EU Foreign Policy Chief Borrell Calls For 'New Dynamic' In 'Fragmented Mediterranean'

EU Foreign Policy Chief Borrell Calls for 'New Dynamic' in 'Fragmented Mediterranean'

The European Union's foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, has told the Union for the Mediterranean's (UFM) Fifth Regional Forum on Friday that a "new dynamic" must be introduced for the region, amid ongoing conflicts and rising inequality

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 27th November, 2020) The European Union's foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, has told the Union for the Mediterranean's (UFM) Fifth Regional Forum on Friday that a "new dynamic" must be introduced for the region, amid ongoing conflicts and rising inequality.

"Today the Mediterranean region is fragmented, torn apart by conflicts ... and by growing inequalities within and between countries. Inequalities are not being reduced, they have increased, and we have to launch a new dynamic to overcome these gaps, it will not happen by itself," Borrell started at the opening session of the forum.

In particular, Borrell said that a number of free trade agreements signed by the European Union and countries in North Africa had failed to have the required effect, and may have contributed to the rising inequality in the Mediterranean region.

"Free trade proposed by Europe to the southern partners has not produced the anticipated results. Trade balances are too often negative for the southern countries, and the already significant wealth gap across the Mediterranean is widening, not reducing, but widening at a worrying pace. In the southern Mediterranean, the wealth generated by each member of the population is today 13 times lower than in Europe," he stated.

Borrell spoke at the UFM event which is marking the 25th anniversary of the beginning of the Barcelona Process, which was launched in 1995 with the aim of strengthening relations between Europe and Southern Mediterranean countries.