UfM Ministerial on Employment and Labour

17-18 May 2022, Marrakech – The Ministers of the Member States from the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) will gather in Marrakech for the 5th UfM Ministerial on Employment and Labour, hosted by Morocco. The Ministerial meeting will be preceded by a Ministerial policy conference on employment and employability of the most vulnerable, especially among youth and women. 

The Ministerial meeting will be hosted by the Ministry of economic inclusion, small enterprises, employment and skills of the Kingdom of Morocco and co-chaired by the European Commission in charge of Jobs and Social Rights, and the Ministry of Labour of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, in the presence of Secretariat of the Union for the Mediterranean. 

18 May – 09:30 – 18:30 (UTC +1/Morocco time) : UfM Ministerial Meeting on Employment and Labour 

Ministers and Member States representatives will discuss pressing labour market challenges in the Euro-Mediterranean region, in particular the way forward to ensure an inclusive, green, digital and sustainable recovery for the most vulnerable groups, especially youth and women.  

The 4th UfM Ministerial Meeting on Employment and Labour took place in Cascais, Portugal, on 2-3 April 2019, under the title “Jobs, skills and opportunities for all”. 

12h45: Press Conference on the UfM Ministerial and Press Conference on the Team Europe Initiative.

Ask for the virtual link to connect at : media@ufmsecretariat.org

17 May – 08.30 – 18.45 (UTC +1/Morocco time) : Policy Conference: “Employment and employability of the most vulnerable, especially among youth and women”  

The Euro-Mediterranean region has one of the youngest populations in the world, with one in every three people being younger than 25 years old. While, women have been severely hit by lockdowns and business closures, while at the same time continuing to carry out unpaid care work.   

The conference will provide the opportunity to present the ambition behind the UfM Youth Strategy, to have a focus on the regional strategy on women employability, as well as throw light on UNIDO actions undertaken in Morocco to support the economic empowerment of women. The debate will be further enriched by the testimonials of women beneficiaries of UNIDO and UfM initiatives in Morocco and good practice example of projects implemented in Morocco under the Grant Scheme. 

Tentative Agenda (UTC +1/Morocco time) 

• 9.30 Opening and Keynote Address 
• 11.15 Session 1: An Inclusive Recovery – Building back better 
• 14.00 Women and Employment by the UfM Secretariat and UNIDO 
• 15.00 Session 2: A Green and digital Recovery – Skills and Innovation 
• 16.30 Session 3: A Sustainable Recovery – Creation of more decent jobs 
• 18.15 Concluding remarks 

Media contact 

Media are invited to attend the event. Interviews during and after the event with key speakers, experts and decision-makers are possible. If you need additional information, please contact the UfM Secretariat upstream: media@ufmsecretariat.org