Arab world

European local and regional governments and their representative associations expressed their desire to back the democratic movement underway in the Arab world, during a meeting between the Council of European.Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) and Pierre Vimont, secretary general of the European External Action Service (EEAS).

 

Frédéric Vallier, CEMR secretary general, also asked that a part of the EEAS's budget in support of new democracies in the Mediterranean and in EU neighbouring countries be used to help develop local democracy and decentralisation. Vallier assured Vimont that PLATFORMA, the European platform of local and regional authorities for development, and associations involved in development cooperation would provide support to this effect.

 

Moreover, Vimont asserted that the EEAS would take the actions led internationally by local and regional authorities into serious consideration, stating that their involvement would be studied in detail so as to guarantee good cooperation between the different levels of governance.