More than 7000 participants gathered at the third Edition of the World Youth Forum in Egypt, where the President of Egypt, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, attended the closing session and commended youth on their crucial role in shaping the future of the region. In a unique partnership, the World Youth Forum hosted the first-ever Model Union for the Mediterranean, where 90 young delegates drafted ministerial declarations to address pressing issues such as youth unemployment and the impact of climate change and called for a stronger regional cooperation. The UfM collaborated with the World Youth Forum and interacted with key actors promoting… read more
The UfM support the Ministerial mandate on research and innovation by facilitating exchanges between researchers and experts on possible interlinkages between climate and environmental change, and the root causes of migration. According to a preliminary report by the MedECC group, the Mediterranean region is warming 20% faster than the global average, with sea level rises that may exceed 1 metre by 2100, impacting one third of the region’s population. 17 December 2019. Barcelona. On the occasion of the launch of the new EuroMedMig Working Paper Series, the Secretariat of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) is hosting an expert exchange… read more
The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the UfM Secretariat have renewed their cooperation by signing a €600.000 annual financial agreement to foster job creation and employability of women and youth in North Africa. Barcelona, December 2019. Following the implementation of the previous agreement (2014 – 2018), which was supporting UfM labelled projects and specific activities addressing women empowerment in the region, a new agreement has been designed in close coordination with the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, devoted to channel the necessary financial resources to UfM labelled projects fostering job creation and employability of women and youth in North… read more
The Mediterranean region is warming 20% faster than the global average, according to the first-ever scientific report on the impact of climate change in the Mediterranean, presented at the COP25 The UfM Secretary General called for evidence-based climate policies in order for the Mediterranean region to effectively address pressing environmental challenges. The UfM signed partnership agreements with the World Meteorological Organisation and the Copenhagen Centre on Energy Efficiency. It also presented major regional initiatives on climate action together with the Republic of Cyprus, the European Commission and UNDP. Madrid, 13 December 2019. The Mediterranean region has already reached the temperature rise… read more
13 December, Madrid – The UfM and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) organized a side-event at the UN Conference COP25 focusing on identifying mitigation and adaptation actions in Southern and Eastern Mediterranean countries. The session also discussed how to achieve Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs’) implementation through supporting community-based mitigation, adaptation and cross-cutting actions. Quote by Cassie Flynn, Strategic Advisor on Climate Change at the Executive Office, UNDP: “transparency and inclusiveness are needed for robust and consistent NDCs”. This side-event also gave an opportunity to present and share experience about possible synergies amongst UfM member countries on how to mobilize… read more
13 December, Madrid. The UfM region is performing well in attracting international public climate finance. Southern and Eastern Mediterranean countries have attracted between 12% and 13% of the global international public climate finance commitments each year. However, despite this positive performance, the UfM region still has a margin of progress, as investments in adaptation are only representing approximatively one-third of mitigation commitments. The UfM presented the true-to-life steps to accomplish climate actions, from initiating policies to enhancing climate finance access and action implementation in the margins of the UN conference COP25 in Madrid. Quote by Mr. Mokhtar Hammami, Minister of… read more
Cyprus lies at the meeting point of the Mediterranean, the Middle East and North Africa, areas where climate change is expected to take a heavy toll in the coming decades 12 December 2019, Madrid. The Mediterranean region is getting warmer and drier at a faster rate than the global average. In the margins of the UN Conference COP25 in Madrid, the UfM co-organised a side-event with the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment of Cyprus to gather scientists and decisionmakers to evaluate the current state and risks related to climate and environmental change. Quote from Grammenos Mastrojeni, Deputy Secretary… read more
The Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) held the 1st Annual Conference on Water Investment and Financing in the framework of the MED – Mediterranean Dialogues, held in Rome on 5-6 December. With current policies, 250 million people are projected to be considered water-poor by 2025. Through its regional Water Agenda, the UfM seeks to support its Member States in achieving a sustainable and integrated water management while securing financial sustainability for the water sector. The UfM Secretary General today will brief the audience on the main recommendations as well as on the geopolitical implications of climate change. Rome, 6th December 2019. The UfM… read more
The UfM gathers young entrepreneurs who presented their projects and success stories in the tourism sector, even in rural areas. Barcelona, 4 December 2019. More than 30 participants, stakeholders, members of the academia and entrepreneurs from the tourism sector gathered at the Headquarters of the UfM to discuss the sector’s role as a catalyst for job creation on both shores of the Mediterranean, especially for youth and women. The workshop was a follow-up activity of the brainstorming meeting held on sustainable tourism in November 2018. Marisa Farrugia, UfM Deputy Secretary General for Social and Civil Affairs and responsible for the… read more
Nicosia, 2 December 2019. Upon the invitation of Nikos Christodoulides, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cyprus, UfM Secretary General, Nasser Kamel, paid his first official visit to Nicosia, in the framework of his outreach to the UfM member states. During their meeting, Secretary General Kamel expressed his appreciation to the Minister for the determination of his Government to continue to play an active and constructive role within the framework of the Union for the Mediterranean. On his side, Minister Christodoulides expressed the value and potential he sees in the very promising relationship between Cyprus and the UfM…. read more
