28 October 2020 – The UfM Regional Platform on Industrial Cooperation convened today in a virtual format, bringing together representatives of the UfM Secretariat, the European Commission, public authorities, business associations from Northern and Southern Mediterranean countries and international organisations. The meeting saw the presentation by the European Commission of a number of new EU policies, including the industrial policy, the green and the digital transition and the strategy for Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). It was also the occasion to take stock of the implementation of the 2018-2020 UfM Work Program on Industrial Cooperation, extended one more year with a… Lire la suite
Les États Membres de l’Union pour la Méditerranée (UpM) ont approuvé la mise en place d’un mécanisme intergouvernemental qui fournira des données scientifiques sur l’avancé de l’égalité des sexes, afin de développer des mesures et soutenir la mise en œuvre des Objectifs de Développement Durable dans l’objectif d’atteindre le plein potentiel des femmes dans la région euro-méditerranéenne. Le mécanisme de suivi, ainsi que les indicateurs et les outils qui s’y rapportent, seront présentés dans le cadre de la conférence régionale de l’UpM “Women4Mediterranean”, qui se déroulera du 16 au 20 novembre sous le titre « Accélérer l’égalité entre les femmes et… Lire la suite
21 October 2020. The UfM Secretary General, Nasser Kamel, virtually met with EU Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Olivér Várhelyi, and they emphasized the importance of the partnership between the UfM and the EU Commission in order to promote peace, stability and prosperity in the Mediterranean region. During the online meeting, Secretary General Kamel underlined that the UfM has been working in the last years on key priority areas shared with the EU, namely: climate action, digitalisation, job creation. The European Commission is “the main partner of the UfM Secretariat at financial, technical and political level” UfM Secretary General underscored,… Lire la suite
UfM Working Groups: Volunteers in Civil Protection and Engaging citizens in Disaster Risk Management
· The emergency situations the Euro-Mediterranean region faces are common and have cross-border implications, which require a joint effort and a common agenda on disaster risk management at regional and sub-regional levels. · Since the general public plays an important role in risk prevention and preparedness for emergencies, citizens can be the first responders to disasters. The involvement of citizens in disaster risk management is a key factor to save lives, particularly for vulnerable groups. · Investing in youth and trained volunteers as a driving force for community service are crucial elements to build solidarity and resilience among societies. Digital… Lire la suite
13 Octobre 2020. L’UNESCO a indiqué que 640 bâtiments historiques ont été endommagés par l’explosion. Une soixantaine d’entre eux risquent de s’effondrer. Outre les bâtiments patrimoniaux et l’architecture résidentielle historique, de nombreuses structures culturelles et éducatives, telles que les musées et les écoles, ont également besoin d’une restauration importante. L’UpM cherche à contribuer aux efforts visant à promouvoir la récupération et la reconstruction du patrimoine historique de Beyrouth. Lors d’une réunion de coordination le 13 octobre 2020, le secrétaire général de l’UpM, Nasser Kamel, a déclaré que le patrimoine historique de Beyrouth fait partie intégrante de l’identité et du patrimoine méditerranéen. Il… Lire la suite
With COVID-19 still spreading, and with regional inequalities rising, we have a responsibility to collaboratively tackle gender equality, economic empowerment and climate change. Evidence shows that in the pandemic, women’s livelihoods are more vulnerable to unemployment and economic instability. As we recover from this pandemic, we must leverage the opportunity to create new inclusive societies that ensure that young people and women can fulfil their potential as catalysts of change and contributors to the region’s economy as a whole. 8 October 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated existing inequalities. The impacts of crises are never gender neutral, and COVID-19… Lire la suite
7 October 2020, Barcelona. UfM Secretary General, Nasser Kamel, met with Peter Wells, Chief of the Section for Higher Education of UNESCO, and Josep M. Vilalta, Director of the Global University Network for Innovation (GUNi) and Executive Secretary of the Catalan Association of Public Universities (ACUP). The meeting was the occasion to strengthen the cooperation between UNESCO and the UfM in the field of higher education, opening pathways for future collaboration. The Secretary General emphasized that the UfM is a unique regional organization that gathers 42 Member States from the two shores of the Mediterranean that can give real and effective support to the… Lire la suite
8 october 2020. The 4th UfM Social Dialogue Forum, which has been held virtually, focused on current and future priorities and challenges for social dialogue in the UfM countries, in the presence of experts from the UfM Secretariat, the European Commission, the International Labour Organisation and other regional organisations. The Forum started with two parallel bilateral North-South sessions of the employers’ and workers’ organisations. During the two-day meeting, the 4th UfM Social Dialogue Forum gathered 117 participants who addressed the main key-issues of the Euro-Mediterranean Labour Market in times of Covid-19, the Role of Social Dialogue in addressing Migration and brain-drain… Lire la suite
The UfM Webinar on “Creative Economy and Heritage Industries in Turbulent Times” introduced the public to the concept of cultural and creative industries and supply chains, as well as the heritage values in the UfM Region and how they can contribute to the attainment of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The Webinar is part of a series of webinars targeting the general public with more focus on younger stakeholders, as part of the UfM Secretariat’s efforts to reach out to a broader audience during times of crisis. Barcelona, 8 October 2020. The fourth Webinar to be delivered by the UfM… Lire la suite
5-6 October 2020, Madrid. UfM Secretary General, Nasser Kamel and Spanish Foreign Minister Arancha González Laya met today in Madrid to discuss the preparations of the 5th UfM Regional Forum, that will gather the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the UfM Member States in Barcelona by the end of this year. Building on the success of the first four editions, the Forum will provide the opportunity to take stock and analyse the future prospects for cooperation in the Euro-Mediterranean region, exactly 25 years after the launch of the Barcelona Process, which paved the way for the creation of the Union for the Mediterranean in 2008. The Forum will be presided by the Co-Presidency of the Union for the Mediterranean, assumed by the High Representative of… Lire la suite