Programme

DRAFT PROGRAMME

FR (pdf) - ES (pdf) - AR (PDF) 

5 July 2023

09:15 - 10:00 Registration and welcome coffee

10:00 - 10:50 Opening session

Welcome by Dimitris Dimitriadis, president, EESC section for External Relations

Chair: Lidija Pavić-Rogošić, bureau member, EESC section for External Relations 

  • Oliver Röpke, president, European Economic and Social Committee (EESC)
  • Magdy Galal, chairman, Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company, reading the speech of H.E. Tarek El Molla, Egyptian Minister for Petroleum and Mineral Resources
  • Ahmed Abdullah Zayed, director, Bibliotheca Alexandrina 
  • Nasser Kamel, secretary-general, Union for the Mediterranean
  • Josep Ferré, executive director, Anna Lindh Foundation
  • Mohamed Abou El Enein, Deputy Speaker of the Egyptian House of Representatives
  • Ahmed El Wakil, president, Association of Mediterranean Chambers of Commerce and Industry (ASCAME) and Alexandria Chamber of Commerce

10:50 - 11:05 Keynote speech

  • Christos Zerefos, secretary-general, Academy of Athens; climate envoy for Greece; president, Mariolopoulos-KanaginisFoundation for the Environmental Sciences  

11:05 - 11:30 Networking coffee

11:30 - 13:00 Session 1: Energy transition in the Euro-Mediterranean region

The Mediterranean region is blessed with a great potential regarding renewable energy. This session will provide an occasion to address opportunities and challenges related to a just energy transition in a broad discussion with the audience. 

Chair: Lucie Studničná, president, EESC Workers’ Group

  • Ioannis Vardakastanis, EESC rapporteur, Energy policies and strategies in the Euro-Mediterranean region 
  • Musa Shteiwi, president ESC Jordan

Debate with national ESCs and similar institutions

13:00 - 14:30 Networking lunch

14:30 - 16:00 Session 2:  Workshops

This session is dedicated to work in smaller groups, in order to develop more specific recommendations

Workshop 1: Improving energy efficiency and interconnections - AR/EN/ES/FR

Chair: Emanuela Menichetti, director, Renewable Energy Division, Mediterranean Observatory for Energy (OME)

Key speakers

  • Beatriz Martín Nieto, international relations analyst, ESC Spain
  • Bojana Stanojevska, president, Center for Climate change, North Macedonia
  • Sabah Mashaly, president, Mediterranean Transmission System Operators (Med-TSO) 

Debate 

Workshop 2: Ensuring a just energy transition and mitigating negative impacts - AR/EN/FR 

Chair: Aziz Jaouani, senior human capital development expert - lifelong learning policies, European Training Foundation

Key speakers

  • Dan Catarivas, ESCI Israel
  • Ioannis Paidas, president, ESC/OKE Greece
  • Daniel Becker, secretary general, Economic and Social Council of Luxemburg

Debate

Workshop 3: Energy transition as a way to increase supply security - AR/EN/FR

Chair: Jihen Boutiba, general secretary, BUSINESSMED

Key speakers

  • Anhar Hegazi, Director, Energy and Green Development Consult, Egypt
  • Zeidane Meihimid, member, workers and trade unions ESC Mauritania
  • Rana Qaimari, EcoPeace, Palestine

Debate

16:00 - 16:30 Networking coffee

16:30 - 18:00 Session 3: Restitution of the workshop conclusion

In this session, the chairs of session 2 will present the main recommendations developed in their respective workshops. 

Chair: Hind Ben Ammar, executive secretary, Arab Trade Union Confederation (ATUC)

Debate with national ESCs and similar institutions

18:00 - 19:00 Networking cocktail, hosted by the EESC

6 July 2023 

09:00 - 09:15 Opening remarks

Chair: María Helena de Felipe Lehtonen, member, EESC Euromed Follow-Up Committee

  • Christian Berger, Ambassador, Head of the EU Delegation to Egypt
  • Badr Abdelatty, Ambassador of the Arab Republic of Egypt to the EU
  • Khalid Boudali, Presiding Officer, Economic, Social & Cultural Council of the African Union ECOSOCC, African Union

09:15 - 11:00 Session 4: Water scarcity and desertification 

 

The Mediterranean region is strongly exposed to climate change and faces fast-rising temperatures, water scarcity and desertification. In this session, participants will explore ways to increase water-efficiency and to enhance water cooperation within Euromed. 

Chair: Stefano Mallia, president, EESC Employers’ Group

  • Milena Angelova, EESC co-rapporteur on "Water politics – Between desertification and securitization – Time for a Blue Diplomacy"
  • Marwan Alraggad, executive director, Inter-Islamic Network on Water Resources Development and Management (INWRDAM)

Debate with national ESCs and similar institutions

11:00 - 11:30 Networking coffee

11:30 - 12:55 Session 5: Digital transition in the Euro-Mediterranean region

Digital transition is a key priority for the EU's renewed partnership with its Southern Neighbourhood. This session will serve to discuss the role of digital transition as an important vector for inclusive economic development and job creation on both shores of the Mediterranean. 

 Chair: Séamus Boland, president, EESC Civil Society Organisations' Group

  • Dolores Sammut Bonnici, EESC rapporteur for 'Digital Transition in the Euro-Mediterranean region"
  • Nayla Abi Karam, senior expert et diplomatic counsellor of the president, ESEC Lebanon

Debate with national ESCs and similar institutions

12:55 - 13:00 Closing remarks 

  • Thomas Wagnsonner, president, EESC Euromed Follow-Up Committee

13:00 -14:00 Light lunch (hosted by the European Commission DG NEAR)

Practical information

  • Venue: Alexandria (Egypt) – Bibliotheca Alexandrina - Conference Center, El-Gaish Road
  • Interpreting: You can speak and listen to Arabic/English/French/Spanish.
  • Contact: euromed@eesc.europa.eu
  • Twitter: @EESC_REX #Mediterranean

Downloads

  • 2023 EUROMED- Programme