Recent EU research supports development in north Africa
North African countries by the Mediterranean are just a hop away from Europe, offering the EU an opportunity to enhance trade and foster exchanges with its southern neighbours. One important priority for the EU is to strengthen sustainable development in these countries, which could have a positive impact on the economy, employment and migration. Against this backdrop, the EU-funded SHUMED (Sustainable human development for MED countries) project strengthened research in sustainable development to support Mediterranean nations. One topic the project team studied through Italian project partner University Roma Tre was economic and political migration from Egypt to Italy. Many pivotal topics were also discussed within the scope of the Development of Euro-Mediterranean Economic Research (DREEM) establishment at GDRI DREEM conferences organised by Dauphine University Paris. Through the conferences and additional workshops, the project team tackled issues such as human development, urbanisation in oasis areas and industry management systems. Noteworthy as well were two seminars in May 2014 on global land grabbing and on the impact of microfinance. In December 2014, the 5th GDRI DREEM explored economic development in the wake of Arab uprisings. It dealt with topics such as cronyism and capitalism, youth unemployment and migration, education and mass unemployment, and productivity and regional integration. Field visits in concerned countries, meetings with non-governmental organisations on the ground and ambitious PhD projects have also helped promote the project's aims and key topics. Overall, the project achieved its objectives, thanks to exchanges among researchers that have also led to future cooperation initiatives. The knowledge transfer between EU and Mediterranean countries led to an evaluation and cross-comparison of sustainable human development of the countries under study. It shed light on sustainable management by firms in turbulent economies, as well as innovation and learning capabilities of targeted countries. Lastly, the establishment of an EU-MED network of research centres and clusters has successfully laid the groundwork for new links and cooperation among communities of scholars. The EU's keenness to further this important drive brings benefits to citizens on both sides of the Mediterranean.
Keywords
North Africa, unemployment, capitalism, migration, sustainable development, SHUMED
