Actualités

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

· 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

The ever-growing tourism sector is facing a current decline of 60%, a number which could potentially increase to 80% if recovery is delayed until December 2020, according to the OECD. The worst affected countries during the COVID-19 crisis have been those positioned on both shores of the Mediterranean Sea, accounting for a third of the income of international tourism. 2 October 2020. Tourism being one of the sectors most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic is more than ever required to adapt to the new normality. Which solutions is the sector offering to ensure a safe and accessible tourism for all… Lire la suite

Le 30 septembre 2020 – Le Comité économique et social européen (CESE) et l’Union pour la Méditerranée (UpM) ont signé le 30 septembre un nouveau protocole d’accord dans lequel ils réaffirment leur ambition commune de soutenir les réformes politiques en cours dans les pays du sud et de l’est de la Méditerranée. Contribuer conjointement à la création d’une situation de paix, de stabilité, de démocratie et de prospérité en Méditerranée est de la plus haute importance pour les deux institutions. Avec la signature de ce nouveau protocole d’accord, le CESE et l’UpM réaffirment leur volonté de travailler ensemble dans les… Lire la suite