Addressing a Ministerial Conference on Environment and Renewable Energies of the Western Mediterranean Dialogue in Lisbon, Environment Minister Leo Brincat spoke about climate change, terrorism, irregular migration, and energy as well as food security as the foremost challenges to Mediterranean security.

As such issues become more complex, he said, there is a need for a critical reassessment of regional co-operation as well as innovative and creative regional initiatives.

“There is a particular need to establish equilibrium between the ever growing socio-economic inequalities and environmental imbalances across what was meant to be one common sea. One could ill afford to ignore such pressing demands given the geographic proximity of such neighbour states as well as the manner in which regional threats could easily morph into threats to respective countries’ own national security,” Mr Brincat said.

The environment minister said that intra-state conflicts and the threat of emerging failed states have become stronger than ever, and it is imperative for the Mediterranean to serve to join rather than divide its regional neighbors.