COP27 and Beyond

18-19 February 2023, Cairo – The UfM Secretary General received an invitation from the Chair of the Presidential Advisory Council for Economic Development and the Executive Director of ECES to speak at the “COP27 and Beyond” conference.

Participating in the panel discussion titled “Collaboration between the South and North of the Mediterranean: Challenges and Opportunities in 2023,” the Secretary General shared the platform with the Former Vice-Prime Minister of Egypt and the Chairman of the World Trading Company. During his intervention, he emphasised the significance of regional integration and near-shoring as drivers for fostering cooperation between the Mediterranean’s two shores. He presented key insights from the UfM Regional Integration Report and highlighted the UfMS’s initiatives over the past two years in response to the pandemic’s adverse impacts and the ongoing energy and food crises.

On the sidelines of the conference, the Secretary General engaged in several bilateral meetings. Initially, the Secretary General met with His Excellency Sameh Shoukry, the Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs. Their conversations primarily revolved around the UfM’s 15th anniversary and the 8th Regional Forum.

The Secretary General also exchanged views with the Egyptian Minister for Trade and Industry, Mr. Ahmed Samir. During this interaction, he expressed gratitude to the Minister for Egypt’s enduring support for the UfM’s trade and investment endeavours. The Secretary General presented information about a conference the UfM is collaborating on with the League of Arab States regarding the Food industry and the food crisis, slated to take place in the last quarter of 2023.

Lastly, he held discussions with Mrs. Loula Zaklama, President and Managing Director of a Research and Public Relations Company, focusing on the UfM’s Women Business Forum.