News

Barcelona, 18 December, 2013. UfM Secretary General Sijilmassi held talks with the EU Special Representative for the Sahel, Amb. Michel Reveyrand-de Menthon, at the headquarters of the Union for the Mediterranean, in Barcelona. Amb. Reveyrand-de Menthon is currently developing the EU’s contribution to regional and international efforts for lasting peace, security and development in the Sahel. He also coordinates the EU’s comprehensive approach to the regional crisis, on the basis of the EU Strategy for Security and Development in the Sahel. The current developments in the region and the opportunities to further strengthen regional integration in the Mediterranean were among… read more

“The promotion of renewable energies and of energy efficiency is vital insofar as this is a driving force and initiator of national industrial development and job creation in the Euro-Mediterranean region”. This was the key idea put forward by Fathallah Sijilmassi, Secretary-General of the Union for the Mediterranean, at the 13th FEMIP Conference focussing on energy efficiency. “The UfM Secretariat seeks to play its role by heightening regional efforts and promoting feasible projects in the field of energy efficiency. The positive support and commitment of governments, partners and all the parties involved will give a possitive message to the markets… read more

On the occasion of the 18th Ordinary Meeting of the Contracting Parties to the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment and the Coastal Region of Mediterranean and its Protocols, the UfM Secretariat, along with partners of the H2020 Steering Committee, briefed member states and stakeholders of the convention on the findings of a comprehensive study to protect the Mediterranean sea from pollution…. read more

Barcelona, 29 November, 2013. The Women's Rights Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union for the Mediterranean (PA-UfM) took place today at the premises of the Secretariat of the Union for the Mediterranean. The Committee was chaired by Samira Merai-Friaa, member of the National Constituent Assembly of Tunisia, and focused on two main topics: The situation of women in armed conflicts and Women and job creation. Delphine Borione, UfM Deputy Secretary General for Social and Civil Affairs, presented the main UfM priorities and projects on women empowerment in the region, highlighting the upcoming Union for the Mediterranean Conference on… read more

The Secretariat of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) is currently working on a new framework initiative to promote student mobility across the Mediterranean region, with a particular focus on South-South and North-South mobility. The new initiative will be presented to the UfM member states in 2014…. read more

The 5th Mediterranean Women Entrepreneurs Forum was held in the framework of the 7th Mediterranean Week of Economic Leaders, a major economic event in the Mediterranean region, focusing on the key aspects of the region’s socio-economic development…. read more

Warsaw, 22 November, 2013. A joint side event on ‘Stepping up climate action in the Mediterranean region – the role of the Union for the Mediterranean’ was co-organised by the Secretariat of the Union for the Mediterranean and the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Climate Action (DG CLIMA). The event took place on the sidelines of the 19th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UNFCC and 9th session of the Conference of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol, held from 11 to 22 November under the Polish presidency at the National Stadium in Warsaw, Poland. During the event, it was… read more

Berlin, 20 November, 2013. During an official visit to Berlin, UfM Secretary General Sijilmassi held talks with State Secretary of the Federal Foreign Office, Emily Haber, and other German authorities, who confirmed the political and operational support of Germany to the ongoing efforts carried out by the Secretariat of the Union for the Mediterranean to foster regional integration, strengthened development, stability and security in the Mediterranean region. The Union for the Mediterranean provides an adequate framework to that effect. During the visit, consultations were held with representatives of major German Foundations and Think Tanks, namely, Konrad-Adenauer-Foundation, Friedrich Ebert Foundation, ZMO,… read more

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates 18 – 19 November 2013. The UfM Secretary General, Fathallah Sijilmassi, participated over two days in the Global Meeting of Regional Organizations: Shaping Global and Regional Transformations, organized jointly by the World Economic Forum (WEF) and the Government of the United Arab Emirates in Abu Dhabi on 18-19 November. A number of leaders of regional organizations also attended the meeting. It focused on addressing priorities for collaboration at a time of unprecedented expansion of regionalism. The leaders of the organizations also shared best practices to overcome various challenges and driving economic and social inclusion. They discussed new models to accelerate global cooperation as an important… read more

The second UfM-EuroMed Social Dialogue Forum took place in Barcelona on 13 November. The event, organised by the European Commission, the Directorate General Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, was opened by Mr Fathallah Sijilmassi, Secretary-General of the Union for the Mediterranean, Mr Zoltan Kazatsay, Deputy Director-General of European Commission DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, and Mr Felip Puig i Godes, Catalan Counsellor for Enterprise and Labour. The Forum gathered high-level representatives of employers and trade unions from the UfM members. Given the economic and social challenges of the region, the main themes of the forum were capacity building for… read more