The Euro-Mediterranean-Arab Association (EMA e.V.) is a German non-profit organization that works in the field of development cooperation between Europe, especially Germany, and the countries of the Mediterranean and the Middle East. The Association is a politically, religiously and ideologically independent organization. It is based in Berlin, with branches in Hamburg, Casablanca and Tunis. The association aims to further economic development cooperation and political, cultural, and academic exchange between Germany and the countries of Northern Africa, the Middle East, and the Persian Gulf region (EMA region).
History
The EMA was founded in 2008 as the Euro-Mediterranean Association for Cooperation and Development by Dr. Abdelmajid Layadi. In 2014, the association was renamed and has since been known as the Euro-Mediterranean-Arab Association. From 2014 to 2017, the former German President Christian Wulff was the President of the Association. In August 2017 he was named Honorary President along with Prince Hassan bin Talal of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan who occupied this post since January 2012.
List of presidents
Ralf Busch (August 2008 - August 2009) Horst H. Siedentopf (August 2009 - December 2012) Adelheid Sailer-Schuster (January 2013 - August 2014) Christian Wulff (August 2014 - August 2017) Gabriele Groneberg (August 2017 - August 2021) Heike Fölster (since August 2021)
Aims
The primary task and goal of the Association is to promote and strengthen economic relations and intercultural dialogue between Europe - and here in particular Germany - and the Mediterranean and Middle East region and between the countries of this region themselves. Of particular importance to the EMA are the topics of female empowerment, green energy, food security, digitalization, and sustainably supply-chain. In general, the Association emphasizes the importance of ecological and social sustainability in its projects and activities. The EMA specifically supports German companies in entering the market, but also in expanding their business activities in the countries of the EMA region, focusing on a holistic approach to economic as well as social sustainability: the promotion of water and energy management to protect natural resources, good and responsible corporate governance and know-how transfer, as well as education and training of qualified junior staff, equality, and respect for diversity with regard to society as a whole.
In 2014, the statutes were expanded to include Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). This serves as an ethical maxim. In the spirit of corporate ethics and social responsibility of developmental and economic associations, EMA sees it as its task to make the principles of The Global Compact formulated by the United Nations, the "Principles for Responsible Investment" (PRI), and the values set out in the so-called Corporate Social Responsibility Conventions binding for its activities. According to its own statements, this is how it lives up to its responsibility to contribute to sustainable development in international cooperation.
To ensure the long-term nature of its partnerships, the EMA attaches particular importance to a deeper understanding of the cultural realities of German and Arab societies. It regularly organizes intercultural trainings to meet this demand and to promote not only economic but also social and cultural exchange.
Activities
The EMA engages in three kinds of activities: Services for its members, international cooperation projects and events.
Services for members
Market Entries & B2B Matchmaking
To ensure the success of the specific aim of its members in entering the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern market it offers to match businesses in meetings and matchmaking events to help them to establish long-term relations for strategic partnerships.
International Cooperation Projects
If a member has an idea for a project in the EMA-Region it can profit from the Association’s network of political, economic as well as civil society actors to realize its project as an international cooperation.
Studies and Market Analysis
The EMA offers to do market research and studies for its members. Upon request, these are tailor-made for a specific project and include competitor and stakeholder analysis, facts about the latest developments in a certain field, or new business opportunities.