The Southern Mediterranean, as a neighbouring region for the European Union has received a special interest in the EU policies towards external countries, and this special interest has been appearing in the EU assistance given for the economic development of the region. The raising social tensions in the Mediterranean countries and the growing migratory pressure in recent years, however, have increased the challenges connected to the region, and thus the importance of a broader and more complex development support as well. The European Investment Bank (EIB), as the European Union’s development bank carries out an ever-growing development lending activity in the Mediterranean. In our study we analyse the role of the EIB in this financing, and argue that to be able to fulfil the expectations concerning the future role of the institution in development assistance, the EIB has to improve its financial assistance practices.
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