place to contain the pandemic may have long-term negative effects on the space in which civil society operates, so that empowering people remains critical.

As indicated in the EESC information report REX/537 that you have received recently, new measures are necessary to protect people from falling into poverty and food insecurity. We need inclusive and stable social protection systems that can be scaled up rapidly in times of crisis. In this context, women, young people and elderly people with no pension deserve special attention. Specific provisions are also necessary for foreign workers, refugees and internally displaced people. Let's build cohesive societies where no one is left behind!

The EESC has high expectations in the capacity of our economies to recover, to the benefit of our citizens: we call for the adoption of recovery plans in the Mediterranean area, with measures to improve the economic, social and environmental situation. In this perspective, we support investments in digital infrastructure for SMEs and workers as well as trainings to upgrade professional skills - especially for young people and women. The recovery of the Mediterranean area and the development of sustainable and resilient socio-economic models must be guided by principles such as respect for the rule of law, the protection of democratic values and a shared commitment to the sustainable development and climate neutrality goals.

In addition, we must use trade as a leverage for economic growth that is sustainable and inclusive: the EESC calls for a better involvement of civil society in the negotiations with Morocco, Tunisia and Jordan and for an anchoring of its participation in these trade agreements.

On this day devoted to the role of civil society in the reconstruction and resilience of the Euro-Mediterranean region, I would also like to recall some EESC priorities in this context. We believe any effective post-COVID recovery plan should ensure public and private investment. The EU's external dimension constitutes a major priority, with free and fair trade and predictable global trading conditions. This implies a rule-based multilateral trading system and resilient supply chains, aspects on which the EU and our neighbours can and must co-operate. Furthermore, we ask for a stability pact for Africa that takes account of the growing importance of this continent.

Furthermore, I would like to recall the paramount importance of the digital and green transitions for our future. The Mediterranean region suffers from water scarcity, a growing problem made even more urgent by the fact that temperatures in the region are rising 20% faster as compared to the global average.

On all these dossiers, civil society is called to have its say. I am especially glad about the very good collaboration with civil society throughout the Mediterranean. Let me first of all underline the excellent cooperation with the Union for the Mediterranean that was further reinforced by our cooperation agreement signed in September 2020; I would also like to thank the Moroccan Economic, Social and Environmental Council for the outstanding collaboration regarding this and last years' Euromed Summits and concerning the EU-Morocco Joint Advisory Group that will meet this Thursday. In addition, allow me to underline the active involvement of the Moroccan, Lebanese and Jordanian councils in the drafting of the information report that serves as a base for today's discussions. We are already looking forward to the cooperation with the Lebanese Economic and Social Council in the context of an exploratory mission next year. Last but not least, let me mention the EESC's support for the Euro-Mediterranean disability rights network, set up to ensure more visibility for this important topic.

Dear participants,

Today's summit will serve to further reinforce the cooperation among civil society organizations throughout the Mediterranean. I already look forward to our debates and I wish all of us an interesting summit.

Thank you very much for your attention.