TEPAV’s Policy Analyst Murat Kenanoğlu co-authors T20 policy brief on enhancing infrastructure and logistics across the Mediterranean.

The Think 20 (T20) is a grouping of leading Think Tanks of G20 member states that provide research-based policy advice. The T20 initiative began in 2012 under the Mexican Presidency of the G20 and has since contributed to essential policy developments and decisions. As part of the T20 representing Turkey, TEPAV’s analysts have weighed in their expertise over the years. Under the leadership of Italian presidency of both the G20 and T20, Policy Briefs on several pertinent issues have been published. Co-authored by Raffaele Della Croce (OECD), Karim El Eynaoui (Policy Center for the New South), Youssef El Jai (Policy Center for the New South), Alessandro Gili (ISPI), Alin Horj (OECD), Murat Kenanoğlu (TEPAV), and Carlo Secchi (ISPI), the policy brief, “A Regional Connectivity Partnership for the Mediterranean” has been published. The authors are all part of the T20’s Task Force for Infrastructure Investment and Financing.

The paper underlines that the COVID-19 pandemic has brought forth changes in the global value chains and reshoring trends that present an opportunity for sustainable and inclusive economic development in the Mediterranean region. The region remains below its potential for trade and global value chains due to limited connectivity and lack of investments in infrastructure. One of the most important factors in this equation is the development of Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. It is estimated that there would need to be investments of at least 100 billion USD annually until 2030 to not only maintain but create new infrastructure. As such, the policy brief calls forth the creation of a regional platform for co-operation and dialogue on investments for infrastructure connectivity. This platform would improve the regulatory and business environment, attracting much-desired private investments to MENA. Bringing operational standards up to par and policy harmonization for trade facilitation would increase the quality and inter-operability of trade across the two shores of the Mediterranean. A key pillar in achieving this integrated logistic platform is establishment of agreements between ports and Special Economic Zones (SEZs). As MENA’s energy demand is set to almost double by 2040, another emerging field of cooperation is energy. Renewable energy production, establishing gas corridors, and the rise of hydrogen complementing electricity are all areas of emerging and ongoing cooperation.

For reaching the Mediterranean region’s fullest potential, the authors highlight steps and reforms that must be taken into consideration to boost logistics and trade. To state a few, they are improving the governance of infrastructure to attract private investment, cooperation to establish common standards (increasing quality, compatibility, and inter-operability of infrastructure), improving capacity and efficiency of ports as well as connectivity to inland areas, and encouraging competition and entry of private investors in the energy sector.

To access the Policy Brief, click here.

To find out more on Italy’s T20 Presidency, click here.