Shaping the future of the Mediterranean: Challenges and opportunities

Mr. Josep Santacreu, President of the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce, reflects on the present and future of ASCAME, the Mediterranean, and Barcelona

In a year in which we celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Barcelona Process, Mr. Josep Santacreu, President of the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce & Industry,  claims for the intra-regional cooperation among all Mediterranean countries to face current and future challenges, such as climate change, sustainable transition, digitalization, female entrepreneurship or the insertion of young people in the labor markets. In an interview for ASCAME, Mr. Santacreu points out that now is the right time to revisit the objectives of the Barcelona Process and to rethink the future of the Mediterranean by turning current challenges into great opportunities for all the countries in the region.

In the interview, Mr. Santacreu also talks about the key role of Barcelona in the Mediterranean in terms of economic growth, knowledge exchange, dialogue, and integration.  In addition, the President of the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce and Industry highlights the pivotal role of ASCAME in building bridges between both shores of the region, contributing to a greener and inclusive region, and becoming the main partner of the Mediterranean private sector.

The Mediterranean Pavilion at the World of Travel, Trade & Taste Expo 2025 in Toronto (Canada)

The Pavilion will become a hub where business meets culture, tradition meets innovation, and opportunities meet global markets

After the success of the first edition of the 'Mediterranean – Canada Business Forum’ at MedaWeek Barcelona 2024, ASCAME gives all its members and partners and members a new opportunity to expand international alliances and promote their presence in the Canadian market. In the framework of the upcoming World of Travel, Trade & Taste Expo 2025, to be held from the 29th to the 31st of May at the Metro Toronto Centre (Toronto, Canada), Mediterranean institutions, associations, companies, and professionals will have the chance to participate in the Mediterranean Pavilion and explore synergies with the Canadian market. This initiative, launched by ASCAME in collaboration with Euromed Group and the Canadian Chamber in Italy, represents a unique opportunity to promote economic, cultural, and commercial exchanges with the Canadian market.

The Pavilion will feature three corners -The Speaking Corner, the Meeting Corner, and the Product Showcase Corner- to position Mediterranean countries' products, services and cultural assets, foster lasting connections and create invaluable partnerships, and take advantage of exclusive networking opportunities, including B2B meetings and sector-specific presentations. 

MEDALOGISTICS 2025: Envisioning the Mediterranean logistic future

Countdown to the reference platform for reflection, connection, and investment for the Mediterranean logistics community

The countdown to MedaLogistics 2025 is on. The upcoming 21st edition of the summit, organized once again by ASCAME and Consorci de la Zona Franca de Barcelona, in collaboration with the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Port de Barcelona, will be held on June 18 and 19 in Fira Barcelona, in the framework of SIL Barcelona.

This two-day event will gather top experts and policymakers in logistics, transport, and infrastructure from the three continents -Europe, Asia, and Africa- who will address critical topics, such as sustainability, digital transformation, and last-mile solutions, in addition to exploring strategies for economic integration and collaboration. Under the claim ‘Envisioning the Mediterranean Logistic Future’, this year’s summit aims at consolidating as the reference platform for reflection, connection, and investment for the Mediterranean logistics community. 

This year’s edition will feature 6 sessions on present and future challenges, new ways of cooperation, and new business opportunities in the sector. Some of the topics discussed will be the Mediterranean as a strategic hub for global trade, the digital and green transformation in the supply chain, the transformation of the maritime sector, Africa’s logistics potential, and the key role of women in the future of the logistics industry.

📍 MEMBERS CORNER

Interview with Mr. Ömer Abdullah Ödemir, President of the Mersin Commodity Exchange: “The partnership with ASCAME focuses on fostering cooperation in agriculture and food sectors and jointly facing Mediterranean challenges”

ASCAME’s network has expanded with the recent incorporation of the Mersin Commodity Exchange (MEC) as a new associate member. This institution, well-known as Mersin Ticaret Borsasi, is one of Turkey’s most established and significant commodity exchanges. Founded in 1926, this institution stands out with its effectiveness in the agriculture and food sectors.

As Mr. Ömer Abdullah Ödemir, President of MEC, explains in the following interview, this agreement responds to the institution’s aim of strengthening commercial and economic connections in the Mediterranean, especially in the agriculture and food sectors. Both parties are committed to launching joint projects, fairs, sector meetings, training programs, and workshops linked with these sectors and to critical issues in the Mediterranean region, such as climate change, sustainable agriculture, food security, and efficient water use. In addition, Mr. Ömer Abdullah Ödemir refers to the Mersin investment opportunities and the impact of the MEC on the region’s growth and economic development.

ASCAME Insights

Mr. Anwar Zibaoui, ASCAME's General Coordinator, reflects in 'On Economía' about the barriers to the Mediterranean's competitiveness

In the opinion article, Mr. Zibaoui calls for involving the entire population in overcoming these adversities and addressing present and future challenges

In an article published in 'On Economía', Mr. Anwar Zibaoui explains that “we are living through a global crisis ranging from continuous supply chain disruptions to geopolitical rivalries, hostile populisms and natural disasters resulting from climate change.” In his opinion, “this situation is particularly detrimental to the countries of the Mediterranean region, which continue to suffer from competitiveness deficiencies in terms of macroeconomic imbalances, poor access to finance, rigid labor markets and an innovation deficit”.

According to ASCAME's General Coordinator, “this increasingly competitive context requires the establishment of a roadmap to promote long-term economic cooperation and integration, in addition to redefining the role of governments and companies within the framework of a new partnership”. To Mr. Zibaoui, improving the competitiveness of Mediterranean countries requires more innovation, productivity, continuous training, reputation and branding, and greater involvement of the entire population”.

Webinar on 'Alternative Funding Sources for ASCAME members' organized with our partner DevelopmentAid

The webinar aimed at exploring how DevelopmentAid, the leading platform for international development, can support companies' business growth, funding access, and partnership opportunities

On April 10th, we organized the webinar ‘Alternative Funding Sources for ASCAME members’, exploring how our partner DevelopmentAid can support their business growth, funding access, and partnership opportunities.

The webinar, conducted by Mr. Artiom Savastin,  Partnerships Manager at Development Aid, provided our members all the information they needed about financial opportunities, grants, jobs, and more for launching economic and social development initiatives and exploring bilateral and economic cooperation in the Mediterranean. Specifically, Mr. Savastin highlighted the services accessible to ASCAME’s members, such as job search, competitor analysis, or tender and grants alerts. In addition, he offered ASCAME's members an exclusive promotion of 6 months for free to find relevant tenders and business opportunities around the world.

 ▶️ Contact us to become a beneficiary of special discounts and gain access to many opportunities and resources in international development through DevelopmentAid!

👉secretariat @ascame.org

ASCAME Insights

Diving into the multifaceted opportunities and challenges

in Africa’s dynamic economic landscape

Within the 'New Africa Business Development Forum’, held in the framework of MedaWeek 2024, Mediterranean economic leaders, investors, policymakers, and industry experts explored the multifaceted opportunities and challenges in Africa’s dynamic economic landscape. This forum emphasized the importance of tailored approaches to individual African countries, the need for robust infrastructure, and the potential of key sectors such as tourism, hospitality, and clean energy.

An article published on ASCAME’s blog summarizes the topics discussed within the forum. These are the most important ones:

✔️ There are great opportunities in Africa’s clean energy potential sector, including solar, wind, and geothermal power. The African continent has great potential in natural resources, which remain one of the main pillars of its economy. 

✔️ The crucial role that young people play in Africa’s future: “Africa’s population is the youngest in the world with an average age of 19 years old. They play a pivotal role in the green and digital transition of the continent.
✔️ Public and private partnerships: Speakers highlighted that intra-regional collaboration is the key to Africa’s future, both to solve common challenges across the continent, such as climate change, digitalization, mobility or migration, and to be less dependent on other markets and to finance infrastructure development across the continent.
✔️ The potential of African women entrepreneurs, who have emerged as a vital force for economic growth and innovation across the continent.
✔️ The transformative potential of the tourism and the hospitality industry in Africa is one of Africa’s key economic drivers.

ASCAME Projects

Interreg NEXT MED Programme: New deadline for submitting the 2nd Call for Proposals on Green Transition Projects

The Interreg NEXT MED Programme, in which ASCAME is involved as one of its strategic partners, has recently announced the postponement of the deadline for the ongoing Call for Green Transition Projects to 15 May 2025. Building on the success of the first call for proposals, which saw 630 projects submitted, this second call aims to drive scalable, innovative, and collaborative solutions, reflecting a collective ambition of the 15 participating countries for a low-carbon, climate-resilient Mediterranean. It addresses the region’s pressing climate challenges, as it is warming 20% faster than the global average.

We interviewed Mr. Vincent Ernoux, Coordinator of the Interreg NEXT MED Programme for the Western Mediterranean, about the focus and objectives of this second call, apart from current issues such as transnational cooperation for accelerating the Mediterranean region’s green transition, the key role of younger generations, Spain’s leadership in the EU Programmes, and the NEXT MED’s impact on the Mediterranean.  

Some of these topics were discussed on the 20th of March in a technical session organized by the European Institute of the Mediterranean in Barcelona (IEMed) in which ASCAME participated. This session was attended by Mr. Roger Albinyana, Director of the IEMed, and Mr. Gerard Vives, Director General for EU Affairs of the Catalan Government, in addition to Mr. Vincent Ernoux, among others.

▶️ Remember that you are still on time to submit the project's proposals. The deadline is the 15th of May! 👉 https://n9.cl/84vbj8

ASCAME News & Events

Institutional Meeting in the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce

At the beginning of April, ASCAME's President, Mr. Ahmed El Wakil, met in Alexandria (Egypt) with H.E. Eng. Hassan El Khatib, the Egyptian Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade, H.E. Ltn. General Ahmed Khaled, Governor of Alexandria, and Dr. Alaa Ezz, Secretary General of CEEBA - Confederation of Egyptian European Business Associations, to talk about the EU ENI CBC Projects in the framework of an institutional visit at the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce.

ASCAME participated in the kick-off of the 'Barcelona Electric Marine Show'

ASCAME was represented in the 'Barcelona Electric Marine Show', co-organized by its partner ANBE (National Electric Boat Association), held on April 4 and 5t at Barcelona Port Olimpic. Under the claim 'Connecting Land and Sea for a Sustainable Future', the summit featured conferences, roundtables, hands-on demonstrations, and exclusive tours whose common denominator was energy transition, decarbonization, and innovation in marine and land mobility. Ms. Andrea Mullerat, ASCAME's Corporate Development & Marketing Manager, talked about the agreement achieved between ASCAME and ANBE to promote the use of electric boats in the Mediterranean and boost the blue economy in the region. 

Medsparc 2025: Exploring the intersection of green, digital, and social transformations in the Mediterranean

Mediterranean institutions and Chambers of Commerce will participate in the 2nd edition of the 'Medsparc Business Summit', to be held on May 12 and 13 in Izmir (Türkiye). The summit, organized by IZIKAD, the Association of Businesswomen in Izmir, will bring together experts,  industry leaders, entrepreneurs, and investors to foster innovative collaborations. One of the speakers will be Mr. Vassilis Korkids, President of the Piraeus CCI, who gave us a preview of some topics to be addressed at the event in an interview published on ASCAME's blog.

Promoting sustainable tourism in a summit held in Genoa

On March 14, Genoa hosted a strategic summit as part of the Quality Made FESTA Project, an initiative to promote sustainable tourism and identity between France and Italy. The project, funded by the INTERREG Italy-France Maritime Program, highlighted the rich culture and heritage of five Mediterranean regions (Tuscany, Liguria, Sardinia, Corsica and Southern France). The summit counted on the participation of ASCAME’s partner, the Italian Chamber of Commerce for France in Marseille..

Agadir and Tangier (Morocco) will host two key events in sustainability and innovation

in May

Two insightful events on innovation and sustainability in the Mediterranean will take place in Morocco next May. One of them is the first edition of the ‘International Forum of Industry and Services’, on the 5th and the 6th of May in Agadir, which counts on the partnership of ASCAME’s member, the Chambre du Commerce, d’Industrie et des Services Souss Massa. This is a key event to explore strategies and solutions to make the Souss-Massa region a reference industrial hub. Under the ambitious theme of innovation and sustainability, this forum will bring together economic, institutional, and industrial players to outline a promising future for this strategic region. The choice of Souss-Massa as the setting for this theme reflects the commitment to make this region a model of innovation, sustainability, and competitiveness, by the royal guidelines.

▶️ More info! 👉 https://n9.cl/pie6nf

On the other hand, ASCAME’s member, the Chambre de Commerce d'Industrie et de Services de la Région Tanger Tétouan Al Hoceima (CCIS-TTA), will organize the 7th edition of ‘Advanced Intelligent Systems for Sustainable Development’ #AI2SD2025 from May 21 to 23 in Tangier. This prestigious summit will cover a wide range of topics, such as agriculture 4.0 and food security, green energy and the smart environment, education 4.0 and AI-enabled learning, water and climate change, transport and logistics, industry 4.0 and the economic revolution, Fintech and digital financial services, as well as the smart city and urbanization. 

▶️ More info! 👉 https://n9.cl/zz9oj

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