Quanto vale l'economia del Mare Nostrum

[Autom. eng. transl.] The enlarged Mediterranean (Middle East and North Africa - MENA) experiences apparently unsolvable conflict situations, which generate immense humanitarian crises; desperate attempts by migrants and asylum seekers to reach Europe; but also spaces of commerce, enterprise, resistance and social innovation - spaces of possible international governmental and non-governmental collaboration. We know that the Mediterranean is the protagonist of many meetings in Italy during this period: both high-level political dialogues (the next one in Rome, in the first days of December 2019), and local "business to business" initiatives involving companies and institutions. The European Union is also very active in the Mediterranean area, within the framework of Southern Neighborhood Policies; equally the World Bank. To understand what we can expect from these diplomatic and business efforts it is appropriate to ask ourselves: what is the current situation of trade between countries bordering the Mediterranean? Which products are most traded? But above all: can commercial relations also support political and cultural dialogue?