Working visit of Mr Harlem Désir, the French Secretary of State for European Affairs, to the UfM
Barcelona, 28 April 2015. Mr Harlem Désir, the French Secretary of State for European Affairs at the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development, made a working visit to the headquarters of the UfM to discuss the challenges in the Mediterranean and the importance of supporting the regional cooperation efforts to confront these challenges.
Talks between the Secretary of State, the Secretary General of the UfM, Fathallah Sijilmassi, and the Deputy Secretaries General of the UfM focused on the major regional challenges to be tackled, the Euro-Mediterranean cooperation and the activity of the UfM within the framework of the European Neighbourhood Policy review. The review of the 20th anniversary of the Barcelona Process and of the preparation of the Climate Change Conference (COP21) in Paris were also discussed.
Mr Harlem Désir, the French Secretary of State, and Mr Fathallah Sijilmassi, the Secretary General of the UfM, spoke of the importance of prioritising a global and balanced approach for both the security and societal challenges and the socio-economic and sustainable development challenges in the Mediterranean. They discussed the need to give these various matters a more structured scope within the Euro-Mediterranean agenda. They also mentioned the window of opportunity, particularly in terms of economy, to develop in the Mediterranean.
