The Minister for Foreign Action, Institutional Relations and Transparency, Bernat Solé, closed the conference 'Towards a Renovated Regional Strategy for the Mediterranean +25', organized by the Mediterranean Cooperation Alliance platform and part of the Mediterranean +25 Forums promoted by the Government of Catalonia on the occasion of the commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the Barcelona Process.

"A platform like the Mediterranean Cooperation Alliance can provide greater legitimacy to the involvement of Euro-Mediterranean stakeholders in a space of present and future potential. A space full of life, diverse societies, neighbourhood and shared responsibility. A key space for Catalonia, where we want to forge more alliances and be more present because we are part of it and feel fully committed to it", highlighted the Minister Solé.

In his closing speech, the minister valued that "the 25 years of the Barcelona Declaration confirm that this Mediterranean association has managed to create a space for dialogue and permanent relations despite the difficulties". The Minister considers that "within the framework of the Euro-Mediterranean cooperation, the question of governance is fundamental" and has expressed Catalonia's support for the Mediterranean Cooperation Alliance, which he has defined as "a unique and transformative instrument" and "involving the mobilization of actors from the two shores that defend the importance of the Mediterranean policies", and insisted that "we reaffirm our fully European and Mediterranean commitment".

"Our vision of the Mediterranean is aligned with one of the axes of the government's mandate: Agenda 2030", explained the minister. "This exceptional moment pushes us towards a green, digital, socially just and resilient model, framed within the 17 SDGs of the United Nations", he stressed.

Solé has shown that "being a member of the European Union enables us to share a space for dialogue that goes beyond bilateral relations and highlights an integrated neighbourhood with the South, pending to legitimize the partnership between the societies of the two Mediterranean banks".

The Mediterranean Cooperation Alliance is a unique networking platform that aims to highlight multilevel transnational governance in the Mediterranean. It is formed by the CRPM, Latin Arch, MedCities, the Pyrenees-Mediterranean Euroregion and the Adriatic-Ionian Euroregion.  

The conference was attended by representatives from different Euro-Mediterranean regions and cities with the aim of promoting, exchanging and proposing governance instruments as key assets for a new orientation of Euro-Mediterranean cooperation. The main conclusions of the study on territorial cooperation, governance and local and regional authorities in the Mediterranean were also presented, because it was promoted and coordinated by the Catalan Government.

In addition, within the framework of the Mediterranean +25 Forums, on December 9-11 the Youth and Climate Forum in the Mediterranean +25 will take place online and will close the cycle.