Burgermeesters uit Midden-Oosten vinden reactie EU op recente ontwikkelingen zwak (en)
EUOBSERVER i / AGADIR - The EU i's response to the popular uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt has been timid and unimpressive, with more democracy movements likely to pop up, said Middle Eastern mayors gathering in Morocco for a meeting with EU counterparts from across the Mediterranean.
On the sunny streets of Agadir, a south-western Moroccan port on the shores of the Atlantic, the prospect of a revolution seems distant. A young king in an Armani suits is smiling from pictures on lamp posts and public buildings. "People are poor, but the King takes care of us. We don't want trouble," is the line one hears from cab drivers and street vendors.
Newspapers and TV stations do cover the revolution in Egypt and Tunisia, but officials strongly deny there may be any spillover effect on Morocco. Ratings agency Standard&Poor's on Friday (28 January) included Morocco in a regional risk analysis, but said it was the least likely to have a popular uprising.
"Morocco is different, we do have a democracy and multi-party system, even if it may need some consolidation," says Tariq Kabbage, the mayor of the 200,000 strong city.
His office footed the bill of a week-end gathering of some 100 EU and Middle Eastern mayors, the so-called Euro-Mediterranean Regional and Local Assembly (Arlem), set up last year in order to foster co-operation between Arab, Israeli and European communities.
During the day-long talks about water management and decentralisation in the north African states, Egypt remained the elephant in the room, with officials looking up YouTube videos and checking local news sites about the latest developments.
To Hani Abdelmasih Hayeh, mayor of the Palestinian town Bat Sahoui, the EU is "in complete denial" about what is going on in the Arab world.
"The EU reaction has come late and is not impressive. What we see in Tunisia, Egypt, Yemen is a reaction to the things happening there on the ground. We are witnessing a rebirth of the Middle East, a rebirth of democratic regimes, human rights and development," he said.
The Palestinian official had a down-to-earth view about the impact of the EU-related conference in the bigger scheme of events. "People are stronger than any organisation or conference. We are working in this forum, but it is up to people to decide if they want to change their leaders," he said.
His participation along with two Israeli mayors was hailed as a success by organisers, especially since the "bigger brother" of the Arlem, the Union for Mediterranean (UfM) comprising of national government officials from EU, north African and Middle Eastern states, has not managed to come together in the past two years due to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
"If we work together, we can bring about peace and I suggested to all participants that we should at least become sister cities - Israeli, Palestinian and EU towns," Shlomo Bouchbout, the mayor of Ma'alot and Tarshiha, an Israeli and a Palestinian town, told EUobserver.
His reading of the situation in Egypt was very much in line with the Israeli government: "I hope things will settle down in Egypt. It is not very good for the region and for Israel. When there is no silence, there is war. Now we are in good terms with Egypt. But what if there is a change of government? Things may turn out well, but they can also go wrong. And I hope this will not spill over to Jordan, Lebanon or other places."
An Egyptian official requesting to remain anonymous tried to brush off criticism and put the blame on "criminals and looters" ravaging shops and buildings. On the telecommunications blockade, the official said that "we've lived without Internet before. People are connected via landlines."
As for the EU, its actions and statements are seen as an "interference with internal matters of Egypt," the official added.
Case for decentralisation
"The recent developments in Tunisia and Egypt certify the importance of having a strong local and regional democracy," Mercedes Bresso i, head of EU's Committee of the Regions, a consultative body formed of local and regional representatives, said during the final press conference in Agadir.
"Decentralisation is key if you want people to identify themselves with authority and feel responsible for jobs, education and social projects," she added.
Morocco is looking at giving more powers to regions in terms of education and health policy, an official from the ministry of foreign affairs said, while the EU is supporting this effort with policy advice.