MPC Fora

One of the goals of Viajeo PLUS is to facilitate the uptake of outstanding solutions for innovative and green urban mobility across different cities in the EU’s Mediterranean Partner Countries (MPCs).

Source: Google Earth

The MPCs such as Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine, Syria, Tunisia, and Turkey, are an area of vital strategic importance both in economic (trade, energy, migration) and political (security, stability) terms. Current efforts of cooperation with the region focus on long-term economic growth, sustainable development and environmental protection.

Along these lines, Viajeo PLUS partners invited MPC stakeholders to attend two MPC fora organised in Turkey and Morocco. Thanks to these fora, participants could better understand the current state of tranport networks in MPC countries. By allowing them to spot concrete urban mobility challenges, the MPC fora have contributed to set the foundations for inter-regional research and development cooperation.

The fora were complemented by site visits which showcased what MPC cities need in order to make their transport systems more efficient and sustainable. The visits were organised as bilateral meetings with Transportation professionals and city officials.

MPC priorities for innovative and sustainable mobility

Though fora discussions and questionnaires and although priorities vary from country to country, Viajeo Plus has identified the following MPCs’ areas of interest:

Encourage use of public transport;
Test electric vehicles in public transport services;
Educate policy makers on ITS technologies;
Develop smart phone apps for travel planners, commuters and tourists (e.g. to provide up to date traffic information about congestion and alternatives routes)
ITS demonstration projects;
Raise awareness on best practices at local level;
Policy study on integrated transport planning and land use;

The organisation of MPC fora and site visits were driven by the Mediterranean Universities Union (UNIMED). UNIMED brings together University of Mostaganem (Algeria), Cairo University (Egypt), Lebanese American University (Lebanon), Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (Lebanon) and University Mohammed V Agdal (Morocco).