Euro-Mediterranean Association for Cooperation and Development
Professional services
UnclaimedA German non-profit association promoting economic cooperation, intercultural dialogue and sustainable development between Europe and Arab and Mediterranean countries.
Last updated August 26, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile yet.
Overview
The Euro-Mediterranean Association for Cooperation and Development, now known as the Euro-Mediterranean-Arab Association or EMA e.V., is a German non-profit organization focused on development cooperation, business relations and intercultural exchange between Germany and countries in the Mediterranean, Middle East and Persian Gulf regions. The association describes itself as politically, religiously and ideologically independent. Its principal base is in Berlin, with branches or operational locations in Hamburg, Casablanca and Tunis. Founded in 2008 by Dr. Abdelmajid Layadi under its original name, the organization was renamed in 2014 to reflect a broader Euro-Mediterranean-Arab remit. Its work combines economic development with political, cultural and academic exchange. EMA supports German companies seeking to enter or expand in markets across its target region, while also helping organizations and institutions in partner countries build international relationships, improve capabilities and access cooperation opportunities. The association’s activities are organized around member services, international cooperation projects and public or professional events. Member services include market-entry assistance, business-to-business matchmaking, market studies, competitor and stakeholder analysis, intercultural training, translation and interpretation, tender information, and introductions to political, commercial and civil-society actors. Its events include country forums, sector forums, business delegations, roundtables, expert meetings, diplomatic salons, business breakfasts and receptions. EMA also publishes country profiles and has published the magazine Mediterranes, covering subjects such as water, environmental engineering, logistics, trade, politics and diplomacy. Sustainability is a central theme of the association’s stated positioning. Its focus areas include women’s economic empowerment, green energy, food security, digitalization, sustainable supply chains, water and energy management, responsible corporate governance, education and vocational development. In 2014, its statutes were expanded to include corporate social responsibility as an ethical principle for its activities. The organization has stated that its work is informed by international responsible-business and sustainable-development frameworks, including the United Nations Global Compact and Principles for Responsible Investment. Notable projects include Ouissal, a German-Arab mentoring program for women entrepreneurs in Germany, Tunisia and Morocco; a German-Tunisian cooperation project on cross-sector digitalization; a Moroccan-German food and agribusiness training initiative in Ouezzane; and a Morocco-focused project designed to strengthen purchasing, supply-chain and export capabilities among partner associations. Through these projects, EMA presents itself as an intermediary linking companies, chambers of commerce, public institutions, training organizations and civil-society groups. The association has been led by a succession of presidents from business, public administration and politics. Former German Federal President Christian Wulff served as president from 2014 to 2017 and subsequently became an honorary president. He shares that honorary role with Prince Hassan bin Talal of Jordan. Heike Fölster became president in August 2021, while Clara Gruitrooy serves as secretary general. The organization’s public materials identify cooperation with German ministries, chambers, development organizations, embassies and private-sector networks. Its present scale, financial position and current membership beyond the figures reported in reference material are not independently established here.
History
EMA was established in 2008 in Germany as the Euro-Mediterranean Association for Cooperation and Development, with Dr. Abdelmajid Layadi identified as its founder. The original concept combined economic cooperation with broader political, cultural and academic exchange between Germany, Europe and countries surrounding the Mediterranean and in the Middle East. The association’s leadership changed several times during its first decade. Ralf Busch served as president from August 2008 to August 2009, followed by Horst H. Siedentopf from August 2009 to December 2012. Adelheid Sailer-Schuster held the presidency from January 2013 to August 2014. In 2014, the organization changed its name to the Euro-Mediterranean-Arab Association, signaling a more explicit focus on relations with Arab countries. That year its statutes were also expanded to incorporate corporate social responsibility. Christian Wulff, former president of Germany, led the association from August 2014 until August 2017. In August 2017 he became an honorary president, alongside Prince Hassan bin Talal of Jordan, who had held the honorary position since January 2012. Gabriele Groneberg served as president from August 2017 to August 2021, and Heike Fölster became president in August 2021. EMA developed a portfolio spanning commercial services, development cooperation and convening. For companies, it offered market-entry support, matchmaking, research, translation, tender information and intercultural preparation. For public and institutional partners, it used its network of ministries, chambers, diplomatic missions, companies and civil-society organizations to structure cooperation projects. Its public program included country and regional forums, business delegations, expert meetings and diplomatic events. The association’s project work increasingly emphasized sustainability and social inclusion. Ouissal connected women entrepreneurs from Germany, Tunisia and Morocco through mentoring. A partnership-based project launched in 2021 addressed digitalization among Tunisian companies and public administration, including training and gender considerations. In February 2022, EMA and partners inaugurated a three-year Moroccan-German agribusiness project centered on a food academy in Ouezzane. Another Morocco initiative focused on strengthening purchasing, automotive, export and logistics organizations so that small and medium-sized enterprises could improve international supply-chain capabilities. EMA has also supported knowledge exchange through country profiles and the periodical Mediterranes. Its stated themes include renewable and green energy, water management, food security, digital transformation, responsible supply chains, education, equality and sustainable economic development. The organization’s public description presents it as an independent association rather than a commercial consumer brand. Information about its current finances, staffing levels and operational scale is limited in the supplied sources.
- 2022
Moroccan food academy project inaugurated
[1]A three-year Moroccan-German agribusiness project was inaugurated in Ouezzane, including a food academy for training and skills development.
- 2021
Tunisian digitalization project launched
[1]EMA launched a partnership project addressing sustainable digitalization in Tunisian companies and public administration.
- 2021
Heike Fölster becomes president
[1]Heike Fölster assumed the presidency in August 2021.
- 2017
Wulff named honorary president
[1]Christian Wulff left the presidency in August 2017 and became an honorary president.
- 2014
Name change and CSR provision
[1]The association adopted the Euro-Mediterranean-Arab Association name and expanded its statutes to include corporate social responsibility.
- 2014
Christian Wulff becomes president
[1]Former German Federal President Christian Wulff became association president in August 2014.
- 2012
Prince Hassan bin Talal becomes honorary president
[1]Prince Hassan bin Talal of Jordan is identified as holding the honorary presidency from January 2012.
- 2008
Association founded
[1]The organization was founded in Germany as the Euro-Mediterranean Association for Cooperation and Development, with Dr. Abdelmajid Layadi identified as founder.
Products and positioning
An independent German cooperation platform connecting businesses, institutions and civil-society actors across Europe, the Mediterranean and Arab regions, with an emphasis on sustainable development, responsible business and intercultural understanding.
Business development service
Market-entry and B2B matchmaking
EMA helps members explore markets in the Mediterranean and Middle East by arranging introductions, bilateral meetings and matchmaking opportunities. The service is intended to support durable commercial partnerships rather than one-off contacts, and may connect companies with institutional, political and business stakeholders in target countries.
Training service
Intercultural training
Training seminars prepare professionals and executives for commercial engagement with Arab and Mediterranean partners. Topics include regional political and economic conditions, communication styles, negotiation practices and practical approaches to establishing business relationships.
Development cooperation
International cooperation projects
EMA uses its network of public, private and civil-society actors to help members develop and implement cooperation projects. The portfolio described in reference material includes women’s entrepreneurship, digitalization, agribusiness, vocational training and supply-chain development.
Research and information
Market studies and country profiles
The association prepares tailored market research and studies, including competitor and stakeholder analysis, sector developments and business opportunities. Its country profiles address political, economic and cultural conditions with particular relevance to small and medium-sized enterprises.
Language service
Translation and interpretation
EMA offers translation and interpreting in Arabic, German, English and French. The described service includes document translation, certified translations, interpreter support for dealings with authorities and review of existing translations.
Business information
Tender database
Members can access information on current economic tenders through a database that the association says is updated regularly.
Marketing campaigns
- 2022Moroccan-German agribusiness and food academy
Germany · Morocco
A three-year project inaugurated in February 2022 focused on Morocco’s agribusiness and food-processing sector. In Ouezzane, a food academy was created to train self-employed people, small-business managers and cooperatives, with an emphasis on employability and job creation in northern Morocco.
Outcome. The academy and training objective are documented; later impact data is not supplied.
- 2021German-Tunisian cooperation on cross-sector digitalization
Germany · Tunisia
EMA worked with Club DSI Tunisie and VOICE e.V. within the PartnerAfrika framework to support sustainable digitalization in Tunisian companies and public administration. The project addressed cooperation between businesses and training institutions, sustainable financing and gender inclusion.
Outcome. The reference material identifies the project’s goals but does not report quantified results.
- Ouissal
Germany · Tunisia · Morocco
Ouissal is a German-Arab mentoring initiative for women entrepreneurs. Developed at the request of Germany’s Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth and supported by German foreign and development policy institutions, it seeks to strengthen women’s economic and social participation through cross-border mentoring and exchange.
Outcome. The supplied material describes the program’s empowerment objective but does not provide independently verified outcome figures.
- Morocco purchasing and supply-chain management project
Germany · Morocco
This initiative supports Moroccan partner associations working in purchasing, automotive production and exports. It is designed to transfer knowledge about German buyer, supply-chain and logistics structures and to improve Moroccan SMEs’ international orientation and cross-border competitiveness.
Outcome. The material describes the intended institutional and SME benefits but gives no measured outcomes.
Brand decisions
2014
Adopted the Euro-Mediterranean-Arab Association nameStrategyBackground
The original organization had been founded in 2008 under the Euro-Mediterranean Association for Cooperation and Development name.
Action taken
The association changed its name to the Euro-Mediterranean-Arab Association, broadening the public framing of its regional mission.
Aftermath
It continued operating as a German association focused on cooperation between Europe and Arab and Mediterranean countries.
2014
Added corporate social responsibility to its statutesStrategyBackground
EMA presents economic cooperation as part of a wider sustainable-development and responsible-business agenda.
Action taken
The statutes were expanded to make corporate social responsibility an ethical reference point for the association’s activities.
Aftermath
The organization linked its projects to responsible investment, sustainable development and international corporate-responsibility principles.
Sources2 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/euro-mediterranean-association-for-cooperation-and-development · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled