EU Foreign Policy Chief notes widening economic gap along the two shores of Mediterranean

The European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Relations and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, said Thursday that the “economic gap” has widened along the two shores of the Mediterranean Sea, calling for more cooperation between the north and south, Anadolu news agency reported.

Speaking at the opening session of the Union for the Mediterranean conference in Barcelona, ​​Spain, Borrell called to increase efforts to bridge the widening “economic gap” between the two shores of the Mediterranean, which is one of the most unequal borders in the world.

He pointed to the need for faster and more effective action, especially in projects related to youth. He also called for more efforts to enhance scientific cooperation to address climate change and renewable energy priorities, improve women’s access to public life and decision-making processes, and fulfil commitments to combat violence against women.

Borrell has also stressed on the need not to let countries in the south of the Mediterranean be affected by the Russian-Ukrainian war by maintaining a supply of grain from Ukraine, in cooperation with the United Nations and Turkiye.

In turn, Jordanian Foreign Minister, Ayman Safadi, called for joint efforts to find a solution to the issue of immigrants and refugees, who should not pay the price for the international cooperation failure.

For his part, Spanish Foreign Minister, Jose Manuel Albares, renewed his call for dialogue and cooperation to confront the negative effects of the Ukrainian-Russian war in the Mediterranean.

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