The Western Mediterranean Transport and Logistics Sector in the post-COVID-19 Era: Seizing New Opportunities, Accelerating Transitions

4 October 2021- 5 October 2021. From 14:45 To 13:15 | Conference | English | Malta

In the context of the Group of Ministers of Transport of the Western Mediterranean countries (GTMO 5+5), cooperation and dialogue among the members of the 5+5 Dialogue is more necessary than ever to advance towards a more integrated, connected and resilient Western Mediterranean transport and logistics sector in the post-COVID-19 era. On the occasion of the 10th Conference of Ministers of Transport of the 5+5 Dialogue in Malta, this thematic seminar, organised in the framework of the Medthink 5+5 network by the European Institute of the Mediterranean (IEMed) and the Centre for Transportation Studies for the Western Mediterranean (CETMO), aims to initiate an in-depth discussion to identify the current perspectives and key opportunities for the sector to better prepare and adapt itself to the post-COVID-19 era while promoting Western Mediterranean integration and co-development.

The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted governments in the Western Mediterranean to take severe measures to curtail socio-economic activities over the last months which have impacted the transport and logistic sector. The impacts of the pandemic have led institutions, academia, civil society, and business representatives to reflect upon possible post-COVID-19 scenarios that could have a lasting effect on the sector. Re-inventing the transport and logistic sector by embracing the green and digital revolutions is nowadays a priority, especially in the face of the hardship generated by the COVID-19 pandemic. These transitions are key factors to spur a sustainable development as emphasised by the new EU’s Agenda for the Mediterranean and could help considerably the Western Mediterranean transport and logistics sector recover from the COVID-19 crisis, by improving its resilience and fostering its modernisation to boost growth, innovation, and competitiveness. In this line, the development of North-South multi-modal transport connections to foster regional integration and competitiveness remains also a key priority for the sector.