4-6 November 2024, Tirana (Albania) – The Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) co-organized the Conference on Creative Economy in Tirana, Albania, from November 4-6, 2024, in partnership with Albania’s Ministry of Economy, Culture and Innovation, the Municipality of Tirana, and the Young Professionals Network of Albania. This event served as a prelude to Alexandria and Tirana becoming the first Mediterranean Capitals of Culture and Dialogue in 2025. The conference was inaugurated on November 5 by Lira Pipa, Albania’s Deputy Minister of Economy, Culture and Innovation. She highlighted ongoing efforts in Tirana to promote culture, tourism, and Albanian values and announced… read more
The 2024 UfM Trade and Investment Forum is the Forum’s 6th edition in six successive years, attesting to the emphasis the UfM places on facilitating trade and promoting investment to foster economic development and integration in the region. The Forum brought together over 100 experts and stakeholders to discuss the current realities, opportunities and challenges pertaining to green transition and sustainable trade, investment and supply chains. 7 November 2024, Rabat – This year’s edition of the annual UfM Trade and Investment Forum, co-organised with the German Development Cooperation and hosted by Morocco, focused on addressing the regional cooperation and adaptation needs… read more
26 September 2024, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina – The Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), in partnership with the German Development Cooperation and the European Commission, hosted the second edition of the Future of Work Workshop in Sarajevo. The event brought together over 70 participants, including youth, policymakers, and private sector representatives from 22 UfM Member States. Edin Forto, Bosnia’s Minister of Communications, opened the event, expressing hopes for deeper collaboration with the UfM. Discussions focused on future workforce opportunities and challenges, particularly in green and digital transitions. The European Training Foundation shared insights on global labour market trends and future… read more
18 September 2024, Helsinki, Finland. The Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), in collaboration with the European Commission and key regional partners, successfully concluded the Mediterranean Youth Forum: Building Inclusive Entrepreneurial Ecosystems. Held from September 16-18, 2024, in Helsinki, the forum brought together over 140 participants, including young entrepreneurs, policymakers, and private sector representatives from across the Mediterranean region. This three-day event emphasized the importance of engaging youth in driving social innovation, digitalization, and sustainable economic recovery. The forum builds upon the UfM’s commitment, as outlined in the Marrakech Ministerial Declaration, to leverage youth potential for inclusive growth, innovation, and green recovery…. read more
9-10 July 2024, Cairo, Egypt – The Secretariat of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), with the support of the German Development Cooperation and Climate & Company, organised the UfM Workshop on Sustainable Supply Chains on 9-10 July 2024. The event, also supported by the Egyptian Commercial Service (ECS), aimed to present and discuss the latest initiatives highlighting the importance of supply chain considerations in defining sustainable economic activities and underscoring the need for enhanced value chain reporting. The workshop emphasised the necessity of collaboration between Mediterranean partner countries and the European Union (EU) to meet its environmental targets and… read more
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
