UfM Member States and Social Partners convened in Rome to discuss the state-of-play of implementation of the 2022 Marrakech Declaration and prepare for the coming UfM Ministerial taking place in 2025. Several Member States presented best practices and undergoing initiatives aimed at creating more jobs, better job matching, youth employability and women economic empowerment. Rome, 13-14 November 2024. The 17th meeting of the UfM Regional Platform on Employment and Labour was held in Rome, Italy over two successive days. The discussion focused on the implementation of the UfM Roadmap 2022-2025 implementing the Declaration of the 5th UfM Ministerial on Employment and Labour (Marrakech, 2022), and priority areas to… read more
4-6 November 2024, Tirana (Albania) – The Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) co-organized the Conference on Creative Economy in Tirana, Albania, from November 4-6, 2024, in partnership with Albania’s Ministry of Economy, Culture and Innovation, the Municipality of Tirana, and the Young Professionals Network of Albania. This event served as a prelude to Alexandria and Tirana becoming the first Mediterranean Capitals of Culture and Dialogue in 2025. The conference was inaugurated on November 5 by Lira Pipa, Albania’s Deputy Minister of Economy, Culture and Innovation. She highlighted ongoing efforts in Tirana to promote culture, tourism, and Albanian values and announced… read more
Rimini, Italy, 8 November 2024 – Yesterday, Mediterranean innovators Hasan Jaafar, Guadaluna Chaer, and Marilu Suc were awarded the CIHEAM Youth Innovation Award for their groundbreaking projects in sustainable and innovative agriculture. Hasan Jaafar secured first place for his project YY ReGen-R8, which focuses on renewable energy solutions, sustainable agriculture models, and water management. Guadaluna Chaer, recognized as Mediterranean Day hero for combating environmental degradation, earned second place for her AI-driven, chemical-free weed control system, LUXEED Robotics. Marilu Suc placed third with her initiative, the Network of Women in Aquaculture (NOWA), dedicated to promoting gender equality and inclusivity in the… read more
The 2024 UfM Trade and Investment Forum is the Forum’s 6th edition in six successive years, attesting to the emphasis the UfM places on facilitating trade and promoting investment to foster economic development and integration in the region. The Forum brought together over 100 experts and stakeholders to discuss the current realities, opportunities and challenges pertaining to green transition and sustainable trade, investment and supply chains. 7 November 2024, Rabat – This year’s edition of the annual UfM Trade and Investment Forum, co-organised with the German Development Cooperation and hosted by Morocco, focused on addressing the regional cooperation and adaptation needs… read more
Amman, 05 November 2024. In a celebration of innovation and social impact, Aïda Kandil, CEO and co-founder of myTindy, and the Casablanca Chamber of Crafts (CCC) have shared the 2024 ARLEM Award for ‘Young Local Entrepreneur in the Mediterranean’. MyTindy, an ethical online marketplace, works with over 2000 Moroccan artisans by providing them access to global markets through AI-powered e-commerce solutions. The CCC co-won the award for their support of the project. The announcement came during the 15th Euro-Mediterranean Regional and Local Assembly (ARLEM) Plenary session held in Amman, joined by the UfM Secretary General Nasser Kamel. The award in… read more
2 October 2024, Faro. UfM countries, Observers, and Experts gathered together in Faro (Portugal) in order to continue to set the path towards the implementation of the 2021 UfM Ministerial Declaration on SBE / its related Roadmap, with a focus on: i) reporting by the countries; ii) joint follow-up to the 2nd UfM Stakeholder Conference on SBE held in Athens on 19-20 February 2024; iii) consolidation of partnerships in the framework of the Roadmap, including ongoing synergies with the WestMED Initiative, associating also the UfM’s work on maritime transport; and iv) medium-to-longer term planning. In the framework of the ongoing… read more
Representatives from the 43 Member States of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) took part in their 9th Regional Forum to discuss the critical situation in the Middle East and the organisation’s reform. The event was chaired by Josep Borrell, the High Representative of Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the European Commission, and Ayman Safadi, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of Jordan. It was hosted by José Manuel Albares, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation of Spain in the presence of Nasser Kamel, the Secretary General of… read more
25 September 2024, Rome – After Barcelona and Tangiers, the third edition of the Mediterranean Student Summit, launched by UNIMED – Mediterranean Universities Union and the ESN – Erasmus Student Network, took place in Palermo, September 26 – 28. The Summit is organised under the patronage and financial support of the Union for the Mediterranean. Hosted by the University of Palermo, almost 30 students gathered to carry out the debates foreseen in this Summit edition. The event saw the participation of students coming from the Mediterranean Region and Ghana, the latter representing the All-Africa Students Union – AASU, the largest… read more
15 October, 2024, Cairo. The 5th Annual Conference on Water Finance and Investment, co-organised by the Union for the Mediterranean, the European Union, and the African Development Bank, took place on October 14 and 15 in the Egyptian capital within the framework of the 9th Africa Water Week. Attracting some 100 policymakers and private and public stakeholders, the event served as a platform to discuss Euro-Mediterranean and African water finance and investment policies, particularly those relating to crucial water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services. While central to public health and sustainable development, 20 million people still do not have reliable… read more
3 October 2024, Cairo, Egypt – Officials from the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), European Commission, and the League of Arab States (LAS) met yesterday in Cairo to advance the role of science in foreign affairs under the High-level Meeting on Science Diplomacy. In a region facing increasing cross-border challenges such as climate change, food and water security, and energy resources, science and innovation could play a significant role in bringing regional actors together. Participants discussed approaches to strengthen research infrastructures, mobility and training, and science advice for foreign policy. Held at the LAS Secretariat, the meeting was attended by… read more
