Within the framework of the 2024 Summer School for Young Diplomats held in Montenegro, the UfM Secretariat hosted a Workshop on Economic Diplomacy bringing together high-profile keynote speakers. The Summer School saw a record participation with young diplomats from 46 countries from the UfM Region and beyond. 23-28 June 2024, Kolaši and Podgorica (Montenegro). Building on the first edition of the UfM Seminar: Economic Diplomacy as a lever for regional integration in the Euro-Mediterranean which was co-organised with the Policy Centre for the New South (PCNS) (Rabat, 20-21 July 2023), the UfM Secretariat is organizing a workshop titled “Advancing Common… read more
25 June 2024, Online – The Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) Regional Platform on Industrial Cooperation convened online on 25 June 2024. The meeting was co-chaired by the European Union (EU) and Jordanian UfM Co-presidencies and hosted by the UfM Secretariat. It brought together senior officials from the UfM Member States responsible for industrial cooperation, Small Business Act (SBA) coordinators, and representatives from embassies and international organisations. The session was officially opened by Ms Outi Slotboom, Director for Strategy and Economic Analysis at the Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (DG GROW); Ms Wafa Jiries,… read more
15 May 2024, Barcelona, Spain. – The 7th meeting of the Union for the Mediterranean’s Regional Platform on Trade and Investment was held at its headquarters in Barcelona. The event gathered senior trade officials from across the region along with various international organisations involved in European Union-funded cooperation projects. The meeting was inaugurated with speeches from Ms. Mercedes Bonet, Deputy Head of Unit at the European Commission, and Ms. Wafa Jiris, Director at the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Supply of Jordan, who co-chaired the session. Mr. Abdelkader El Khissassi, Deputy Secretary General of the Union for the Mediterranean, also… read more
15 May 2024, Berlin, Germany – As the partnership between the UfM Secretariat and the German Development Cooperation enters its 6th year, the UfM Secretary General Nasser Kamel embarked on a working visit to Berlin, Germany, where he held meetings with Mr. Carsten Schmitz-Hoffmann, Director General for Europe, Mediterranean and Central Asia at the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ). UfM Secretary General Kamel praised the modality of GIZ’s engagement as a team fully integrated into the UfM Secretariat, setting an example that has been attracting other donors and development cooperation agencies. In reply, Mr. Schmitz-Hoffman highlighted the important role… read more
12-14 May 2024. Madrid, Spain. The UfM Secretariat, with the support of the German Development Cooperation and in collaboration with Climate & Company, a leading Sustainable Finance Think Tank in Germany, organised a Workshop on Sustainable Investment in Madrid from May 12 to 14, 2024. The event provided a unique platform for prominent experts and stakeholders from the region to present and discuss policy measures and mechanisms aimed at enhancing investment sustainability. Key focus areas included green taxonomies and ESG disclosure regulations, and their implications for UfM countries. Abdelkader El Khissassi, UfM Deputy Secretary General, inaugurated the Workshop, highlighting its… read more
Ahead of the 2025 UfM Ministerial on Employment and Labour, representatives of the UfM Member States and Social Partners convened in Zagreb to discuss the state-of-play of implementation of the 2022 Marrakech Declaration and to exchange best practices on Youth Employment and Women Economic Empowerment. The UfM Region faces several employment-related challenges in the aftermath of major socio-economic and geopolitical disruptions, but there are many reasons for optimism in a region where numerous best practices and success stories from both shores can be showcased, scaled up, and replicated. Zagreb, 16-17 April 2024. Within the framework of the UfM Roadmap 2022-2025… read more
In collaboration with the German Development Cooperation and with the support of the European Union, the UfM Secretariat convened the 7th Meeting of the UfM Community of Practice (CoP) on Youth Employment in the Southern Mediterranean. The UfM Secretariat actively promotes decent work opportunities and career guidance initiatives for young people in the Southern Mediterranean region. This focus recognizes youth employment as a crucial driver of sustainable human development and inclusive economic growth. Barcelona, 5-6 March 2024. The UfM Secretariat, together with the German Development Cooperation and with the support of the European Union, organised the 7th Meeting of the… read more
13-14 February 2024, Split, Croatia. – The UfM co-organised with the Croatian National Bank, the Banco de España, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the European Institute of the Mediterranean (IEMed), the 8th Annual Conference of Mediterranean Central Banks, which took place in Split, Croatia, on 13 and 14 February. This conference served as a pivotal platform for the exchange of invaluable insights, the sharing of expertise, and the cultivation of cooperation among Central Bank Governors and other experts from the Mediterranean region. Nasser Kamel, Secretary General of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) delivered introductory remarks alongside Boris… read more
5 to 7 December 2023, Sweden – The Union for the Mediterranean organised a study visit for public and private sector professionals from the Southern Mediterranean region to Swedish companies. This was carried out with the support of German Development Cooperation and in partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sweden and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency. Participants from Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco and Tunisia were able to immerse themselves in the country’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, learn best practices and network. Meetings were held with a wide range of Swedish stakeholders who highlighted their experience with trade and… read more
The UfM Conference on Digital Transformation took place on December 18, 2023 in Tangier, focusing on the development of digital ecosystems across the region and their potential to accelerate the green transition. The Union for the Mediterranean has been actively engaged in promoting digital connectivity, skills, and innovation in Member States, especially since the first UfM Conference on Digital Transformation in Tallinn in 2019. 18 December 2023, Tangier – The Union for the Mediterranean partnered with the German Development Cooperation and the AfricaMed Business Forum to hold the UfM Conference on Digital Transformation, which focused on the role of digital transformation in… read more
