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
The UfM Secretariat co-organised two activities in Turin, the Workshop on Platform Economy together with the German Development Cooperation and the European Training Foundation as well as the 6th Meeting of the UfM Community of Practice on Youth Employment in the Southern Mediterranean. The Euro-Mediterranean Region has enormous human capital, yet the proportion of young people who are not in education, employment, or training (NEETs) remains structurally high, especially in Southern Europe and the MENA region. Digitalisation and connectivity remain both skewed and insufficient in the Southern Mediterranean. 12-14 December 2023, Turin – The Union of the Mediterranean partnered with the German… read more
The 2023 UfM Trade and Investment Forum is the Forum’s 5th edition in five 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 comes at a time when global economic, political and humanitarian disruptions are posing serious challenges that call for a regionally coordinated response that is innovative, sustainable and inclusive. 4 December 2023, Brussels – This year’s edition of the UfM Trade and Investment Forum, co-organised with the German Development Cooperation and made possible by the UfM Regional Platform on Trade and… read more
The second meeting of the UfM Regional Platform on Employment and Labour for 2023 was held over two days in Berlin with the participation of multiple stakeholders and interlocutors from the region. Perspectives from UfM Member States, regional organisations and projects and Social Partners were shared with the participants towards identifying best practices and building meaningful complementarities. Berlin, 30 November – 1 December 2023. As part of the Roadmap 2022-2025 for the Implementation of the 5th UfM Ministerial Declaration on Employment and Labour of 18 May 2022, the UfM focal points convened at the German capital over two days for… read more
