11-12 December 2024, Cairo, Egypt – The Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) Secretariat, supported by German Development Cooperation, successfully concluded the UfM Seminar on Refugee Entrepreneurship: Addressing Economic Recovery Amidst Conflict on 11-12 December 2024 in Cairo. The seminar convened a diverse group of regional stakeholders to explore the pivotal role of refugee entrepreneurship in stimulating economic growth in both host nations and countries of origin. Discussions centred on effective strategies to empower and support refugee entrepreneurs. In his opening remarks, Said Charna, Senior Economic Advisor at the UfM Secretariat, emphasised the significance of the seminar’s theme and the necessity… read more
The 10th meeting of the UfM Community of Practice on Youth Employment saw the last brushstrokes on a charter that presents a comprehensive framework meant to guide youth employment initiatives in the Southern Mediterranean. Since its first edition in 2018, the UfM Stakeholders Dialogue has become a regular gathering of multiple stakeholders from both shores of the UfM region to discuss best practices and success stories in the fields of job creation, skill development, matching and startup support. Aswan, 15-17 December 2024. The UfM, together with the German Development Cooperation, organized the fourth edition of the UfM Med4Jobs Stakeholders Dialogue… read more
28 November 2024, Brussels, Belgium – The 8th meeting of the Union for the Mediterranean’s (UfM) Regional Platform on Trade and Investment took place on 28 November 2024 at the European Commission’s premises. The event brought together senior trade officials from across the region, along with various experts from the European Commission. The meeting opened with speeches by Ms. Mercedes Bonet, Deputy Head of Unit for Southern Neighbours, Middle East, Turkey, Russia, and Central Asia in the Directorate-General for Trade at the European Commission, and Ms. Wafa Jiris, Director at the Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Supply of Jordan, who… read more
The UfM Secretariat joined hands for the first time with the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development to tackle key issues related to international investment policymaking tools and challenges. The online workshop is the first step of a structured engagement with UNCTAD that will see further collaboration between both entities going forward. While Investment is critical for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the 2030 Agenda, the global policy landscape is still largely dominated by old-generation international investment agreements (IIAs) that do not mitigate today’s challenges in areas such as economic stability, environment, and lack sustainable investment facilitation… read more
UfM Member States and Social Partners convened in Rome to discuss the state-of-play of implementation of the 2022 Marrakech Declaration and prepare for the coming UfM Ministerial taking place in 2025. Several Member States presented best practices and undergoing initiatives aimed at creating more jobs, better job matching, youth employability and women economic empowerment. Rome, 13-14 November 2024. The 17th meeting of the UfM Regional Platform on Employment and Labour was held in Rome, Italy over two successive days. The discussion focused on the implementation of the UfM Roadmap 2022-2025 implementing the Declaration of the 5th UfM Ministerial on Employment and Labour (Marrakech, 2022), and priority areas to… read more
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
