VIENNA, September 21, 2020 – The Principality of Monaco has recently signed its first funding agreement with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the two parties have agreed a tripartite declaration together with the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) on empowering women in Tunisia through inclusive and sustainable industrial development. At a meeting today LI Yong, Director General of UNIDO, and Isabelle Rosabrunetto, Director General of the Department of External Relations and Cooperation of the Principality of Monaco, confirmed the strong willingness of the partners to collaborate further in this field. Li recalled that “the empowerment of women is a… read more
15 July 2020. The coronavirus has challenged the core of what makes cities vibrant and successful: busy streets full of people. Will these cities ever come back to be the same? The webinar on Euro-Mediterranean cities in the post-pandemic era, organised by the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) in cooperation with the UNESCO World Heritage Centre reflected on sustainable urban development in the Mediterranean region after COVID-19, climate change, cultural heritage, and on the approach of the 2011 UNESCO Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape. The event was opened by the UfM Secretary-General, Nasser Kamel, chaired by the Deputy Director of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, Dr Jyoti Hosagrahar, and structured around a conversation with Prof. Richard Sennett, Senior Fellow at the Centre on Capitalism and Society at… read more
The Diplomatic Academy in Vienna gave the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) the opportunity to share its vision of how the region must look in the future as the UfM Secretary General, Nasser Kamel, participated in discussions that explored what a post-pandemic world might look like. Vienna, 1 July 2020. The conference ‘From Victory Day to Corona Disarray: 75 years of Europe’s Collective Security and Human Rights System’ was co-organised by the International Institute for Middle East and Balkan Studies (IFIMES) and the EU media platform Modern Diplomacy to underline how the post-COVID 19 world is a near yet unchartered future… read more
The social economy is an enterprise model based on participatory management, the primacy of people over capital, and where profits are reinvested. It is a key player in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and in reducing inequalities in the Euro-Mediterranean region The social economy currently consists a total of 3.2 million enterprises and 15 million jobs in the EU and eight southern Mediterranean countries The Union for the Mediterranean, the European Commission and national governments came together to promote and develop the social economy sector in the Mediterranean, in dialogue with key organisations and stakeholders Barcelona, 26 June 2020. The… read more
The Spanish Secretary of State for International Cooperation, Ángeles Moreno Bau, and the Secretary General of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), Nasser Kamel, met today to discuss the progress of the Desalination Facility for the Gaza Strip project, with the Palestinian Minister of Water, Mazen Ghunaim, in a virtual meeting. During the meeting, Spain unveils 1 Million euros of financing for the construction of a Desalination Facility for the Gaza Strip The desalination plant will supply drinking water to 2 million Palestinian inhabitants, thereby ensuring a sustainable solution for the chronic and longstanding water shortage and humanitarian crisis in… read more
The Member States of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) held a virtual meeting to exchange on the upcoming activities of the organization, especially within the current context, and in the framework of the 25th anniversary of the Barcelona Process. The UfM Senior Officials endorsed a regional initiative to accelerate innovative sustainable urban development projects, thereby contributing to a post pandemic recovery which is also respectful of the environment. Barcelona, 18 June 2020. The Member States of the UfM met virtually today at the level of Senior Officials from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs. They endorsed a new regional initiative to support sustainable… read more
Research and innovation (R&I) are key priorities for the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), contributing to enhance regional cooperation and dialogue in order to promote human development, regional stability and integration in the Mediterranean. The 25th meeting of the UfM Regional Platform on Research and Innovation took place online to further discuss the region’s future priorities for research and innovation in times of COVID-19 8 June 2020, Barcelona. The 25th meeting of the Union for the Mediterranean Regional Platform on Research and Innovation took place to discuss the region’s future priorities for research and innovation, in particular the needs in a… read more
Around 80 percent of global trade is transported by commercial shipping and intra-Mediterranean maritime trade flows account for nearly 25% of global traffic volume. The maritime industry is playing an essential role in the short-term emergency response to the COVID-19, by facilitating transport of vital commodities and products. Despite the current difficult times, a vast majority of ports have succeeded to stay open to cargo operations. However, most of them still remain closed to passenger traffic. Mid and long-term recovery will need to further enhance sustainability and resilience of the maritime transport sector as a whole, for sustaining jobs, international… read more
32 Mediterranean species are already known to be globally extinct, or extinct in the wild. Mega fires caused by climate change have destroyed record areas of forest in recent years and damaged biodiversity. Areas susceptible to fires could increase by up to 40% with just a 1.5°C increase in temperature. The Union for the Mediterranean promotes and supports studies and projects in the region to halt biodiversity losses and achieve sustainable and inclusive growth for the post coronavirus recovery. https://ufmsecretariat.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/biodiversity-02.mp4 21 May 2020. The Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) joins the celebration of the International Day for Biological Diversity as an excellent opportunity to increase awareness on biodiversity issues in the… read more
The Union for the Mediterranean launches a new initiative with the support of the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), for universities, research centres and policymakers to share best practices and boost career opportunities in the Mediterranean region. The new initiative seeks to improve the nexus between research, innovation and employability as key tools for relaunching sustainable and resilient economies in the aftermath of the COVID-19 crisis.. 5 and 19 May 2020. Despite young people in the Southern Mediterranean being the most educated generation ever, graduates in the region still experience the highest level of unemployment, at 25% according to the United Nations Development Programme. To help galvanise innovation in the region, the… read more
