DG NEAR B2 took part in the IEMed-AECID Seminar on “Development Cooperation in the Mediterranean”, which took place on 24 April 2023 at Casa Arabe in Madrid, aimed at ensuring coordination and coherence on EU and Spanish priorities for development assistance in the Southern Neighbourhood. Masar, AECID’s flagship programme for the Southern Neighbourhood, was established in 2012. As the geopolitical context on the ground is shifting AECID has launched a reflection on the update of its regional strategy focusing on gender, water and sanitation, and sustainable economic development. The session on “Regional Strategies in the Mediterranean” allowed to present:

• Progress in the implementation of the five themes of the Agenda, providing examples of bilateral and regional cooperation;
• The benefit of working with Member States under the Team Europe Approach;
• How to best coordinate in the design and implementation of development cooperation actions in the Southern Neighbourhood.