Macron’s remarks came as part of his opening speech at the Middle East Mediterranean (MEM) Summer Summit 2020.“The Mediterranean Sea, which has for so long fed and enriched our common history, shaped our identity, carried our myths and irrigated our cultures, has violently roared again this summer,” he added.
Macron noted that the Mediterranean today is seen in only as the source of illegal immigration from the southern shore, or, from the point of view war zones present in the Middle East.
“Consequently, we need to rethink another form of European demography, one in which we succeed in rebuilding Europe with projects for the free movement of talents,” he asserted.
The French President also argued that a development programme should be launched involving the universities, culture, technology, industry, economy and politics on both sides of the Mediterranean Sea.
Macron explained that the Mediterranean is gradually returning to its previous role as a transit route. He added that, unsurprisingly, these routes precisely reflect the routes and extraction of oil and gas that have created the tensions currently on show in the Eastern Mediterranean.
He pointed out that some of the “legal squabbles” currently being witnessed in the region are to achieve reciprocal recognition of the delimitation of sovereignties or of special economic zones.
“It is a collective and regional challenge to build a ‘pax mediterranea’ around this issue of energy and enhance economic opportunities with coexistence in such limited space, but it is our duty to make sure that this energy issue does not become the subject of dispute,” the president added.
“I believe that the Mediterranean cannot turn into a battleground where super powers clash with each other,” he clarified, “Instead, we need to build a mechanism of political cooperation.”
This cooperation will guarantee much of the EU’s stability regarding the Western Balkans, Russia and Turkey, Macron said, adding that it will also guarantee a lasting and balanced cooperation between Africa and the EU.
He claimed that the stability, safety and security of the Mediterranean Sea which was put in place by NATO has gradually eroded over time, or has largely been withdrawn due to the US presence in the region.
“We notice that it [regional stability] continues to be affected by the lack of progress in the Middle East peace process, including the impossibility to find a solution, and the violation of international law,” he said.
This year has witnessed a reconfiguring of the forces at work by a US mediation that has profoundly changed the situation, Macron added.
The French President noted that the conflicts in Syria and Libya are distinguished by the continued mistakes of Western powers that have failed to build peace in the region, and failed to replace solutions to an imperial sovereignty they contested.
He added, “The situation in both Libya and Syria is endless warfare, with the two regional powerhouses of Russia and Turkey re-emerging, each with their own agenda.”
'Our enemy is your enemy': Netanyahu pra…
14-06-2025
Amidst escalating tensions and Israel's military offensive against Iran, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu extended warm birthday wishes to President Donald Trump, lauding him as a steadfast ally. Trump voiced strong...
Read moreIsraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyah…
14-06-2025
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu conveyed warm birthday greetings to US President Donald Trump, lauding him as a steadfast ally amidst ongoing tensions with Iran. Despite recent reports of discord...
Read more'Israeli fire kills 23 people in Gaza, m…
14-06-2025
Israeli fire and airstrikes in Gaza have reportedly killed at least 23 Palestinians, many near a U.S.-backed aid distribution site. Health authorities report a high number of casualties near these...
Read moreUK moves warplanes to Middle East
14-06-2025
Amid rising tensions between Iran and Israel, the UK is deploying fighter jets and other military assets to the Middle East as a contingency measure. Prime Minister Keir Starmer confirmed...
Read more'Decided this right out of high school':…
14-06-2025
Just weeks after his high school graduation, 18-year-old Brandon Moss is making a bold move by running for mayor of Fairfield, Alabama. Aiming to succeed the outgoing mayor, Moss is...
Read moreRefinery at Iran's giant gas field struc…
14-06-2025
Israel has reportedly expanded its attacks on Iran by targeting the country's energy sector, striking an onshore refinery at Phase 14 of the South Pars gas field in the Persian...
Read moreIsrael's Op Rising Lion: Satellite image…
14-06-2025
Satellite images reveal damage to Iranian missile bases in Kermanshah and Tabriz following Israeli strikes. The Natanz nuclear facility also sustained damage, impacting structures supplying power, though underground enrichment halls...
Read moreBangladesh: Vandalism at Tagore's home a…
14-06-2025
The interim government in Dhaka has downplayed the vandalism at Rabindranath Tagore's ancestral home in Sirajganj, Bangladesh. According to the Bangladesh cultural affairs ministry, the incident on June 8 was...
Read moreMuhammad Yunus accused of 'special affec…
14-06-2025
Jamaat-e-Islami and the NCP criticized Bangladesh's chief adviser Muhammad Yunus for showing partiality after he reached a preliminary understanding with the BNP to hold elections in February. These parties had...
Read moreYale is rushing to sell billions in PE f…
14-06-2025
Yale University is attempting to sell off a substantial portion of its private equity holdings, potentially up to $6 billion, due to concerns about federal funding and disappointing returns. The...
Read moreDonald Trump is pausing ICE raids on far…
14-06-2025
The Trump administration has reportedly shifted its mass deportation strategy, instructing ICE to pause raids in agriculture, hotels, and restaurants. This decision follows protests against immigration raids and Trump's acknowledgment...
Read moreOn same day: Massive military parade in …
14-06-2025
Across the United States, widespread anti-Trump protests unfolded coinciding with President Trump's military parade in Washington, D.C., marking the Army's 250th anniversary. Demonstrations, organized under the banner "No Kings," criticized...
Read moreBillionaire island of Bezos & Kushne…
14-06-2025
Indian Creek Village, a haven for billionaires like Jeff Bezos and Tom Brady, faces a sewage disposal problem. Their plan to connect to Surfside's sewer system hit a snag over...
Read moreIsrael warns 'Tehran will burn' after Ir…
14-06-2025
Tensions escalate as Israel and Iran exchange attacks, following Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear and military sites, resulting in casualties and a warning from Israel's defense minister that "Tehran will...
Read more
Nuclear sites hit, oil depot targeted: I…
14-06-2025
Following Israel's strike on Iran's nuclear facility, tensions have escalated dramatically. Israel launched a major counteroffensive targeting Tehran's defense and energy infrastructure, prompting retaliatory missile strikes from Iran that resulted...
Read moreKhamenei 'not off limits': Israel ups th…
14-06-2025
A senior Israeli official hinted that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei could be targeted as Israel intensifies its campaign against Iranian nuclear and military infrastructure. This marks a shift towards potentially dismantling...
Read moreIDF shares wrong India map; Israeli spok…
14-06-2025
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) faced backlash after its spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani, shared a world map on X that inaccurately depicted India's borders, omitting its northeastern region, Nepal...
Read moreIran launches fresh missile barrage on I…
14-06-2025
Iran launched a fresh wave of missile attacks against Israel, hitting residential areas and prompting retaliatory airstrikes on Tehran. Explosions and sirens echoed across Israel, with reports of injuries and...
Read moreTrump-Putin phone call: US President say…
14-06-2025
Birthday call between US and Russian presidents touches on Middle East, Ukraine war, prisoner swaps; Kyiv voices unease over tone and aid concerns
Read more
