Strategic Vision for a Connected Mediterranean
At the 2025 Summit for a Connected Mediterranean, Commissioner Dubravka Šuica outlined her role as the European Commission's first Commissioner for the Mediterranean, emphasizing her mission to unify the people and economies of the Mare Nostrum region. Šuica highlighted current infrastructure initiatives, including the ELMED electricity link and the MEDUSA digital submarine fibre cable, alongside energy projects such as the Great Sea Interconnector (GSI), the Greece-Egypt Interconnector (Gregy), and the H2MED green hydrogen corridor.
Concrete Commitments and Financial Scale
The Commissioner praised the ongoing India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) initiative, which fosters investment in ports, energy, and digital infrastructure across key regional partners. Through the EU’s Global Gateway programme, €5.9 billion had been deployed by February 2025 in North Africa and the Middle East, aiming to mobilize up to €27.2 billion in combined public and private investment.
The New Pact for the Mediterranean
Looking forward, Šuica announced the forthcoming New Pact for the Mediterranean, expected in autumn, structured around three pillars: people, economy, and peace, resilience, and security. Prioritizing people, the pact focuses on investments in higher education, skills development, and cultural exchange. Economically, it champions the Trans-Mediterranean Energy and Clean Tech Cooperation Initiative (T-MED), which aims to accelerate renewable energy adoption, creating quality jobs and enhancing energy security while fostering decarbonisation.
Balancing Security and Migration
The pact also includes measures to strengthen cooperation on disaster preparedness and combat smuggling, coupled with expanding legal pathways for labour migration. Šuica’s remarks on Syria underscored support for recovery efforts and international collaboration.
Policy Cleavages and Stakeholder Impact
Šuica’s proposals indicate an increase in EU powers and integration in Mediterranean affairs through coordinated infrastructure and economic projects. Business sectors in renewable energy and digital infrastructure stand to benefit from expanded investment and market opportunities, albeit with increased regulatory and operational collaboration demands. Consumers and citizens across the Mediterranean may gain from improved energy security, employment prospects, and cultural exchanges, though some initiatives might involve transitional costs. National authorities will experience enhanced EU oversight and partnership dynamics, while EU taxpayers and international financial institutions play critical roles in financing these ambitious projects.
Overall, Commissioner Šuica’s speech presents detailed policy directions that emphasize connectivity and strategic partnership, reflecting a shift towards deeper regional integration and collective resilience across the Mediterranean basin.