Context 

The Covid-19 crisis has hit economies that were already struggling as evidenced by chronically low GDP per capita growth rates, high unemployment rates for young people and graduates, rising inequalities in health and education, and subpar trade integration. A lot has been written already as to how their lack of dynamism is linked to a set of endemic problems. Dealing with those issues is necessary. But this cannot be done country by country, in isolation.

The region needs above all greater regional cooperation, whether it be to promote private and foreign direct investment, to allow transfers of technology and know-how on a larger scale, to fight against the consequences of global warming and against possible future crises, to facilitate the mobility of people, to encourage co-production systems, or even to launch large-scale projects in specific sectors.

Fortunately, like in every crisis, this pandemic is also bringing lots of opportunities and possibilities to respond to challenges. This CMI work is an extension of the Enhancing Mediterranean Integration report and aims to provide concrete forward-looking strategies and solutions, for the Mediterranean countries to grasp post-Covid opportunities for growth, better integrate into regional value chains, and achieve quality integration. It includes the following  :

• The Middle East and North Africa Economic Update on Reviving Trade Integration in a Post-COVID Era (by the World Bank and CMI) 
• A Post-Pandemic Growth Strategy for Southern and Eastern Mediterranean Countries
• Post Covid-19: Opportunities for Growth, Regional Value Chains and Mediterranean Integration