BUSINESSMED, represented by its President, Mr. Jacques Jean SARRAF, its General Secretary, Mrs. Jihen Boutiba Mrad, and a Mediterranean delegation composed by the network of members and the affiliated companies, took part in the Euro-Mediterranean Forum, jointly organized with CONFINDUSTRIA and ICE, on November 30th, 2016 in Rome.

This event falls under the strategy of the revival of the Euro-Mediterranean relations launched in Palermo in 2006 and thereafter in Venice in 2010. This meeting brought together 145 Italian companies and 186 Mediterranean enterprises and allowed the organization of 330 B2Bs.

During the plenary session, CONFINDUSTRIA’s President, Mr. Vincenzo Boccia, who officially acknowledged  the event, underlined the will to react to the challenges of the Mediterranean business community, thanks to the promotion of the industrial growth and with a partnership focusing on co-development, a pre-condition to fight against the inequalities and poverty “.

Thereafter, BUSINESSMED’s President, Mr. Jacques Jean Sarraf called for the promotion of peace, by inviting companies to export and invest in the Southern Countries of the Mediterranean admitting that more effort will need to be made in order to ensure a transparent and more efficient administration.

BUSINESSMED’s Vice-President and CONFINDUSTRIA Vice-president, Mr. Alberto Baban, added thereafter that. “These meetings are fundamental to lead us to a reflection and a better understanding toward cultures, thus making possible the foundations of a social alliance which recognizes the value of tolerance. This wind of change will be the key factor for the creation of a stronger entrepreneurial community.

Following the opening ceremony, a networking session was organized thanks to the synergy established with the Italian Trade Agency ICE, which made it possible for the Mediterranean Companies to meet their Italian counterparts and reinforce the network of commercial and technological partnership in the following sectors: energy, mechanics, infrastructure, as well as the agro-industry and pharmaceutical ones.

Furthermore, BUSINESSMED had the occasion to meet the representatives of the Italian Confederation of Handcrafts and SMEs (CNA), in order to discuss in detail about the promotion of several joint actions relating to vocational training and the know-how transfer among the Mediterranean region.

In the evening BUSINESSMED took part in the official dinner organized by the CONFINDUSTRIA at Palazzo Altieri, in the presence of eminent institutional actors.
This Forum was for BUSINESSMED an important occasion for the strengthening of the Euro-Mediterranean Cooperation policy, particularly with its strategic partner, the Confindustria, within the framework of a common and shared interest, aiming at developing security and a more prosperous Mediterranean trade zone.