UEMF students make the voices of young Africans and Euro-Mediterraneans heard before the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union for the Mediterranean

The Call for investment in the Future made by students of Euromed University of Fez, read on February 16, 2024, during the 8th Summit of Presidents of Parliaments and the 17th Session of Parliamentarians of the Union for the Mediterranean

Students from the Euromed University of Fez organized the first summit on February 14, 2024 at the seat of parliament and under the supervision of the Alliance of Civilizations Chair (Chair created in partnership with the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations – United Nations). young Africans and Euro-Mediterraneans from the Euromed University of Fez, under the theme: Euro-Mediterranean and transatlantic openness, meeting tomorrow's challenges together

This day, attended by more than 200 students representing more than thirty countries, addressed important and diverse subjects including transatlantic opening, energy ethics, sustainable development, circular economy, green innovations and transportation. Questions of the environment, territories, motility and mobility of goods and people, etc. were also addressed. which constitute the cement of co-development on the scale of Africa.

The aspect of major challenges was also at the center of the interventions as well as the exchanges, of which we can also note: climate change, the scarcity of resources such as drinking water, pollution, the growth of the human population or even the degradation of biodiversity.

Environmental issues are not only varied, but also increasingly complex.

This day was crowned by the formulation of the Call for Investment in the Future which was read this Friday, February 16, 2024 during the 8th Summit of Presidents of Parliaments and the 17th Session of Parliamentarians of the Union for the Mediterranean .

Among the main points of this Call:

We, students of Euromed University of Fez, Moroccans, Africans and Europeans, take the opportunity of our participation in the first summit of Euro-Mediterranean and African youth, which was held at the Moroccan House of Representatives on February 14, 2024 , to launch this Appeal which focuses on the promises for the future of our great Euro-Mediterranean and African region.

We would like to begin by expressing our sincere thanks to HE Rachid Talbi Alami, President of the House of Representatives of the Kingdom of Morocco, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union for the Mediterranean for opening the doors of the House of Representatives to us. Representatives to debate among ourselves on the challenges and issues of our region and to respectfully address this appeal to you.

Considering that this region is currently experiencing profound changes caused by fluctuating geopolitics, various conflicts endangering living together, increased intervention by other powers and worrying instability in many countries;

Considering the negative impacts of climate change which contribute to the scarcity of water resources, food insecurity and malnutrition, the increase in poverty, especially on the African continent and the emergence and/or re-emergence illnesses of all kinds;

Considering that these effects accentuate social inequalities and widen the gap between Europe and Africa with a tendency for youth to venture into the path of migration and immigration which cannot be prevented by any policy and strategy security, if not by the stability and development of the African continent so that youth can flourish and express their talents within their continent;

Considering the announcements made during multiple climate forums to compensate developing countries, particularly those on the African continent;

Taking into account the importance of the unique and beneficial initiatives of the Kingdom of Morocco implemented with the aim of working for economic integration between Europe and Africa around structuring projects capable of ensuring co-development and shared prosperity;

Taking into account the unique and driving role of Morocco in terms of Euro-Mediterranean neighborhood policy;

Recognizing the pioneering role of the Sherifian Kingdom for South-South African economic cooperation with unique and significant investments in sub-Saharan Africa and the sharing of its know-how in several economic and technological sectors as well as Morocco's exceptional policy in this area policy and legislation in favor of African immigrants;

Underlining its salutary role in the training of African youth and the tens of thousands of scholarships that Morocco offers to sub-Saharan students, like the scholarships offered by the Euromed University of Fez which gives us a framework of excellence of training and research, cooperation and partnership concretizing in this aspect the famous phrase of the late King Hassan II who described Morocco as a tree whose nourishing roots plunge deep into the earth of Africa and which breathes thanks to its rustling foliage winds from Europe;

We, the young students from the north and south of the Mediterranean, launch in unison and with one voice the following appeal to you honorable parliamentarians and representatives of the peoples and nations of the two continents to:

- consolidate and strengthen cooperation and partnership between Europe and Africa through large-scale concrete projects of mutual interest;

- concretely release the funds promised at COP21 in Paris to help African countries implement resilience and adaptation projects to climate change, knowing that Africa is the continent that emits the least carbon dioxide. greenhouse effect with less than 4%, but at the same time it is the most impacted continent;

- provide the necessary support for the strategic gas pipeline project linking Nigeria to Morocco and which would have a positive economic impact on the 14 African countries crossed by this gas pipeline and would act as a lever for regional integration, while constituting a source of supply in energy for Europe;

We young people, particularly those from Africa, welcome the initiative of His Majesty King Mohammed VI consisting of promoting access to the Sahel countries to the Atlantic Ocean; to make Morocco's highway, rail, port and logistics infrastructure available to Sahel countries for the import and export of goods. We also express our gratitude to the Sovereign, who is the founder and Honorary President of the Euromed University of Fez, for having placed at our disposal this University of excellence which allows us to have the best training, all by remaining on our continent;

Finally, we young people appeal to the countries represented by your honorable assembly and to African countries to provide the African continent with a Marchal plan in terms of investment in education at all levels and in research. It is an investment in the future which will be shaped by us young people and it is an investment whose dividends are far superior to any other investment and it is also the real bulwark against poverty, radicalization, terrorism and illegal immigration.

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