CIMIC SEMINAR FOR 5+5 DEFENCE INITIATIVE

Motta di Livenza, October 28, 2020.

On 28th October 2020, by videoconference, the civil-military cooperation module was held within the 5+5 Defense Initiative, a collaboration forum born in 2004 amongst the countries of the western Mediterranean, 5 on the north shore (France, Italy, Malta, Portugal and Spain) and 5 on the south shore (Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia). The partnership, over the years, has been particularly functional in addressing security and defense cooperation among the 10 Member States facing common challenges. 

The Initiative aims to promote practical activities in the fields of Maritime Surveillance, Air Safety, the contribution of the Armed Forces to Civil Protection and Training and Research. In this case, the Multinational CIMIC Group, according to the action plans approved annually by the Ministers of Defense of the Member States, organizes seminars on civil-military cooperation with arguments ranging from cross-cutting topics to resilience, from TTPs to field experiences. These activities, which aim to increase mutual knowledge, have the objective to promote interoperability between the Armed Forces of the different countries. 

The representatives of the Member States, therefore, had the opportunity to sit at a "virtual table", thanks to the VTC organized by the MNCG considering the restrictions related to containment from COVID-19 contagion, and receive briefings on arguments such as "protection of civilians", "women, peace and security" and "cultural property protection".

The growing interest in the southern shore of the Mediterranean can only give a further boost to activities whose importance must, where possible, be harmonized with a growing and coordinated commitment.

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