News

Rome, 1 December 2016. Gathered today in Rome for a meeting hosted by Italy’s Foreign Affairs Minister Paolo Gentiloni and Economic Development Minister Carlo Calenda, the ministers in charge of energy from the 43 members of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) agreed to step up regional cooperation on energy in order to deliver a secure, affordable and sustainable energy supply, a major factor for stability and shared prosperity in the Mediterranean region. At the meeting, co-chaired by the European Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy, Miguel Arias Cañete, and the Jordanian Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Ibrahim Saif,… read more

• The UfM Secretary General, Fathallah Sijilmassi, participated in the seminar ‘Climate change agreements between Paris and Marrakech: ratifying and implementing’ jointly organised by the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, and Environmental Affairs and the Gas Natural Fenosa Foundation in Madrid. • Participants discussed the state of global action against climate change in the scientific, political, economic, territorial and technological fields, following the UN’s recent Climate Change Conference, COP22, in Marrakech. • The Secretariat of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) actively participated in this year’s COP22, designated as the ‘COP of Action’, by launching two major regional… read more

UfMS hosts the Deauville Partnership Senior Officials Meeting under the Japanese G7 Presidency which highlights the importance of promoting synergies between the UfM and Deauville Partnership frameworks. Barcelona, 22 November 2016. As an observer to the Deauville Process, the Union for the Mediterranean today hosted the second Deauville Partnership Senior Officials meeting, organised under the 2016 Japanese Presidency of the G7. With participation from both governance and finance tracks as well as the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, the main focus of the meeting was to discuss the progress made on economic governance strategic support for SMEs and future… read more

• EU Commissioner Arias Cañete, President of the Energy Commission of the Parliamentary Assembly of UfM Samir Mourad, President of the Scientific Committee of COP22 Nizar Baraka, UfM Secretary General Fathallah Sijilmassi and other officials, experts and stakeholders discuss opportunities that the transition towards low carbon and climate-resilient development could bring for peace and stability in the Mediterranean region. • The publication “Key players’ perspective on Climate Change in the Mediterranean” will be presented. Marrakech, 17 November 2016. Today at COP22 in Marrakech, high-level personalities including the EU Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy, Miguel Arias Cañete, President of the… read more

Marrakech, 14 November 2016. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) launched a joint programme today aimed at the development of private renewable energy markets in Egypt, Jordan, Morocco and Tunisia. The SEMED Private Renewable Energy Framework (SPREF), a €227.5 million financing framework, was presented during the EU Energy Day at the COP22 international climate conference in Marrakesh. The programme will help the region reduce its heavy dependence on imports of hydrocarbons. It aims to mobilise additional investment from other parties, including the Climate Investment Funds’ Clean Technology Fund (CTF) and the… read more

• The Secretariat of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) is actively participating in this year’s COP22, designated as the “COP of Action”, to launch specific regional initiatives and projects aimed at helping achieve the Paris Agreement targets in the Euro-Mediterranean region. • The Union for the Mediterranean and the European Commission will launch the UfM Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Platform (REEE) to promote progressive deployment of renewable energy and energy efficiency measures in order to foster socio-economic development in the Euro-Mediterranean region. • The Union for the Mediterranean together with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)… read more

Youssef Chahed, Head of Government of Tunisia, Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, and Fathallah Sijilmassi, Secretary General of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), gathered today in Bizerte to launch the “Integrated Programme for the Protection of Lake Bizerte against Pollution”, labelled by the 43 UfM Member States…. read more

• The Secretary General of the Union for the Mediterranean, Fathallah Sijilmassi, participated at the 13th Meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the 5+5 Dialogue, hosted by France in Marseille on 28 October. • Ministers discussed current pressing regional challenges and socio-economic cooperation, focusing on youth and employment. • The final declaration highlights the importance of UfM projects and activities and its role in facilitating the concertation and complementarity between the different Euro-Mediterranean cooperation frameworks and initiatives…. read more

• A UfMS delegation shared its views on the main regional challenges affecting the Euro-Mediterranean region and presented UfM action on job creation, highlighting the 3rd UfM Ministerial Conference on Labour and Employment and the integrated employability program Med4Jobs. • ‎The Summit, inaugurated by Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, brought together 120 participants from a range of economic and social councils and similar institutions from UfM Member States…. read more

• Mayors of Barcelona and Tetouan, Co-President of ARLEM, and UfM Secretary General presided over 25th Anniversary of Euro-Mediterranean municipal network MedCities, and discuss urban development regional co-operation with mayors and other stakeholders from the region. • Participants agreed on the need for an enhanced common urban development agenda for the Mediterranean, developing synergies and closer cooperation amongst the different integration initiatives in the region, especially in light of UN Habitat III New Urban Agenda and the upcoming COP22 in Marrakech and UfM Ministerial on Sustainable Urban Development in Cairo…. read more