UfM Secretary General Nasser Kamel was invited by the OSCE Slovak presidency and Spain to be a special speaker in the opening session of the 2018 OSCE Mediterranean Conference in Malaga, addressing the importance of energy for economic growth and co-operation in the Mediterranean UfM and OSCE Secretariats signed a Memorandum of Understanding to deepen cooperation between the two institutions and serve as framework of ongoing joint-projects Malaga, 25 and 26 October 2018. The Union for the Mediterranean had an active participation in the OSCE 2018 Mediterranean Conference, held over two days in the Spanish city of Malaga. In a conference dedicated to “The importance of Energy for economic… read more
The Secretariat of UfM hosted the BLUEMED Week on 23–25 October, during which national delegates, the European Commission and stakeholders met to advance an integrated Mediterranean research agenda on Blue Economy The BLUEMED Initiative seeks to contribute to the creation of new ‘blue’ jobs, social well-being and a sustainable growth in the marine and maritime sectors Barcelona, 23-25 October 2018. The Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) hosted the BLUEMED Week at its premises in Barcelona on 23-25 October, a three-day event aiming at promoting the blue economy through cooperation in the Mediterranean Sea . The BLUEMED Week hosted the Second Meeting of the… read more
22 October 2018, Barcelona. The African Union (AU) Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy, Dr Amani Abou-Zeid, paid a courtesy call on UfM Secretary General Nasser Kamel on 22 October 2018 in Barcelona. This was the first ever contact at this level between the UfM Secretariat and the AU Commission. Secretary-General Kamel and Commissioner Abou-Zeid discussed the respective roles of the two organizations and the mutually reinforcing objectives in North Africa, especially in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the 2030 Agenda to achieve integration and inclusive and sustainable growth. They also acknowledged the positive role of the European Union as… read more
Within the framework of the Third UfM Regional Forum which marked the 10th Anniversary of the Paris Declaration that gave birth to the Union for the Mediterranean, the UfM Secretariat celebrated the first Stakeholders’ Dialogue for its flagship initiative Med4Jobs on 8 October 2018 with the aim of taking stock of the progress achieved and the lessons learned…. read more
The Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), in partnership with the Portuguese Republic, organised the fourth edition of the regional conference on women’s empowerment in the Euro-Mediterranean region. In the presence of the President of Malta, Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca, more than 300 participants including ministers, international experts and prominent actors of civil society and the private sector attended the conference, which coincided with the tenth anniversary of the UfM. Participants discussed recent achievements, the most pressing challenges ahead, and how the UfM is working to address them…. read more
The third edition of the UfM Regional Forum brought together the Foreign Affairs Ministers from UfM Member States to reaffirm their political commitment to increasing cooperation and integration in the region. Commemorating the 10th anniversary of the organisation, UfM countries took stock of the progress achieved to date, and discussed the way forward to build inclusive human and sustainable development. They confirmed the strategic link between Europe and the Mediterranean as a firm basis for progress in achieving the goals and objectives of the UfM. Barcelona, 8 October 2018– The third Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) Regional Forum was held in… read more
Op-ed: “New era in the Euro-Mediterranean Cooperation” By the UfM Co-Presidents, Federica Mogherini and Ayman Safadi and UfM Secretary General, Nasser Kamel. Op-ed published in El Mundo (Spain), Libération (France), Al Rai (Jordan), Jordan Times (Jordan), Al Hayat (Panarab), L’Economiste (Morocco), Achourouq (Tunisia), Al Masry al Youm (Egypt), Daily Star (Lebanon), La Stampa (Italy), Wattan (Palestine) and AlKalima (Lebanon) Published on the occasion of the UfM Regional Forum, 8 October 2018 Ten years ago, the leaders of the coastal states of the Mediterranean and the European Union met in Paris to take the next step in regional cooperation, building on the… read more
New York, 22 September 2018. The Secretary General of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), Nasser Kamel, participated in the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA73), between the 22/27 September 2018, to highlight the importance of the Euro-Mediterranean region to the development of 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the role of the UfM in its regional promotion and implementation. The UfM promoted a positive agenda for the Mediterranean. Under the leadership of its Co-Presidency, held by the EU and Jordan, with the active involvement of its 43 Member States, the UfM builds on the huge potential of the region. On the course of the… read more
Access to affordable and sustainable housing is a global challenge growing fast in the Euro-Mediterranean region. Housing is at the core of the New Urban Agenda and is closely linked to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as well as to human rights issues, with adequate housing being recognized as part of the right to an adequate standard of living in international instruments. The building stock represents the single largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, with households accounting for 19% of total worldwide energy consumption. When managed effectively, the housing sector can be an important source of social development, economic growth… read more
Vienna, 20 September 2018. In the framework of the 10-year anniversary of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), its Senior Officials endorsed today three new regional projects on deforestation, preventing violent extremism and smart cities. The UfM will join forces for these projects with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the British Council and the Euromed Cities Network, respectively. The meeting of the Senior Officials of the 43 UfM Member countries took place in Vienna ahead of the annual meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs, the UfM Regional Forum, which will be held in Barcelona on 8… read more
