Collaboration for Inclusive Progress: UfM, CAWTAR, AECID, GWP-Med, and Prima Lead Online Event on Gender Dynamics in the Mediterranean Driving Empowerment: Business-Centric Strategies for Gender Equality in the WEFE Nexus Insights from the Mediterranean: Key Priorities for Advancing Gender Equality and Resource Management May 13, 2024. Barcelona, Spain – The Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), in partnership with the Center for Arab Women for Training and Research (CAWTAR), the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), Global Water Partnership-Mediterranean (GWP-Med), and Prima, co-hosted a key online event to explore “Gender Dynamics and the WEFE Nexus” across the Mediterranean. The Water,… read more
Nouakchott, 9-10 May 2024. The fourth and last “UfM Workshop on Urban Heritage and Traditional Building Skills in the Southern Mediterranean Region” gathered experts from the region to explore innovative solutions rooted in traditional construction methods in Nouakchott, Mauritania on 9 and 10 May 2024. This is part of an approach dedicated to enhancing the resilience of local heritage and fostering discussions on sustainable building practices in the face of climate challenges. Organised in collaboration with UNESCO Regional Office for Maghreb Countries and the Mauritanian Ministries of Housing and Urban Planning and of Culture, with the financial support of the… read more
17-18 April 2024, New York, USA – The Secretary General of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), Nasser Kamel, took part in a discussion in the UN Security Council on April 17 on the role of young people in countering Mediterranean security challenges. He was invited to participate by Malta, which holds the rotating presidency of the chamber during the month of April. The Mediterranean is home to various challenges, mirroring those experienced globally, including political instability, socio-economic inequality, and transnational threats. As traditional responses fall short, a holistic approach is essential, with youth engagement being central particularly in peace… read more
16-18 April 2024, Timimoun and Adrar, Algeria – Over the course of three days, the “UfM Workshop on Urban Heritage and Traditional Building Skills” convened national and international experts to explore innovative solutions using traditional construction methods, with a focus on local materials and vernacular techniques. This initiative aims to bolster the resilience of local heritage and discuss sustainable approaches to rebuilding, adapted to climate challenges. Organised in collaboration with UNESCO Regional Office for Maghreb Countries and the Ministry of Culture and Arts of Algeria, with financial support from the German Development Cooperation, the workshop is part of a series… read more
16-18 April 2024, Brussels – The Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) and the European Commission announced the launch of the Euro-Mediterranean Hub for Research and Innovation (R&I) during a series of R&I events held within the framework of UNIMED Week in Brussels. This groundbreaking initiative aims to serve as a pivotal platform for learning and collaboration, fostering Mediterranean cooperation while advancing the UfM Regional Policy Dialogue on R&I. The Hub will play a crucial role in facilitating the implementation of R&I roadmaps focusing on critical areas such as health, renewable energies, and climate change. The newly inaugurated portal, accessible at… 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
The Union for the Mediterranean hosted a meeting of Euro-Mediterranean development agencies in Barcelona to encourage deeper cooperation with the goal of maximising outcomes and amplifying impact on the ground. Some 30 representatives from agencies from 15 UfM Member States discussed common priorities in the Mediterranean region as well as how to join forces to further benefit the region’s citizens. Participants visited a ‘Second Chance’ school for the socio-professional integration of young people who are not in education, employment, or training (NEETs). Part of the UfM-labelled Mediterranean New Chance project, this network helps advance the organisation’s objectives of stability, inclusive… read more
The Mediterranean region, a critical climate change hotspot that is warming at a rate 20% faster than the global average, is home to over 180 million people who are considered water poor and an additional 60 million who face water stress. The Union for the Mediterranean, in line with the 2024 World Water Day theme of leveraging water for peace, highlights the need to step up collaborative responses to the water scarcity crisis, an issue that is compounded by climate change as well as factors including overtourism, increased population growth or rapid urbanisation. The UfM continues to work towards advancing… read more
13 March 2024, Paris – The Mediterranean is more than ever at the heart of the political agenda. Indeed, with the escalation of the conflict between Israel and Palestine and the rising tensions in the region, it becomes ever more challenging to continue efforts to strengthen Euro-Mediterranean cooperation and its sole multilateral framework: the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM). In that context, the UfM Secretariat joined forces with the Paris School of International Affairs of Sciences Po, leading university ranking amongst the top 3 institutions globally for “politics and international studies” since 2019, and the French Ministry of Europe and… 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
