“I am honored to attend the official launch of such important tool for competitive strengthening of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises in Euro-Mediterranean area, born thanks to an Italian proposal. This center is an excellent example of collaboration between public and private sector in order to provide services to support the birth of innovative business and startups. This is the concrete expression of what might otherwise seem like the rhetoric of collaboration. “
With these words the Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti, in Milan today at the opening conference of the Med Forum 2012, expressed his appreciation for the launch of the EMCD (Euro-Med development center for micro, small and medium enterprirse), a new center for SMEs that are the backbone of the Euro-Mediterranean economy.
“Almost two years after the death of the young Tunisian Mohamed Bouazizi, an episode that kicked off the Arab Spring – Monti said – we are here to work with the consciousness that the Euro-Mediterranean area plays a key role geo-strategic and that for Italy this shoul be a priority. Due to our geographical position and the special relationships we built, Italy is committed within the limits of the current economic situation to support stabilization processes with priority to the interest and welfare of the peoples of the Mediterranean. “
“Italy is the crossroad between Europe and Africa and has the ability to dialogue with all people of the region, that's why even past governments have devoted attention to further strengthening of dialogue with Mediterranean countries despite domestic problems. I met the new leadership of the regions crossed by the Arab Spring and in more than one case, the new leaders of these countries have chosen Italy as the first western destination for their official trips abroad. “
Recently, the Prime Minister hosted, thanks to the work and collaboration of Fouad Makhzoumi, President of the Lebanese Future Pipes Industries, important personalities from the middle east business that helped him to understand the real needs and scenarios. Italy wants to be privileged because this is the best way to put the country in a position to give any effective contribution.
“We have the best historical, cultural and social tools, to understand and converse with these neighboring peoples with whom we also share certain difficulties – Monti continues – we have to work on security, economic integration, social integration and intercultural dialogue as the only way to alienate risks of extremism and illegal immigration. “
Italy must optimize the resources available through a growing interaction between the public and private sectors both economically and politically because that Italian companies have woven important relations with the Mediterranean countries. In some cases, important sectors of economic activity are in the hands of Italian companies with great satisfaction of local governments.
Italian companies have never stopped economic relations with these countries even during the hottest part of the Arab Spring. Today trade relations is encouraging, in 2011 the total exchange between Italy and the countries of the area grew by 4% over the previous year.
At the multilateral level, Italy is involved in most initiatives of international coordination and also pushes for the further development of these actions with the prospect of wider and long-term collaboration. For example, recalls Monti, the recent meeting of 5 + 5: five European countries, Italy, France, Spain, Portugal and Malta, met at the highest level five countries of the southern shore, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco and Mauritania.
At the multilateral level, Italy is involved in most initiatives of international coordination and also pushes for the further development of these actions with the prospect of wider and long-term collaboration. For example, recalls Monti, the recent meeting of 5 + 5: five European countries, Italy, France, Spain, Portugal and Malta, met at the highest level five countries of the southern shore, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco and Mauritania.
