Barcelona, 30 September 2021. The UfM joins the international community’s efforts to spotlight seafarers’ crucial role in the global trade and economy, as Seafarers: at the core of shipping’s future has been selected as the World Maritime Day 2021’s theme for 2021, celebrated at the initiative of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) on 30 September 2021 Their exceptional contribution, also while facing unprecedented hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic, ensures the functioning of supply chains and the transport of vital commodities and products. Indeed, keeping supply chains open at all times, ensuring a continuous flow of maritime trade, while safeguarding health, safety and… read more
20-22 September 2021, New York. UfM Secretary General Nasser Kamel attended the 76th Session of the United Nations General Assembly where he showcased the work of the Union for the Mediterranean and strengthened its partnerships with key UN institutions and agencies, such as the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Alliance of Civilisations (UNAOC). Together with Assistant Secretary-General and Director for the Regional Bureau for Arab States of the UNDP Khalida Bouzar, Secretary General Kamel presented the main findings and recommendations of the UfM Regional Integration Report. They further agreed on renewing the Memorandum of Understanding between… read more
The UfM Regional Platform on Industrial Cooperation convened on 20th September 2021, bringing together, in addition to the EU and Jordanian UfM Co-presidencies as well as the UfM Secretariat, representatives of Embassies, SBA coordinators and Senior Officials in charge of industrial cooperation from the UfM Member States. In their opening remarks, Ms Outi SLOTBOOM, Director for Strategy and conomic Analysis, DG GROW, and Mr Zaher AL-QATARNEH, Deputy Secretary General for Technical Affairs and Director for the Foreign Trade Policy, Ministry of Industry, Trade and Supply, of Jordan, highlighted the negative effects of the pandemic crisis on the economic level, thus… read more
22 September 2021 – In the framework of the Union for Mediterranean (UfM) initiative aimed at evaluating progress made in gender equality in the region, the UfM Regional Dialogue on Women Empowerment, it was decided to establish a follow-up mechanism backed up with indicators to monitor and measure progress and provide policy recommendations to close the gender gap. These findings will be included in the 2nd UfM Regional Progress Report on gender equality which provides statistical data, data analysis and policy recommendations for the 2022 UfM Ministerial Declaration. In order to prepare for this Report, a first Ad-Hoc Working Group was… read more
17 September 2021, Barcelona. UfM Secretary General, Nasser Kamel and Spanish Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation José Manuel Albares Bueno met today in the headquarters of the UfM in Barcelona. In their first meeting, they discussed cooperation in the Mediterranean, as well as the preparations of the next UfM Regional Forum, that will gather the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the UfM Member States in Barcelona by the end of this year. The Regional Forum 2021 in Barcelona will provide the opportunity to take stock and analyse the future prospects for cooperation in the Euro-Mediterranean region and will take place in the framework of the first Day of the Mediterranean…. read more
The 2021 Creative Forum, hosted by the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the EU and organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Slovenia, in collaboration with the UfM, took place from 12th until 15th of September in Ljubljana. Under the slogan Future Unlocked, the event gathered creative entrepreneurs and policymakers of the Euro-Mediterranean region to highlight the unique contribution of cultural and creative sectors to peace and stability. Ljubljana, 12-15 September 2021. The third edition of Creative Forum, which constitutes a unique High-level event fully dedicated to the promotion of Creative economy in the Mediterranean region, took place… read more
IUCN World Conservation Congress, organised by the International Union for Conservation of Nature has been held from 3rd until 10th of September in Marseille. The UfM Secretary General, Nasser Kamel, participated in the launch of the Action Plan for an Exemplary Mediterranean Sea. Marseille, 10 September 2021. UfM Secretary General, Nasser Kamel intervened at the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Marseille, that was organised by the IUCN from 3rd until 10th of September. The Congress provided an opportunity for the Mediterranean conservation community to address the challenges of the region on biodiversity, nature-based recovery and climate change. France took this… read more
1 and 13 September 2021 – When academia, industry and policy makers work together, universities can become powerful engines for knowledge, employment and innovation. The benefit of such partnerships has long been obvious for academia: external research funding, significant inputs to keep curricula updated, the possibility of generating solutions for pressing global challenges and legitimacy – especially as academia is experiencing mounting societal pressure to contribute to economic growth. Today, new types of industry-university partnerships have emerged going far beyond the traditional research partnerships. This course will look at strategic partnerships through the lens of the “Triple Helix” framework, examining the… read more
30 July 2021, Rome. UfM Secretary General Nasser Kamel addressed the Ministers of Culture of the Group of 20 (G20) today at the G20 Culture Summit in Rome, Italy. This meeting paved the way for a new G20 Ministerial Declaration on Culture to which the UfM contributed. Speaking at the panel “Addressing the Climate Crisis through Culture”, focusing on cultural heritage, creativity and indigenous people’s knowledge on climate action, mitigation and adaptation, Secretary General Kamel highlighted the Mediterranean experience of human adaptability to climate and sustainable usage of natural resources, while preserving biodiversity. He also stressed the need to raise… read more
28 July 2021, Rome. UfM Secretary General Nasser Kamel intervened today at the United Nations Food Systems Pre-Summit, held on26-28 July at the Headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in Rome, Italy. Under the leadership of UN Secretary-General António Guterres and in partnership with Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, this hybrid event aimed to set the scene for the Food Systems Summit in September. During the Pre-Summit, Secretary General Kamel spoke on the panel “Steering the Food System Summit Towards Full Integration of Blue Foods for Health, Wealth and Ecological Recovery”, co-organized by the FAO Secretariat, the… read more
