EuroMedAI Network Launches at ALForum 2025

Artificial intelligence (AI) systems are spreading fast across the Mediterranean, opening new markets for health, education, climate and creative industries. Yet they also amplify longstanding regional gaps—underrepresentation of local languages, scarce South-South knowledge exchange and collaboration, and weak, fragmented oversight of bias, safety and human rights impacts.

Building on the outcomes of the Anna Lindh Foundation ALForum 2025 (Tirana, 18–20 June 2025), a landmark event co-funded by the European Union that brought together over 900 participants from across the Mediterranean region, a coalition comprising civil society organizations, research institutions, content creators, and others has initiated the establishment of the Mediterranean Network for AI Governance (EuroMedAI). Conceived as a lean, multistakeholder platform, EuroMedAI is dedicated to promoting responsible AI governance, safety, and inclusivity across the region.

Problem Statement

The Mediterranean region faces several critical challenges in AI governance:

• AI adoption is accelerating unevenly: Frontier compute clusters concentrate on the northern shore, while southern ecosystems often lack access to unbiased data and safety expertise.
• Limited coordination among stakeholders in the field and limited opportunities for South–South knowledge exchange.
• Current initiatives rarely embed gender, disability or youth metrics in their risk frameworks.
• Regulatory approaches diverge, creating compliance uncertainty for innovators.

Vision and Mission

Vision: A Mediterranean where AI systems are inherently safe, inclusive and trusted by all communities.

Mission: To convene and connect civil society, industry and academia across the Euro-Mediterranean to promote responsible AI governance, amplify regional perspectives in global AI debates, and build lasting capacities for designing, deploying, and sustaining AI systems that are fair, inclusive, and aligned with human rights and democratic values.

Objectives

The network aims to:

• Facilitate sustained South–South and North–South collaboration and networking among members, enabling joint research, shared resources, and cross-border pilot projects.
• Establish a multistakeholder policy dialogue platform that accelerates the adoption of inclusive and safe AI, fuels economic growth and innovation, and safeguards human rights and democratic values in the Mediterranean.
• Empower relevant stakeholders to translate global AI-ethics frameworks into Mediterranean realities with a united Mediterranean voice through tailored regional mechanisms.
• Foster a culture of critical, creative and responsible AI use by providing accessible learning pathways that empower youth, women and underrepresented communities across all sectors.
• Catalyse AI talent, compute access and cross-border start-ups, while embedding safety and inclusion as default.

Participatory Design Process

Following our launch, we have initiated a participatory process to design our concept note and recruit founding members. This collaborative approach ensures that our network structure and governance reflect the diverse perspectives and needs of our Mediterranean community.

We invite all interested stakeholders to join us in shaping the future of AI governance in our region. Whether you’re a researcher, civil society representative, technologist, or policy expert, your voice matters in building inclusive AI governance.

Next Steps

• Concept Note Development: We are currently finalizing our network concept note through stakeholder consultations
• Member Recruitment: Founding member applications are now open through our membership application form
• Working Groups: We will establish thematic working groups based on our five core pillars
• Regional Events: Planning for our first regional workshops and policy dialogues

Join Us

The EuroMedAI network represents a unique opportunity to shape the future of AI governance in the Mediterranean region. We believe that by working together, we can ensure that AI development serves our communities and reflects our shared values.

For more information about joining the network or participating in our development process, please visit our Join as a Member page or contact us directly.

Mohamed ALOUANE
Network Chair, EuroMedAI