THE
5+5 DIALOGUE
The Cooperation Process in the Western Mediterranean-known
as "Dialogue 5+5"-was launched during
the first ministerial meeting held in Rome
on October 10, 1990, from which emanated the
Rome Constitutive Declaration.
This Process involves the five Maghreb countries
(Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria, Mauritania and
Libya) and five European countries (Spain,
Portugal, France, Italy and Malta)
I -
Rome Constitutive Declaration
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1 - At the political level
The Process aims to promote an effective
dialogue among these countries' Foreign
Ministers who meet regularly each year
to exchange viewpoints on questions
of common concern, in order to help
find solutions to political and security
issues of mutual interest.
The Declaration stresses the member
states' attachment to the comprehensiveness
and indivisibility of the question of
security in the Mediterranean, and commitment
to target their cooperation in this
field toward serving peace in the whole
region, in order to make of it a forum
of security, cooperation and stability.
The Declaration underlines the fact
that the process of cooperation among
the western Mediterranean countries
offers vast opportunities to deepen
the relations of cooperation among member
countries and to complement the dialogue
between the European Community and the
Arab Maghreb Union, and the dialogue
between Arab and European countries.
2 - At the economic level
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The Rome Declaration
stressed the comprehensive character
of this dialogue and underlined
the importance of its economic dimension. |
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Member states asserted
their determination to establish
a regional solidarity to tackle
the question of development imbalances. |
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Member states also
expressed their commitment to make
sure the process of integration
and cooperation in Europe is accompanied
by a similar effort in the field
of cooperation in the Mediterranean
region. |
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To materialize this
solidarity, the Rome Declaration
underlined the necessity to establish
effective means and mechanisms for
this dialogue. |
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It has been agreed
to adopt the following programs
and projects:
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Drawing up specific
Mediterranean programs and
projects; |
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Enhancing economic
development; |
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Exchanging views
and information to ensure
a more effective coordination
of policies and cooperation
programs. |
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Mediterranean cooperation
requires the participation of institutions,
social partners, private investors,
public territorial collectivities
and cultural institutions. |
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Member states expressed their
commitment to promote their relations
in priority fields, such as commercial
exchange, and human and natural
resources, and adopted the following
specific projects :
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Establishing
a Mediterranean databank for
the exchange of information
among member countries in
industrial and commercial
fields; |
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Common management
of the region's natural balances; |
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Finding appropriate
solutions to the question
of foreign debts of Maghreb
countries; |
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Establishing
the legal framework and the
appropriate financial institutions
in order to implement projects
in Maghreb countries, such
as the promotion of partnership
and the transfer of technology.
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3 - At the socio-cultural
level
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The Rome Declaration
pointed to the comprehensive character
of this Process; for in addition
to political and economic cooperation,
the Process encompasses social and
cultural cooperation regarding the
issues of migration, education,
training, and communication, as
well as cultural questions and patrimony
protection. |
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In this regard, the
Ministers adopted the following
projects :
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II - Algiers Declaration
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1 - At the political level
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The Algiers
Declaration emanating from the
second Ministerial conference,
held on October 26-27, 1991, reaffirmed
the recommendations included in
the Rome Declaration, stressed
the importance of democracy and
of political and economic freedoms
for the promotion of relations
among member states, underlined
the necessity to provide the requisite
conditions for regional stability
and security, and expressed the
member states' renewed commitment
to the establishment of this new
solidary forum and to the comprehensiveness
and indivisibility of the question
of security.
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The conference adopted
the following principles :
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2 - At the economic level
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Member states
renewed their determination to reduce
development disparities existing
among them, considering that the
reinforcement of economic, social,
scientific and cultural cooperation
among them will gradually make of
the Western Mediterranean region
a forum of development and solidarity.
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3 - At the socio-cultural level
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Member states
stressed the fact that the exchange
of communities between the two shores
of the Mediterranean, while respecting
legislations in force, would contribute
to promoting the relations of friendship
and cooperation between them.
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The Algiers Declaration
underlined the necessity to establish
good neighborhood relations that would
promote dialogue between various cultures,
in a context of tolerance, entente,
and respect of Human Rights. |
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III - Barcelona
Declaration
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1 - At the political level
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The preparatory meeting
of Senior Officials addressed the means
for the organization of the "5+5
Dialogue" on the one hand, and the
question of financing the activities of
the Dialogue, on the other hand.
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The Lisbon conference adopted
the results emanating from the preparatory
meeting held in Tunis. It also stressed
the strategic importance of this process
involving Europe an the Arab Maghreb, welcomed
its revival, so that it would set a model
of cooperation in the region., and underscored
the fact that this Dialogue comes to complement
other cooperation processes in the region. |
2 - At the economic level
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The Ministers stressed
the importance of establishing solidarity
among member states, in light of the challenges
posed by globalization. They called for
adopting initiatives in order to speed
up the regional integration dynamic and
to develop the capacity of the Maghreb
region to attract investments.
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They also adopted the principle
that each member state finances the activity
it proposes. |
3 - At the socio-cultural level
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The ministers underlined
the necessity for the Dialogue to encompass
social and cultural questions.
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IV - Tripoli
Declaration
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1 - At the political level
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The Ministers stressed
the fact that the question of security
is a collective task, and reaffirmed the
orientations they had adopted in the Lisbon
conference, especially as regards their
commitment to the Process.
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2 - At the economic level
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The Ministers stressed
the strategic importance of the dialogue
between Europe and the Arab Maghreb, as
regards the questions of peace, stability
and development in the region.
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The Ministers reaffirmed
the necessity to work seriously to achieve
development and to make successful the regional
economic complementarity so as to attract
foreign investments. |
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They also expressed the wish
that financial services mechanisms of the
European Investment Bank would be developed
into a Euro-Mediterranean bank. |
3 - At the socio-cultural level
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Emphasis was laid on
the necessity to give priority to cooperation
in the field of migration and human exchange,
and to establish the foundations of a
comprehensive, balanced and integrated
cooperation, so as to deal with this question
in an organized and coordinated way.
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It has been agreed on the
necessity to provide optimum conditions
for peaceful coexistence in the Western
Mediterranean region, through cultural initiatives
that reinforce Mediterranean identity and
promotes the dialogue of civilizations,
premised upon common values and roots. |
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V - Saint Maxime
Declaration
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1 - At the political level
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This Ministerial
conference, held in France on April
9-10, 2003, underlined the importance
of the cooperation process for the
countries of the Western Mediterranean
as a distinguished political forum
between the countries of the Arab
Maghreb and Southern Europe.
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The member states expressed
their firm commitment to combat terrorism
within the framework of the United
Nations. |
2 - At the economic level
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The Ministers
stressed the necessity to achieve
a stronger economic integration
as part of the Arab Maghreb Union.
To that end, the Saint Maxime conference
pointed to the idea of reinforced
cooperation between the EU and the
Maghreb countries.
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Regarding the project
of establishing a Euro-Mediterranean
bank, the conference stressed the
importance of the facilities offered
by the European Investment Bank, then
by the Euro-Mediterranean Bank when
established, in reinforcing investments
and the activities of small and medium-sized
enterprises. |
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The conference underlined
the fact that the economic effects
of the current international juncture
on the Mediterranean region should
be continuously reassessed in such
a way as to support the development
efforts of Maghreb countries. |
3 - At the socio-cultural level
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Emphasis was laid
on the necessity to give priority
to cooperation regarding questions
of migration and human exchanges.
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The conference also
specified that Morocco would host,
at the end of 2003, a Ministerial
conference on human exchange and migration. |
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Particular emphasis
was put on the importance of the dialogue
of cultures. |
Regional ministerial conference on
migration in the Western Mediterranean
This conference was held in Tunis on
October 16-17, 2002. Participants adopted
the Tunis Declaration on migration issues.
They called for reinforcing dialogue as
well as balanced and comprehensive cooperation
among their respective countries on migration-related
questions, particularly unorganized migration,
migration and mutual development, migrants'
rights and duties, migrants' integration,
and the movement of persons.
Upcoming events
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Summit of Heads
of State and Government of western
Mediterranean countries (Tunis,
December 5-6, 2003)
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Next ordinary Ministerial
meeting (Algeria 2004) |
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