Digital 'Mediterranean Meetings' to promote investment in the region after COVID-19 

ASCAME (Association of Mediterranean Chambers of Commerce and Industry), with the collaboration of the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce, launches a series of new events, the 'Mediterranean Meetings' (#MedaMeetings) - Exploring Mediterranean Markets, which will start with the first of the North Africa Countries Meeting on Wednesday 25 February at 15:30h CET in online format, to boost the recovery of the key sectors of the North African economies and facilitate trade flows in the post-COVID-19 phase. 

The Mediterranean Meetings (#MedaMeetings) are part of the initiatives that materialise the proposals of the 'Recovery Plan and a New Economic Model for the Mediterranean', launched by ASCAME a few months ago, which aims to boost the region's growth again after the pandemic crisis. These will consist of a series of webinars in which current issues in the Mediterranean, such as the economy, trade, investment and key industrial sectors, will be discussed. Participants will be able to discuss challenges, trends, forecasts and possible future collaborations for the private sector, as well as to network. 

Two types of meetings will make up the #MedaMeetings. On the one hand, events on business and investment opportunities in different regions of the Mediterranean (Southern Europe, North Africa and the Middle East) and, on the other hand, events that will promote Mediterranean economies and meetings with companies from different countries around the world (Brazil, USA, Gulf countries and Sub-Saharan Africa). At the end of each webinar, sectoral and multi-sectoral online B2B meetings will take place between attendees who wish to participate. 

The defining features and business opportunities in the countries that make up North Africa will be presented at the first of the meetings, the North Africa Countries Meeting, which will also explain the advantages, good practices and experiences to attract investment, increase economic activity, facilitate trade exchanges and the recovery of the economies of the region. 

The Maghreb region is at a key political and economic moment for its future, becoming even more essential for the economic and strategic interests of Spain and Europe. "The economy and investment must be prioritised in EU-Maghreb relations," says Anwar Zibaoui, general coordinator of ASCAME. "While two thirds of the Maghreb countries' imports come from the EU, with Spain being one of the main partners with 12% of the total, the EU's trade balance with the countries of the region generates a surplus that barely compensates for a third of its deficit with China," he adds.

Another relevant aspect of the MedaMeeting on North Africa will be the issue of the EU's high energy dependence on the Maghreb countries: almost 50% of Spain's gas comes from Algeria. In this context, European companies devote only 2% of their investments to the countries on the southern shores of the Mediterranean and 3% to Africa. These figures contrast with the 15% increase in Chinese investment in the region in the Maghreb and 20% in Africa. 

Presidents of Chambers of Commerce, as well as representatives of the North African public and private sector, will be the speakers on this first online panel, in which they will describe the economic situation of their respective countries in the wake of the coronavirus, give examples of initiatives implemented to deal with it, and present business and investment opportunities.  

Aimed at companies, entrepreneurs and professionals, experts, consultants and academics, the online North Africa Countries Meeting will be open, free and accessible.