News

Ministers from the 42 Member countries of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) gathered today in Cairo at the 2nd UfM Ministerial Conference on Environment and Climate action under the Co-Presidency of Jordan and the European Union. They agreed on a common agenda to strengthen efforts in the Euro-Mediterranean region to urgently tackle the multiple climate and environmental challenges it faces. This commitment reflects the highest possible ambition in accelerating transition towards sustainable, climate-neutral and green economies. Cairo, 4 October 2021. The Ministerial Conference was chaired by Frans Timmermans, European Commission Executive Vice-President for the European Green Deal, on behalf… read more

27 September 2021, Barcelona. UfM Secretary General Nasser Kamel met with Ms. Ada Colau, Mayor of Barcelona, city where the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership was launched back in 1995 and where the Secretariat of the Union for the Mediterranean is based. During their meeting, SG Kamel and Mayor Colau discussed the preparation of the Day of the Mediterranean and the celebration of its first edition this year in the city of Barcelona. In their first in-person meeting since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Secretary General further emphasized the central role Barcelona has played in Euro-Mediterranean relations since the launch of… read more

20-22 September 2021, New York. UfM Secretary General Nasser Kamel attended the 76th Session of the United Nations General Assembly where he showcased the work of the Union for the Mediterranean and strengthened its partnerships with key UN institutions and agencies, such as the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Alliance of Civilisations (UNAOC). Together with Assistant Secretary-General and Director for the Regional Bureau for Arab States of the UNDP Khalida Bouzar, Secretary General Kamel presented the main findings and recommendations of the UfM Regional Integration Report. They further agreed on renewing the Memorandum of Understanding between… read more

17 September 2021, Barcelona. UfM Secretary General, Nasser Kamel and Spanish Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation José Manuel Albares Bueno met today in the headquarters of the UfM in Barcelona. In their first meeting, they discussed cooperation in the Mediterranean, as well as the preparations of the next UfM Regional Forum, that will gather the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the UfM Member States in Barcelona by the end of this year. The Regional Forum 2021 in Barcelona will provide the opportunity to take stock and analyse the future prospects for cooperation in the Euro-Mediterranean region and will take place in the framework of the first Day of the Mediterranean…. read more

  The 2021 Creative Forum, hosted by the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the EU and organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Slovenia, in collaboration with the UfM, took place from 12th until 15th of September in Ljubljana. Under the slogan Future Unlocked, the event gathered creative entrepreneurs and policymakers of the Euro-Mediterranean region to highlight the unique contribution of cultural and creative sectors to peace and stability.  Ljubljana, 12-15 September 2021. The third edition of Creative Forum, which constitutes a unique High-level event fully dedicated to the promotion of Creative economy in the Mediterranean region, took place… read more

  IUCN World Conservation Congress, organised by the International Union for Conservation of Nature has been held from 3rd until 10th of September in Marseille. The UfM Secretary General, Nasser Kamel, participated in the launch of the Action Plan for an Exemplary Mediterranean Sea. Marseille, 10 September 2021. UfM Secretary General, Nasser Kamel intervened at the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Marseille, that was organised by the IUCN from 3rd until 10th of September. The Congress provided an opportunity for the Mediterranean conservation community to address the challenges of the region on biodiversity, nature-based recovery and climate change. France took this… read more

30 July 2021, Rome. UfM Secretary General Nasser Kamel addressed the Ministers of Culture of the Group of 20 (G20) today at the G20 Culture Summit in Rome, Italy. This meeting paved the way for a new G20 Ministerial Declaration on Culture to which the UfM contributed. Speaking at the panel “Addressing the Climate Crisis through Culture”, focusing on cultural heritage, creativity and indigenous people’s knowledge on climate action, mitigation and adaptation, Secretary General Kamel highlighted the Mediterranean experience of human adaptability to climate and sustainable usage of natural resources, while preserving biodiversity. He also stressed the need to raise… read more

  28 July 2021, Rome. UfM Secretary General Nasser Kamel intervened today at the United Nations Food Systems Pre-Summit, held on26-28 July at the Headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in Rome, Italy. Under the leadership of UN Secretary-General António Guterres and in partnership with Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, this hybrid event aimed to set the scene for the Food Systems Summit in September. During the Pre-Summit, Secretary General Kamel spoke on the panel “Steering the Food System Summit Towards Full Integration of Blue Foods for Health, Wealth and Ecological Recovery”, co-organized by the FAO Secretariat, the… read more

28 July 2021, Rome. UfM Secretary General Nasser Kamel and Italian Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Marina Sereni met in Rome today to discuss Italy’s ongoing collaboration in Euro-Mediterranean cooperation and development. The meeting, which focused on the strategic importance of the Mediterranean for the future of Europe, highlighted Italy’s work not only within its mandate as a UfM member but also in the implementation of the EU New Agenda for the Mediterranean, its Economic and Investment Plan, and the external dimension of the EU Green Deal. Topics such as Blue Economy, the UfM’s upcoming Environment and… read more

16 July 2021, Barcelona. UfM Secretary General Nasser Kamel and European Investment Bank (EIB) Vice-President Ricardo Mourinho Félix met virtually to discuss the UfM-EIB strategic partnership for the development of the Mediterranean area. The EIB is a very active partner in the region, contributing with advice and financing to significant investment programs. The meeting, which touched upon strengthening resilience and building prosperity in the region through digital and green transitions, focused on promoting climate resilience, and energy and environmental sustainability. The Secretary General and Vice-President Mourinho Félix discussed environmental and climate action, as well as the topics of Blue Economy investment… read more