During its plenary session, the Euro-Mediterranean Regional and Local Assembly (ARLEM) officially appointed Michèle Sabban, President of the Assembly of European Regions (AER), to prepare a report on sustainable tourism in the Mediterranean. The report will be submitted by AER at the next general assembly of ARLEM.

Launched in 2010, ARLEM is a joint project of the Committee of the Regions, regional and local authorities around the three shores of the Mediterranean, as well as European and international associations representing regional and local authorities working on the ground, among them AER. It answers the request to put the role of regional and local authorities in the Euro‑Mediterranean Partnership on an institutional footing. ARLEM is composed of 84 members from the European Union and its 16 Mediterranean partners.

Alongside this event, Michèle Sabban met with Nichi Vendola, the President of the Italian region of Puglia. They shared the common belief that global engagement of regional authorities in the fight against climate change, where states have failed, is essential. They discussed Puglia and AER members’ expertise on sustainable development, energy savings and water management, which are all good practices to also deal with the crisis.

The Assembly of European Regions (AER – aer.eu) is the largest independent network of regions in wider Europe. Bringing together more than 250 regions from 35 countries and 16 interregional organisations, AER is the political voice of its members and a forum for interregional co-operation.

For more information: [email protected]