Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/163731
23 Opinion maltatoday, SUNDAY, 1 SEPTEMBER 2013 Stefano Mallia Can Malta help to refocus minds on the Med? T he ever-deteriorating situation in Syria and the political convulsions engulfing Egypt are menacing, and we do well to take stock of them. This is saying nothing of the situation in Libya, which is still deeply unsettled after its revolution. Malta needs to employ its position within all the EU institutions, and not least within the European Parliament and the Council, to keep the EU focused on the challenges mushrooming in the Mediterranean region and, most importantly, to prod the EU to act decisively. This is an issue on which a united political front on our part could for once be given some useful substance. It is a pity that as these events unfold in the Mediterranean region, many of the EU states that ought to be more sensitive to them are facing so many internal problems that they ignore equally lethal threats on their very doorsteps. The dramatic situation that has developed over the past few days has been a wake-up call, We cannot ignore the economic impact of the upheavals in the Arab world. Tourism, services and manufacturing can stall or migrate out of the region if the situation becomes intolerable. More unemployment, misery, migration and extreme terrorism will fill the vacuum and we are now starting to see some reactions, although how things will actually develop is yet to be seen. In the meantime, Germany, which has the capacity to lead, is in the midst of a national election campaign. Syria has already unleashed a huge wave of refugees that has flooded neighbouring countries and has started spilling over into Europe. Libya in its present stage of confusion is unable to guard its coast to end the hanky-panky that is going on there and which is costing innocent lives by the hundreds. The humanitarian magnitude of what is already happening is staggering. But what if Egypt collapses in an Algeria-type civil war? The Algerian war left an estimated 200,000 dead. Syria is firmly on its way to reaching unthinkable numbers as well. But what kind of scenario are we looking at if Egypt collapses into total anarchy? This is a time when forming part of the EU bears more significance, with most of our economic ties pointing northwards and the EU offering some shelter (though not complete, as we have discovered) from the turbulence around us. But we should not overlook the fact that Malta also has important economic stakes in Libya and Tunisia, and the sooner these countries settle down the better for all. Also, we cannot ignore the economic impact of the upheavals in the Arab world. Tourism, services and manufacturing can stall or migrate out of the region if the situation becomes intolerable. More unemployment, misery, migration and extreme Malta needs to employ its position within all the EU institutions, and not least within the European Parliament and the Council, to keep the EU focused on the challenges mushrooming in the Mediterranean region terrorism will fill the vacuum. These are scenarios that we normally associate with the Horn of Africa, whose repercussions wash up on our shores. Is it farfetched to think that they can also happen in the Med and much closer to us? What about oil and energy supplies? As North America is becoming self-sufficient in this precious source, the EU is increasingly becoming dependent on external suppliers, particularly the Middle East, notwithstanding the concerted efforts to try and avoid this. The EU may still be in time to take a much more active role to prevent the situation from deteriorating further. Now that it is slowly climbing out of the recession, which situation remains fragile, it may be able to set aside a bigger share of its collective wealth to deploy to the region. Military power will not resolve any of the conflicts involved. Re-establishing dictators in the southern rim – even if the proud citizens of those countries were ready to go along with it – is a non-starter. What is required is a peaceful dialogue and resolution of the conflicts, which the EU has emphasised all along, and a stronger focus on good governance and the economy. A refocusing of the EU's attention southwards is a matter of urgency. Can Malta take up the challenge and prod the EU to act decisively? Stefano Mallia is a Nationalist candidate in the forthcoming European Parliamentary elections