News

5 November 2020. In the framework of the 25 year anniversary of Barcelona Process, the Senior Officials of the UfM Member States met to endorse two new projects and to discuss preparations of the 5th UfM Regional Forum, which will be held at the end of the month.    The meeting took place virtually and provided the occasion to join forces with the World Health Organisation to improve countries capacities in preventing and responding to violence against women as a key public health issue. They also endorsed a new climate-related project on the conservation of coastal wetlands in the Mediterranean basin.    Senior officials also discussed preparations for the fifth edition of the UM Regional Forum. The event will be co-chaired by Josep Borrell, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and… read more

This year’s edition of the Med4Jobs Stakeholders Dialogue, which is held biannually, focused on the Post-Pandemic labour landscape, with an emphasis on lessons learned, best practices and ideas for the creation of more resilient labour markets. Med4Jobs is the UfM flagship initiative for job creation and SME support, with 13 labelled projects of regional outreach and concrete range of activities. Barcelona, 29 October 2020. The UfM organized today the second edition of the UfM Med4Jobs Stakeholders Dialogue in an online format, with the aim of discussing the impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the employment landscape in the region, the… read more

Barcelona, 28 October 2020. During today’s phone call with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Migration and Tunisian Abroad of the Republic of Tunisia, Othman Eljerandi, the UfM Secretary General Nasser Kamel congratulated Tunisia for the successful 16th Meeting of the Foreign Affairs Ministers of the Western Mediterranean (5+5 Dialogue), hosted virtually by Tunisia, and for the role played by Tunisian diplomacy during his actual mandate at the UN Security Council. UfM Secretary General Kamel stressed the importance of regional cooperation, dialogue and the implementation of projects in order to address the three objectives of the region: stability, human development and… read more

28 October 2020 – The UfM Regional Platform on Industrial Cooperation convened today in a virtual format, bringing together representatives of the UfM Secretariat, the European Commission, public authorities, business associations from Northern and Southern Mediterranean countries and international organisations. The meeting saw the presentation by the European Commission of a number of new EU policies, including the industrial policy, the green and the digital transition and the strategy for Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). It was also the occasion to take stock of the implementation of the 2018-2020 UfM Work Program on Industrial Cooperation, extended one more year with a… read more

The Secretary General of the Union for the Mediterranean, Nasser Kamel, attended the 16th Meeting of Foreign Ministers “Dialogue 5 + 5”, hosted in digital format by the Tunisian and Maltese Co-Presidencies.    The Ministers  welcomed the “the driving role of the UfM as a special platform for dialogue and regional cooperation, bringing together all the Mediterranean countries and the European Union.”    The ministerial conference coincides this year with the 30th anniversary of the Western Mediterranean Dialogue and the 25th anniversary of the Barcelona Process.    Barcelona, 22 October 2020. The Foreign Affairs Ministers of the “5+5 Dialogue”, which includes 5 countries from the Northern shore of the Mediterranean (Spain, France, Italy, Malta and Portugal)… read more

21 October 2020. The UfM Secretary General, Nasser Kamel, virtually met with EU Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Olivér Várhelyi, and they emphasized the importance of the partnership between the UfM and the EU Commission in order to promote peace, stability and prosperity in the Mediterranean region. During the online meeting, Secretary General Kamel underlined that the UfM has been working in the last years on key priority areas shared with the EU, namely: climate action, digitalisation, job creation.  The European Commission is “the main partner of the UfM Secretariat at financial, technical and political level” UfM Secretary General underscored,… read more

· The emergency situations the Euro-Mediterranean region faces are common and have cross-border implications, which require a joint effort and a common agenda on disaster risk management at regional and sub-regional levels. · Since the general public plays an important role in risk prevention and preparedness for emergencies, citizens can be the first responders to disasters. The involvement of citizens in disaster risk management is a key factor to save lives, particularly for vulnerable groups. · Investing in youth and trained volunteers as a driving force for community service are crucial elements to build solidarity and resilience among societies. Digital… read more

13 October 2020. UNESCO reported that 640 historic buildings were damaged in the blast. Around 60 are at risk of collapse. Apart heritage buildings and historic residential architecture, many cultural and educational structures, such as museums and schools, also need extensive restoration. The UfM seeks to contribute to efforts towards promoting the recovery and reconstruction of the built heritage in Beirut. In a coordination meeting on 13 October 2020, UfM Secretary General Nasser Kamel stated that Beirut’s built heritage is part and parcel of the Mediterranean identity and heritage.  He also said that the UfM has mobilised its convening power to… read more

Rabat, 13 October 2020. The UfM Secretary General, Nasser Kamel, met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccans Abroad of the Kingdom of Morocco, Nasser Bourita, to stress the importance of regional cooperation. In the framework of the 25th anniversary of the Barcelona Process to be commemorated this year and also in the current challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, they both highlighted ways of strengthening Euro-Mediterranean cooperation and improving economic development in the region. In the press conference after the meeting in Rabat, Minister Bourita reaffirmed Morocco’s support to the UfM, recalling that the country participates in… read more

With COVID-19 still spreading, and with regional inequalities rising, we have a responsibility to collaboratively tackle gender equality, economic empowerment and climate change. Evidence shows that in the pandemic, women’s livelihoods are more vulnerable to unemployment and economic instability. As we recover from this pandemic, we must leverage the opportunity to create new inclusive societies that ensure that young people and women can fulfil their potential as catalysts of change and contributors to the region’s economy as a whole. ‎ 8 October 2020.  The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated existing inequalities. The impacts of crises are never gender neutral, and COVID-19… read more