The deputy minister attended the "Shared Security. Priorities for EU Action” session on the security situation and the EU’s role in the Mediterranean area. Representatives of the so-called Big Five took part in the talks, ie. Spain (Foreign Minister A. González Laya), France (Foreign Minister J.Y. Le Drian), Italy (Foreign Minister L. Di Maio), Germany (Secretary of State at the Foreign Ministry Niels Annen) and Poland.

Deputy head of Polish diplomacy said that the countries on the south coast of the Mediterranean Sea are particularly exposed to the adverse effects of the pandemic. COVID-19 makes the challenges they have been facing even worse. Noting the interdependence of Europe, North Africa and the Middle East, especially in the area of security, migration and trade, Deputy Minister Przydacz spoke in favour of continued support for the EU’s Southern Neighbourhood countries. He also recalled assistance and humanitarian projects of the Visegrad Group in Libya and Morocco carried out in cooperation with Italy and Germany.

Deputy Minister Marcin Przydacz recognized the EU’s priority to be solving military conflicts in the area. Both the Union and its member states have certain achievements in this respect in Libya. The deputy head of Polish diplomacy highlighted certain external actors’ – particularly Russia’s – unconstructive role and their contribution to the aggravation of conflicts in the region. He spoke for the strengthening of effective transatlantic cooperation in the EU’s closest neighbourhood, including the Mediterranean area.

The high-level conference "Rome MED – Mediterranean Dialogues” is a cyclical event held since 2015. It is organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Italy and Italian Institute for International Political Studies.

MFA Press Office

Photo: Tymon Markowski / MFA