The national NGOs of the countries of the Mediterranean basin needed a valid interlocutor that represents them in an international level in order spread the specific necessities of the Mediterranean all over the world. MED Forum is trying modestly to make the voice of the Mediterranean to be heard in all the possible meetings through of a great number of representatives. Recently we have participated in the seventh Period of Sessions of the CSD (Commission of Sustainable Development) of the United Nations, in the third meeting Euromed in Stuttgart and in the fifth Meeting of the MCSD (MAP). We have also attended to the Meeting of the Convention to Combat Desertification in Dakar and in the Meeting about Health and Environment of the WHO in London, just to enumerate the most important ones. In October, we are going to participate in the 12^th Meeting of the Barcelona Convention in Malta. We have organised a Seminar about Good Practices to fight against the desertification in the Negev Desert. We are also going to celebrate a Mediterranean Conference about "Protected Areas and Sustainable Development in the Mediterranean" in Andalusia (Spain) from the 18^th to the 20^th November, together with the annual meeting of the MED Forum Mediterranean Council the 21^st and 22^nd November.

We have also presence in a lot of countries through the four campaigns that we started:

1. "The Mediterranean Green Traffic Light"
2. "Ulixes 21, for sustainable tourism in the Mediterranean"
3. "Protect the Mediterranean?...Yes! But ratify the Barcelona Convention and its protocols. Now!"
4. Diffusion of the "MED Forum 2000 Agenda"

Another mechanism that we initiated is the Mediterranean Co-operation Programme. The Projects Bank works with proposals of the members. At the present, there is a group of projects to combat the erosion and the desertification that surged in the Negev Seminar and some other projects that born in the Tunis Project. Two regional projects are being prepared one about desertification and another one about environmental education. Two more projects are being accomplished in Algeria, one about the oasis and another one about a rural co-operative. Some more projects are being prepared to do one of them in Sousse (Tunisia) and another one in Palestine, about the subject of the water.

There is a web page (www.MEDForum.org), a magazine ("MED Forum. Ecology and sustainable development"), an online magazine ("MED Info Newsleter"), that one can find in the web page, and some major documents, as the MED Forum 2000 Agenda, the book "Sustainable Tourism in the Mediterranean", the Barcelona Declaration of the NGOs, etc.

MED Forum is at the present moment the reference point of the Mediterranean NGO, thanks to the work of all of its members. And we must continue with it, if we want a better future for the next generations.

Zohir Sekkal Rafael Madueño

OBJECTIVES:

• To strengthen the Mediterranean dimension of LIFE programs.
• To identify and broaden the synergies and cooperation among NGOs, National and Local Authorities, for the implementation of LIFE projects.
• To examine the role of Mediterranean NGO Networks in the facilitation of LIFE projects in the short and long term: through disseminating existing, as relevant negotiator/facilitator before EC and National authorities, etc.

SCHEDULE:

• Introduction

• General presentation on LIFE projects in the Mediterranean by the European Commission (Mr. VARVAROUSSIS (?)) (10 minutes)

• "Mediterranean Cooperation: environment and development in the Mediterranean and northern and southern NGOs’ role" (Javier CISNEROS) (10 minutes)

• "Priorities on environmental challenges in the Mediterranean and its differences with "European" priorities" by Susana LOPEZ PENEDOA from Ecologistas en Acción ("Environmentalists in action) (5 minutes)

• "Experiences in the field: running LIFE projects" by T. NANTSOU (WWF-Greece) and C. VASILAKIS (Hellenic Ornithological Society) (5 minutes)

• "Envisioning a future for LIFE to the Mediterranean " by Michael SCOULLOS (10 minutes)

• Open debate 55 minutes

• Conclusion (MED Forum and MIO-ECSDE) (2.5 + 2.5 minutes)

Malta, October 24-25, 1999

Mediterranean NGOs Meeting convoked by:

MED Forum, Mediterranean NGO Network for Ecology and sustainable Development

• OPENING ................................................................................................ 9:30

• To be confirmed

M. le Ministre des Affaires Étrangères

M. le Ministre de l’Environnement

M. le Président du Parlement

(NOM DU PAYS) est signataire de la Convention de Barcelone pour la protection de la Méditerranée, approuvé en 1975, ainsi que des six Protocoles que la développemnt. En 1995, la Convention a été profondément modifiée lors de la neuvième réunion des Parties Contractantes tenue encore à Barcelona. Aussi, soit différents prótocoles ont été approuvés soit des modifications ont été portées sur les protocoles préexistants, tel qu’il est rapporté dans les renseignements que vous trouverez ci-joint. Tout cela exige que les différents États signataires ratifient ces traités.

MED Forum, le « Réseau d’ONGs de la Méditerranée pour l’Écologie et le Développment durable », lors Assemblée Générale tenue à Barceloan le 21 Novembre 1998, a décidé de mettre en route une campagne informative qui a pour but de parvenir à la ratification de la Convention et de ses Protocoles. Cette campagne, appelée "Protéger la Méditerranée? Qui! Mais... la Convention de Barcelone et ses Protocoles à ratifier, DÈS MAINTENANT.

Nous (nom de la ONG), membres de MED Forum, nous voulons que notre pays ratifie la Convention de Barcelone et ses protocoles pour qu’ils puissent entrer en vigueur dans les plus brefs délais.

Ayant convoqué à Malte la Onzième Réunion des parties contractantes à Malte qui se tiendra du 27 au 30 octobre prochain, nous pensons que ce serait là l’occasion de proposer dans notre parlement la ratification des accords et qu’ainsi notre pays satisfasse ses engagements concernant la protection de la Méditerranée.

Recevez mes salutations empressées,

His Excellence Minister of the Environment

His Excellence Minister of Foreign Affairs

His Excellence President of the Parliament

(NAME OF THE COUNTRY) is a signer of the Barcelona Convention for the Protection of the Mediterranean, which was approved in 1975, and also signed the six Protocols which conform it. In 1995, during the 9^th Meeting of the Contracting Parties held once again in Barcelona, the Convention was modified in depth. Likewise, differents Protocols were approved and existing ones were modifies, all of which is explained in the information enclosed. All of this calls for the different signatory States to ratify the said treaties.

In its General Assembly held in Barcelona on the 21^st of November, 1998, MED Forum, "Mediterranean NGO Network for Ecology and Sustainable Development", decided to start a campaign with the aim of achieving the ratification of the Convention and its Protocols. This campaign, titled "Protect the Mediterranean? Yes!!, but... ratify the Barcelona Convention and its Protocols NOW!".

Having convened the XI Meeting of the Contracting Parties from the 27^th to the 30^th of October in Malta, this would be the opportunity to submit to our parliament the question of the ratification of the agreements so that our country could fulfil its obligations regarding the protection of the Mediterranean.