The MED3R project has just been launched in Nice. A strategic Euro-Mediterranean partnership for adaptive waste management. Out of 332 submitted applications, only 19 were accepted, and the Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolis is among them.
Many elected officials were present at the Mediterranean University Center to inaugurate this new Euro-Mediterranean waste treatment cooperation. Christian Estrosi, the Mayor of Nice, set the tone to kick off this conference: “The North will not succeed without perfect mutualization with the South. This union is symbolized by the creation of a permanent Euromed general secretariat in Nice.”
In practical terms, this project brings together fifteen main partners and seven associated collaborators from five Mediterranean coastal countries: France, Italy, Tunisia, Lebanon, and Jordan. The financing is 90% covered by the European Union for a total cost of 4,787,062 euros. All partners have signed an agreement on this waste policy. The system is based on extending product life, reducing waste production, and recycling. Another benefit of this cross-border agreement is the transfer of technical and technological know-how, skill strengthening, and the implementation of support systems for project teams.
An example of this collaboration is with Mohamed Toumi, head of the department at the National Waste Management Agency (ANGED) in Tunisia: “Sustainable development is embedded in this project with end goals for durability and commercial reuse of these wastes. We prioritize material over energy.” Ultimately, the MED3R is expected to empower Tunisian municipalities, which often depend on AGED. Najwa Bassil Pietton, city councilor of Byblos in Lebanon, confirms the usefulness of such a partnership: “This is a pilot project that will allow cities like Byblos to install the first selective sorting system in Lebanon. Thanks to EU funding, 90% of the 430,000-euro budget will be covered.” Christian Estrosi envisions making Nice “a green city of the Mediterranean,” while creating jobs. However, he does not overlook the common desire to “build a bridge between the countries of the North and those of the South.” The goal is to show Northern countries that Southern countries are capable of uniting for a common project.
