(ANSAmed) - ROME, DECEMBER 12 - The ENPI CBC Med programme,
which from this year up to 2020 will be called ENI CBC, is a
"very special programme because it stresses 'co-ownership' along
with 'partnership' and that means that the parties have
negotiated together and will carry out the projects together",
said Nehad Abdel Latif, former Egyptian ambassador to Italy and
Egyptian Foreign Ministry assistant on Euromed Cooperation at
the Next Med Conference in Rome.
The 14 countries involved in the programme - explained Latif - are all present in the committees following the projects financed by the EU's neighbourhood policy. Moreover, "the approach is to seek active partecipation from all parties of the Northern and Southern fringe of the Mediterranean" and within this framework "the Arab language was also introduced for the first time". Latif stressed that Egypt participated to the ENPI Programme with 33 projects out of a total of 95 launched between 2007 and 2013, a number "which reflects the importance Egyptians attach" to the programme itself. The projects have been diverse spanning the dairy sector "which is important" for local economies, renewable energies, particularly the solar one, waste management and tourism "that is a pivotal sector for all the economies of the Euro-Mediterranean area". All of this - said Latif - was carried out despite the political turmoil that Egypt, as well as other countries of North Africa, has weathered since the revolts of 2011. "Egypt faced serious difficulties in the past four years but it is striving to develop socially and economically," added Latif. "It's true that the financial recovery is slow," he continued but there are challenges which must be addressed "such as unemployment and new job opportunities to be created". "Some projects have been set back by this year's events in Egypt but despite the problems we are determined to push forward and complete them," he concluded.(ANSAmed).
The 14 countries involved in the programme - explained Latif - are all present in the committees following the projects financed by the EU's neighbourhood policy. Moreover, "the approach is to seek active partecipation from all parties of the Northern and Southern fringe of the Mediterranean" and within this framework "the Arab language was also introduced for the first time". Latif stressed that Egypt participated to the ENPI Programme with 33 projects out of a total of 95 launched between 2007 and 2013, a number "which reflects the importance Egyptians attach" to the programme itself. The projects have been diverse spanning the dairy sector "which is important" for local economies, renewable energies, particularly the solar one, waste management and tourism "that is a pivotal sector for all the economies of the Euro-Mediterranean area". All of this - said Latif - was carried out despite the political turmoil that Egypt, as well as other countries of North Africa, has weathered since the revolts of 2011. "Egypt faced serious difficulties in the past four years but it is striving to develop socially and economically," added Latif. "It's true that the financial recovery is slow," he continued but there are challenges which must be addressed "such as unemployment and new job opportunities to be created". "Some projects have been set back by this year's events in Egypt but despite the problems we are determined to push forward and complete them," he concluded.(ANSAmed).
