The fifth edition of the UfM Regional Forum commemorated the launch of the Barcelona Process in 1995 as Foreign Affairs Ministers from UfM Member States gathered virtually today. UfM Member States declared 28 November as the ‘International Day of the Mediterranean’, to be observed from now on each year with a view to fostering a common Mediterranean identity while promoting intercultural exchanges and embracing the diversity of the region. UfM Ministers took stock of the progress achieved to date and discussed the way forward to build inclusive and resilient societies, especially taking into account the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic and its… read more
Barcelona, 25 November 2020. According to recent data (UN Women, 2020), 243 Million women and girls aged 15-49 have been subjected to sexual and/or physical violence worldwide by an intimate partner in the previous 12 months. Rooted in structural gender inequalities, violence against women and girls (VAWG) is a violation of human rights and a form of gender-based discrimination. Estimates of the scale of the problem are alarming. Such violence has a major and long-lasting impact on victims and imposes a significant cost burden on society. On top of that, VAWG tends to increase during every type of emergency, including… read more
Barcelona, 19 November 2020 – The UfM Secretariat organised today a Webinar on how the challenges posed by the acceleration of digital transformation in higher education due to the covid-19 pandemic can be transformed into opportunities for the improvement of the quality and inclusiveness of teaching. Eight speakers, representing the diversity of stakeholders concerned by the undergoing changes – students, teachers, higher education leaders and policymakers – shared their experiences and their point of view on how the current situation might have an impact in the long run: Kostis Giannidis, President of Erasmus Student Network; Veronica Mobilio, Policy Officer at… read more
Photo: 4th Regional Forum (2019) Barcelona, 19 November 2020 – On the occasion of a phone call, Nasser Kamel, UfM Secretary General, and Sabri Boukadoum, Algerian Minister of Foreign Affairs, had an exchange on the state of preparation for the Fifth UfM Regional Forum and the celebration of the 25th Anniversary of the Barcelona Process, to be commemorated on 25-27 November 2020. The state of play of the cooperation between Algeria and the UfM Secretariat as well as the prospects of its reinforcement were also discussed by both sides. In this framework, Nasser Kamel stressed the pivotal role of Algeria in… read more
Over 700 experts, policymakers and representatives from the private sector, the civil society and international organizations are gathering virtually this week to discuss the state of gender equality in the Mediterranean region in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. The 5th UfM Women4Mediterranean Conference kicked-off yesterday with the launch of the first-ever Intergovernmental Monitoring Mechanism on Gender Equality in a meeting of the UfM Member States. This new reporting exercise will allow to measure and report the progress made on women’s rights and provide policy recommendations to close the gender gap in the region. Barcelona, 17 November, 2020. The UfM Secretariat… read more
Over 300 experts, policymakers and representatives from the private sector, the civil society and international organizations today gathered online at the “UfM Trade and Investment Forum” to discuss trade, investment and employment opportunities in the Mediterranean region in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Forum was preceded by a Ministerial Meeting of the UfM Trade Ministers on 10 November. See Joint Ministerial Statement. Germany announced its support to finance the creation of a UfM Hub for Jobs, Trade and Investment Promotion in order to promote trade opportunities and contribute to facilitate access to finance, mobilize investments and strengthen regional value… read more
The 42 member countries of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) convened today by videoconference for the 11th Trade Ministerial Conference to launch three new trade and investment initiatives. They also called for the strengthening of trade ties in the Euro-Mediterranean area as a crucial element for the regional economic recovery. 10 November 2020. The UfM Trade Ministerial Conference stressed the importance of ensuring that Mediterranean partners can take full advantage of opening markets. The newly launched trade and investment initiatives supported by the EU and implemented by partner organisations – the International Trade Centre, the International Labour Organization and… read more
• The UfM Secretary General and Spanish Vice-President and Minister for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge meet to reinforce cooperation for sustainability in the occasion of the 25th Anniversary of the Barcelona Process, taking place this year. • During the meeting, they underlined the urgent need to address the impact of climate change in the Mediterranean, where the temperature is already warming up 20% faster than the global average 6 November 2020, Madrid. UfM Secretary General, Nasser Kamel and Spanish Vice-President and Minister for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, Teresa Ribera, met today in Madrid to strengthen cooperation for sustainability in the Mediterranean region. This visit contributes to the current reinforced relations between the Spanish authorities and the UfM, in the occasion of the 25th Anniversary of the Barcelona Process, taking place this year. During the meeting, UfM SG… read more
5 November 2020. In the framework of the 25 year anniversary of Barcelona Process, the Senior Officials of the UfM Member States met to endorse two new projects and to discuss preparations of the 5th UfM Regional Forum, which will be held at the end of the month. The meeting took place virtually and provided the occasion to join forces with the World Health Organisation to improve countries capacities in preventing and responding to violence against women as a key public health issue. They also endorsed a new climate-related project on the conservation of coastal wetlands in the Mediterranean basin. Senior officials also discussed preparations for the fifth edition of the UM Regional Forum. The event will be co-chaired by Josep Borrell, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and… read more
This year’s edition of the Med4Jobs Stakeholders Dialogue, which is held biannually, focused on the Post-Pandemic labour landscape, with an emphasis on lessons learned, best practices and ideas for the creation of more resilient labour markets. Med4Jobs is the UfM flagship initiative for job creation and SME support, with 13 labelled projects of regional outreach and concrete range of activities. Barcelona, 29 October 2020. The UfM organized today the second edition of the UfM Med4Jobs Stakeholders Dialogue in an online format, with the aim of discussing the impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the employment landscape in the region, the… read more
