Alonso discounts unilateralism as a way of acting in the mediterranean

José Antonio Alonso, the Spanish Minister of Defence, participated in the 5th International Seminar on Security and Defence in the Mediterranean, organised every year by the CIDOB Foundation and the Directorate-General of Institutional Relations of the Ministry of Defence and held at the Pedralbes Palace in Barcelona. Alonso stressed the importance having issues concerning security and defence in the Mediterranean be dealt with in a multilateral way, recalling the European Security Strategy, also called the Solana Document (2003). “We reaffirm our convictions about the failure of unilateral actions in security and defence matters. We are committed to multilateralism, since no country acting alone can take up defence actions that pursue a more just, more united world”. He also highlighted the challenges that the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership faces, after the first ten years of the Barcelona Process. 

The Minister of Defence warned of the “negative consequences that living with their backs turned on each other, in conflict with each other or with relationships that are not respectful or balanced, would have on the countries of both shores”, since the Mediterranean is an interrelational whole and “it is impossible to compartmentalise peace and security matters for geographic reasons”. In addition, Alonso defined the role that Spain should play in the Mediterranean. “We must come closer together in this area which is strategically so important for us and, in general, for the world in which we live”. 

In its fifth edition, and following the lines of the previous ones, this seminar became a platform for informing those present of the main actions carried out by different actors in the area of security and defence. 

Thus, the Ambassador, Pablo Benavides, reviewed the actions undertaken by the NATO Mediterranean Dialogue. The French Rear Admiral, Jean François Coustillière, for his part, did likewise with 5+5. The Ambassador, Máximo Cajal, in turn, presented a more recent initiative, the Alliance of Civilisations. In addition, the Belgian scholar, Sven Biscop, assessed the limitations and capacities of the ESDP (European Security and Defence Policy). And, finally, the new developments in the Barcelona Process were dealt with by the Director-General of Defence Policy, Rafael Dezcallar, and by the Ambassador, Juan Prat. As a new element, this seminar gave space to actors on the ground, so that they could share their co-operation experiences in such distinct places as Bosnia, Palestine and Lebanon with government representatives, scholars and members of civil society. The Turkish scholar, Pinar Bilgin, who tried to reconcile theory and practice, proposed the creation of a common concept of security in the Mediterranean, based on the existence shared insecurity. 

This seminar also incorporated a dimension of committee work. Divided into three groups, the participants debated energy, co-operation in the control of migration flows and governance, three urgent challenges for multidimensional security in the Mediterranean. On the issue of energy, it was concluded that if the EU had been founded on the need to pool together steel and coal, integration of the Mediterranean could be achieved on the basis of two scarce resources: water and energy. In addition, the possibilities of co-operation in the framework of Frontex were analysed, underscoring the deep causes of human movements that are not only overwhelming the Mediterranean area but also have their roots in the heart of the continents of Africa and Asia. 

Finally, the scope of the concept of governance and its link to the promotion of democracy and respect for human rights were discussed, highlighting some of the unresolved matters in the region, such as reformation of the security sector and the role of the media. As Narcís Serra, the President of the CIDOB Foundation, stated, “the seminar was created with the desire to have it become consolidated as a framework of information, reflection and debate, inescapable for security in the Mediterranean”. And, in the words of Celia Abenza, the Director-General of International Relations in the Ministry of Defence, the encounter was “ a success”. The seminar was attended by over 150 civilian and military experts, scholars and government representatives, coming from countries in Europe, the Mediterranean and NATO (CONSULT PROGRAMME). This event renews a space for dialogue in order to discuss and favour the adoption of co-operation strategies, and it comes as a result of an initiative that emerged between the CIDOB Foundation and the Spanish Ministry of Defence in 2002, within the framework of the Spanish presidency of the European Union.