HRH Crown Prince Moulay Rachid spearheads Moroccan people to the fullness of unity

Paris, July 13, 2008 -- In the course of bringing fresh impetus to explore the prospects to bridge the North-South divide, His Royal Highness Crown Prince Moulay Rachid and other 42 leaders on Sunday launched the Union for Mediterranean, a new regional alliance, aiming at developing cooperation in the Mediterranean.

Crown Prince Moulay Rachid’s significant contribution for the future of Europe and Mediterranean bolsters regional cooperation and provide new momentum to peace efforts, while marking Morocco’s return to the international stage.

Crown Prince Moulay Rachid hopes the new Union for the Mediterranean will enlarge relations between the EU and countries along the Mediterranean Basin.

The union's goals include peace between the member states and several specific projects countries in environment, potable water, energy, transportation, sustainable development and fight against illegal migration.

The Union for the Mediterranean was an idea championed by French President Sarkozy in his presidential campaign last year, which is a restored version of the so-called Barcelona Process, which was founded by the EU in that Spanish city in 1995.