Supporting pan-Mediterranean initiatives

FEMIP supports projects such as cleaning the Mediterranean, the Mediterranean Solar Plan, establishing maritime and land highways etc. These are all priorities of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) established by European/Mediterranean finance ministers. The EIB allied itself to these goals by signing a memorandum of understanding with the UfM secretariat in January 2011.

UfM Secretariat: promoting clear goals

The UfM Secretariat’s central mission is to contribute to socio-economic development and regional integration by identifying and promoting appropriate projects. It began with a water desalination facility and distribution system for Gaza in June 2011. Six other projects were identified that year in transport, higher education and social affairs. More are in the pipeline.

The Secretariat also actively helps define regional and sectoral strategies. In particular, it is leading work towards a Mediterranean Solar Plan (MSP) which is intended to create an additional 20 GW of capacity in renewable energy in the region by 2020. It has also been entrusted by the Euro-Mediterranean Ministers of Urban Development to formulate a strategy for sustainable urban development in the region.

For more about the UfM including contact details, see www.ufmsecretariat.org

Marseille Centre for Mediterranean Integration (CMI)

The Marseille Centre for Mediterranean Integration (CMI) promotes effective, sustainable and complementary development policies. It offers political decision-makers, planners, academics and market players the possibility of producing, sharing and putting into practice knowledge and analysis.

As one of the Centre’s main founding members, the EIB is directing the implementation of three programmes: the rehabilitation of historic city centres (Medinas 2030); the organisation of the transport logistics network in the Mediterranean region (Logismed initiative); and the financing of innovation and support for the policy of establishing “technopoles” (innovation and technology zones).

At the same time, it contributes to three other programmes: planning and development of environmentally-friendly urban transport; support for basic and professional training; and sustainable water management.