The Mediterranean Cooperation Alliance welcomes the New Agenda for the Mediterranean stressing the importance of Local and Regional authorities’ involvement and the centrality of multilevel coordination.
The Mediterranean Cooperation Alliance (MedCoopAlliance) is a unique platform of the main Mediterranean networks, gathering local, regional and other sub-national governments from around the Mediterranean basin: the Intermediterranean Commission of the CPMR, MedCities, the Pyrenees-Mediterranean Euroregion, the Adriatic Ionian Euroregion, and Latin Arc.
MedCoopAlliance is pleased that the European Commission and the High Representative reaffirm their commitment to strengthening Mediterranean partnership for peace, cooperation and prosperity in the basin area and welcomes their Communication “Renewed partnership with the Southern Neighbourhood. A new Agenda for the Mediterranean”.
However, MedCoopAlliance responds with a statement which gives a global overview of the most striking issues for this area over the coming years, stressing that the success of the new Agenda lays on the involvement of Local and Regional authorities and a sub state multilevel coordination.
MedCoopAlliance points out the importance of an innovative territorial dimension of public policies, recalls the centrality of multilevel governance for the revision of the European Neighbourhood Policy for the South as outlines that Local and Regional Authorities and their respective networks thereof, should unequivocally be consulted to that end.
Since the Barcelona Process has been launched, large-scale international projects, as well as a great number of local and regional initiatives, have been contributing to create a consolidated network of cooperation. However, a renovate cooperative political culture is needed, based on a macro-regional framework, improving administrative and technical capacity, promoting broad political consensus, and a more effective coordination among the different levels of government.
Local and Regional Authorities and their networks of cooperation, such as the MedCoopAlliance, has to play a key role for greater coordination amongst already existing transnational frameworks and allowing concrete opportunities to the implementation of policy and funds on the ground.
The MedCoopAlliance “Facing together common challenges and integrating strategies for a better and sustainable future”.
Download the statement here: Statement MedCoopAlliance_MedAgenda