The Prime Minister yesterday launched the European-Mediterranean Initiative for Technology and Innovation, the Euro-MedITI, which he described as an opportunity “not only to seek and apply innovative solutions to address issues common to us in the Mediterranean, but also to act as a vehicle that can help to secure that little bit more of understanding between Europe, the Arab and North African states”.
The concept leading to the creation of Euro-MedITI stems from a principal policy objective that Malta has rigorously and continuously sought to maintain, he said, addressing the launch ceremony at the Mediterranean Conference Centre.
Malta had throughout its history as an independent state and especially now as a member of the European Union, consistently promoted the necessity to establish a more enhanced and structured dialogue between the union and the League of Arab States so that closer Euro-Arab relations and understanding would be achieved.
The main objective of Malta’s foreign policy goal in this regard was to create a positive atmosphere between Europe and the Arab world in all sectors – including politics, education, culture and business – that rose above differences but built on the recognition that common issues such as sustainability, environment, and development required consistent dialogue, communication, and sharing to enable the undertaking of collective measures to address them.
Dialogue, communications and sharing leading to the informality of regular interaction between the two shores of the Mediterranean would only be achieved, however, if trust was secured and nurtured.
Malta’s active participation in the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership since its creation in 1995 had offered it another opportunity to further peace, security, and stability across the Euro-Mediterranean geo-strategic region. As a European country with a Mediterranean personality, Malta was ideally located to assist in realising the overriding objectives of the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership, that of increasing stability and promoting prosperity in the region.
The constitution of Euro-MedITI by the government was one other indication of Malta’s determination and commitment to continue to secure trust and understanding. Innovation and technology transfer were paramount for development, growth, and sustainability. Innovation and technology development and transfer were essential if they were, collectively, to overcome major issues and challenges such as climate change, poverty, and securing prosperity. Identifying critical social and economic issues, coming together to address them, finding ways of addressing them provided them with one other vehicle, that rose above political beliefs and ideologies, to forge understandings and better relationships.
Dr Gonzi said the Euro-MedITI initiative would seek to bring interested governments, research organisations, entrepreneurs, NGOs from North Africa and the Arab states and Europe together, to put their collective minds and interests to innovate and create solutions to address the challenges that we collectively face. “It will seek to transfer knowledge and technology from the south axis to the north axis of the Mediterranean, as well as from the north to the south axis.”
The government did not believe that Euro-MedITI should remain a “Malta-sponsored” initiative. Rather, Euro-MedITI should be transformed into a collective Mediterranean vehicle, working in the interests of the Mediterranean region. The transformation of Euro-MedITI into a collectively owned Mediterranean entity would primarily depend on Euro-MedITI establishing itself as a credible institution.
“The platform that I am officially launching today is in its own right an innovation. It is unique, and there are no models that one can look at to learn from and replicate lessons learnt. As with any innovation, there will be detractors, there will be hard times, and there will be difficult periods.”
But the pioneers of this innovative platform must hold fast and true to their convictions.
“They must sustain their innovative spirit, maintain the vision, provide the leadership, and build the necessary bridges and relationships so critical for enduring trust,” he said.