Nairobi (Kenya), 10 May 2017. UfM Deputy Secretary General Ihab Fahmy addressed the Governing Council of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) on the occasion of its 26th session held at the United Nations Offices in Nairobi, Kenya on 8 -12 May 2017. This Governing Council (GC26), which takes place a few months after the Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development (Habitat III) in Quito, Ecuador in October 2016, was centred on ´Opportunities for the effective implementation of the adopted New Urban Agenda´. The meeting addressed pressing issues such as inclusive, sustainable and adequate housing for a better… read more
•Research Ministers from the UfM Member States gathered today in Malta in order to strengthen Euro-Mediterranean regional cooperation through research and innovation. •The priority topics addressed were research and innovation’s role in addressing the root causes of migration and promoting ‘blue’ jobs and growth in the Mediterranean as well as the Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area – PRIMA…. read more
• The 4th AECHE Conference aims to strengthen a process of dialogue and cooperation between universities in European, Mediterranean and Gulf countries, supported by the Union for the Mediterranean Secretariat. • The 150 participants from the political and academic worlds, the research community and civil society of the Mediterranean region highlighted the crucial role that research and innovation plays in resolving social issues in the fields of water, energy and food security…. read more
•Ministers in charge of water from the UfM Member States recalled that the Mediterranean region is particularly vulnerable to water scarcity and that climate change exacerbates the pressure on existing water resources in the region. •They agreed to develop a Union for the Mediterranean Water Agenda to help UfM Member States implement sustainable and integrated water management policies and contribute to a sustainable livelihood for the region’s citizens, recalling the importance of the Paris agreement and reaffirming their commitment to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable development. •Ministers also called for an improvement of access to finance in order to face… read more
On 10 April, 2017, the Heads of State or Government of Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Portugal and Spain convened in Madrid at the 3rd Summit of Southern European Union Countries, where they reaffirmed their support to the Union for the Mediterranean and stressed its “central role in the consolidation of Euro-Mediterranean regional cooperation, as an expression of co-ownership in the management of our common regional agenda in order to effectively and collectively address our current challenges”. The Madrid Declaration, adopted at the end of the Summit, also refers to the review of the European Neighbourhood Policy highlighting “the EU’s… read more
• The 2017 EMUNI Annual Conference, held in Piran on 5-6 April, brought together policy makers, academics, business sector representatives and young leaders from the Euro-Mediterranean region. • Participants highlighted the crucial role of higher education institutions in forging responsible and committed citizens while fostering youth employability and developing entrepreneurship skills…. read more
About 50 participants from employment and labour ministries and agencies in UfM countries, as well as representatives from European and international organisations discuss follow-up actions to implement the UfM Ministerial Declaration on Employment and Labour and share best practices addressing employment challenges in the region…. read more
•The 1st edition of the UfM Youth Model stimulation programme was launched under the title “DIA/Med – Les Dialogues pour la Méditerranée de Barcelone”. More than 50 young participants from 12 nationalities presented their own projects and initiatives to enhance regional integration in the Mediterranean. •UfM experts had briefed the students on Euro-Mediterranean relations and regional cooperation initiatives through several thematic workshops since January 2017 and interacted with them during the final simumation day organised at the premises of the UfM Secretariat. •This UfM Youth Model stimulation programme aims to benefit a larger number of institutions across the Merditerranean region… read more
•The European Investment Bank grants €70 million loan to the EuroMed University of Fes, a flagship project of the Union for the Mediterranean to contribute towards regional integration and stability through the promotion of international mobility, intercultural dialogue and cooperation in the fields of higher education, research and innovation •The loan represents a substantial contribution for the construction of the University’s eco-campus which will have the capacity to host over 6,000 students coming from all the Euro-Mediterranean countries. It is expected that around 80% of the students will benefit from international mobility experiences with double diplomas…. read more
•Ministers from the 5+5 Dialogue countries adopted a new set of concrete actions for 2017-2018 at the 3rd Ministerial Conference of the 5+5 Dialogue on the promotion of research, innovation and higher education . Priority topics range from the consolidation of networks and mobility to promotion of entrepreneurship and access to infrastructures. •Synergies with UfM initiatives and projects such as the Mediterranean Initiative for Jobs (Med4Jobs), the EuroMed University of Fes, and the EMUNI University will be encouraged. •Italy will host in 2019 the fourth Meeting of Ministers in charge of research, innovation and higher education of the 5+5 Dialogue…. read more
