• The blue economy offers enormous potential for job creation and investment in the Mediterranean, thus contributing to human development, stability and regional integration. This untapped potential can only be exploited through the better coordination of maritime affairs among all Mediterranean countries. • The 1st UfM Working Group on the Blue Economy took place in Turku, Finland, with the aim of discussing the state of play of regional cooperation in the different areas relevant to the blue economy, fostering initiatives and projects and preparing for the launch of the UfM Forum on Blue Economy. The meeting was held just prior… read more
SwitchMed Connect opens ¨Call for contributions¨. You can now submit your ideas until the end of May 2016…. read more
• The southern shores of the Mediterranean are among the world’s most water-scarce, with over 150 million people affected. The UfM is implementing 15 projects specifically on Sustainable Development, representing close to €4 billion in investments for the region • The 1st Meeting of the Drafting Group of the UfM Expert Water Group has taken place in Athens to discuss ways to further cooperate through a common regional agenda…. read more
Better water, better jobs. Better water through enhanced cooperation and integration brings more human development and stability to the Mediterranean. The southern shores of the Mediterranean are among the world’s most water-scarce, with over 150 million people affected. The UfM is implementing 15 projects specifically on Sustainable Development, representing close to €4 billion in investments for the region…. read more
• The BlueGreen Med-CS project seeks to promote water and environment cooperation in civil society • The project is based on a capacity building programme that will enable more than 120 civil society organisations (CSOs) to acquire skills in various environmental areas. • With a starting budget of €3.3 million, it will be initially implemented in Albania, Algeria, Lebanon, Morocco and Tunisia during 2015-2017 in partnership with the Horizon 2020 Initiative and the United Nations Development Program…. read more
• On 15 February, the UfM Secretariat organised a meeting in Brussels with the participation of the Government representatives of Palestine, Israel and representatives of both the European Commission and the Office of the Quartet to advance on the implementation of the Desalination Facility project for the Gaza Strip, endorsed by the 43 Member States of the UfM. • The Israeli Delegation confirmed the Government’s political support to the project and its commitment to facilitate the construction of the facility. • The Palestinian Delegation emphasised its readiness to take all necessary measures for the project’s implementation. • The large-scale desalination… read more
• The UfM Secretariat organised a coordination meeting with the Government of Palestine, the European Commission and International Banks mainly in order to conclude the financial mechanism of the UfM-labeled project and to adopt a roadmap for 2016. • A High-level Donor Conference is foreseen to take place in June 2016…. read more
Relaunching a regular regional dialogue on water issues of common interest in the region and recalling the 2008 Ministerial Declaration, the UfM Secretariat convened the 5th UfM Water Expert Group (WEG) meeting…. read more
• Minister Al-Malki’s visit was an opportunity to exchange views with SG Sijilmassi on the active involvement of Palestine in UfM activities • Among the topics discussed, both parties analysed the next steps concerning the Desalination Facility for the Gaza Strip project. A meeting aimed at approving the financial mechanism of the project will be held in February 2016 in Barcelona, involving key International Financial Institutions…. read more
UfM welcomes the adoption of the Paris Agreement by all the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) as a major breakthrough in tackling climate change. The UfM Secretariat will continue working on a regional dimension, by ensuring operational support to all UfM Members in the implementation of their climate policies and the achievement of the common objectives. The next COP22 will be held in Marrakech in November 2016, taking stock of the progress achieved in the regional process…. read more