The governor of the Calabria Region and vice national secretary of Forza Italia, Roberto Occhiuto, has been re-elected president of the Intermediterranean Commission (Cim), which includes 38 regions from 8 Member States of the European Union and other countries, including Albania, Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Morocco and Spain. The Intermediterranean Commission is one of the 6 areas of intervention of the CPMR – Commission of Peripheral Maritime Regions, whose aim is to promote the development of Euro-Mediterranean dialogue and territorial cooperation on the issues of transport, integrated maritime policy, economic and social cohesion, water and energy.
Occhiuto’s re-election, it is written in a note, was sanctioned at the end of the two-day General Assembly of the CIM, which took place via videoconference, during which several thematic sessions followed one another. Occhiuto was elected president of the Intermediterranean Commission for the first time during the General Assembly of the CIM held in Villa San Giovanni (Reggio Calabria) on 29 and 30 June 2023. Created in Andalusia in 1990 to express the common interests of the Mediterranean Regions in important European negotiations, the Intermediterranean Commission of the CPMR addresses the main issues raised in all the Regions bordering the Mediterranean Sea such as the defense of the common interests of these territories in the main EU policies; the integration of the role of regional authorities in the Euro-Mediterranean concept; the implementation of “pilot” strategic projects on key issues with a strong territorial impact.
This year, the note continues, the General Assembly of the Intermediterranean Commission focused during the first day on some thematic sessions almost entirely dedicated to climate issues including water management for water resilience in the Mediterranean Regions; desertification and carbon farming in the Mediterranean Regions; the revision of the Bologna Charter, which since 1990 has served as a reference framework for regional collaboration on coastal protection in the Mediterranean.
On the second day, the Commission’s work was instead focused on a specific axis: a future Mediterranean macro-region. In this last session, Occhiuto spoke, who through his report underlined the need to reach an increasingly cohesive and strengthened level of cooperation between the Regions that today make up the Commission and that are facing unique socio-economic and environmental challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, desertification, brain drain, and which would require an increasingly stronger and more united response. At the end of the work and the final declaration of the Commission, the new political office was elected and Roberto Occhiuto was reconfirmed as President of the Intermediterranean Commission until 2026.
Occhiuto, let’s move forward with the Mediterranean macro-region project
“Our Mediterranean Region, rich in history and diversity, faces unique challenges and opportunities that require concerted efforts. The Mediterranean Sea, the cradle of ancient civilizations, is today at the crossroads of contemporary global issues such as climate change, migration and sustainable development. It is in this complex context that our work as the Intermediterranean Commission becomes increasingly crucial”. This was stated by the President of the Calabria Region and of the Intermediterranean Commission, Roberto Occhiuto, speaking during the works of the General Assembly of the CIM which sanctioned his re-election to lead the body until 2026. “First of all, I want to express my heartfelt appreciation – he added – to the members of this Commission for the work done, and thank them for the support that you have once again wanted to give me. The successes we have achieved during this period are a testimony to our shared vision and our collaborative spirit. Together, we have laid solid foundations on which to build a more cohesive and prosperous future for our macro-region. Looking ahead, one of my primary goals for the new mandate will be to continue to push for the creation of a Mediterranean macro-region, with a credible and effective strategy and action. A strategy that will improve our cooperation, efficiency and impact, advancing our shared goals of sustainable development and regional stability. Personally – he continued – I have repeatedly urged the Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antonio Tajani, on this issue, and I will continue to do so”.