International Women’s Day is an opportunity to reflect and take stock of the progress made on gender equality, but above all, today should serve as a date to acclaim and recognize women’s societal role. Women’s leadership is essential to ensure that women’s needs are prioritized in the pandemic response and recovery, and we do not fall back in the progress made towards achieving gender equality. COVID-19 has shown that without women, we cannot fight the pandemic and build back better. 8 March 2020. On this date over 100 years ago, women across the world began to protest and march to… read more
2nd March 2021, Virtual Format – The Secretary General of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), Nasser Kamel, participated as a key note speaker in a Forum organized by the Delphi Economic Forum and the Institute for Sustainable Development of EPLO – the European Public Law Organization. The forum on “Blue Economy: The Way to Green Recovery” convened leaders, policy-makers, investors, and the Blue Economy industry for deliberations over the pressing issues related to the maritime and coastal zone as a par excellence opportunity for sustainable development. The session was moderated by Spyros Kouvelis, Director of the EPLO and among the panelist… read more
The UfM hosted a virtual conference on the 5th of March to analyse gendered barriers to leadership, present the EU’s Gender Action Plan in External Action 2021-2025 and showcase UfM-supported projects and initiatives in the region. Data gathering on gender equality in leadership in the Euro-Mediterranean region remains a challenge. This year, the first exercise of the UfM’s Intergovernmental Monitoring Mechanism on Gender Equality will be launched to bridge this gap. Achieving gender equality for the current generation of working-age women in MENA could add as much as USD 3.1 trillion to regional wealth, according to the World Bank. Barcelona,… read more
Erilda Krasi of 1001 Albanian Adventures, a tour operator based in the city of Berat, has won the third edition of ARLEM Young Entrepreneurs Award, reflecting as well the efforts of the city of Berat to support the development of the local tourism industry. The award, which has been presented annually since 2019 by the Euro-Mediterranean Regional and Local Assembly (ARLEM) celebrates both the work of entrepreneurs younger than 35 and efforts by local authorities to foster business-friendly policies. The award was presented to Ms Krasi by the presidents of the European Committee of the Regions and of United Cities… read more
25 february 2021 – UfM member states met on 25 February 2021 to review and discuss the follow-up of the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Barcelona Process/5th UfM Regional Forum, held on 27 November 2020. During the meeting, UfM Senior Officials welcomed the New Agenda for the Mediterranean adopted by the European Commission, and underlined the EU’s renewed confidence in the UfM’s indispensable role to enhance regional cooperation, and as a privileged dialogue forum for its 42 Member States. “I am convinced that this renewed partnership with the Southern Mediterranean countries and its accompanying Economic and Investment Plan… read more
23-24 February 2020 – Deputy Secretary General for Transport and Urban Development Ayşe Asya represented the UfM in the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) regional workshop organized by the Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning of Slovenia, in cooperation with UNECE, and with the support of the UfM, Housing Europe and UN-Habitat. Deputy Secretary General Asya showcased, in her address, the draft “UfM Housing Action Plan for affordable and sustainable housing, as a vector for inclusive, integrated and sustainable urban development and regeneration”, which was developed under the draft “UfM Strategic Urban Development Action Plan 2040 for sustainable, resilient… read more
The workshop is the first in a series of three Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) workshops on e-governance scheduled to be implemented in a selection of southern Mediterranean countries throughout 2021, in partnership with Germany’s Development Agency (GIZ) and the Estonian ICT Cluster. The event was opened by the Algerian Delegate to the Prime Minister and Minister in charge of Knowledge Economy and Startups, and the UfM Secretary General underlining just how important the digital transition is for business continuity, as demonstrated by the current pandemic, but also as a vector of sustainable and inclusive economic recovery in the future…. read more
Barcelona, 16 February 2021 – In the framework of our cooperation agreement with Sida, the annual meeting between Sida and the UfMS was held virtually on the 16th of February, counting with the presence of the UfM Secretary General, the Directorate for Operations and Partnerships and the Water, Environment and Blue Economy Division of the UfM Secretariat, and the Swedish Ambassador in Jordan and representatives from the Sida regional office in Amman. The meeting served to present the UfM mission and the UfM Secretariat work methodology, give an overview on the main achievements of the Sida – UfM Secretariat Partnership, inform… read more
The Secretary General of the Union for the Mediterranean, Nasser Kamel, participated in the annual Plenary Session of the Euro-Mediterranean Regional and Local Assembly (ARLEM). Recommendations by local and regional politicians highlighted concerns about access to COVID vaccines and “huge” regional inequalities within Mediterranean countries. ARLEM awards a prize to a young entrepreneur of the Mediterranean each year: This edition’s winner is Erilda Krasi, of 1001 Albanian Adventures, a tour operator that has benefited from collaboration with the city of Berat. Brussels, 22 February 2021. The Euro-Mediterranean Regional and Local Assembly (ARLEM) met online on 22 February to highlight concerns… read more
16 February 2021, Virtual meeting. The Secretary General of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), Nasser Kamel, participated in the 16th Plenary Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the UfM (PA-UfM), which took place in virtual format on the 16th of February. The annual gathering of the 280 members of the Parliamentary Assembly focused its debates on the important topic of “the fight against climate change in the Mediterranean Region”. The meeting was chaired by the Vice-President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, on behalf of President Sassoli. The Vice-President reiterated the importance of a global joint approach at an Euro-Mediterranean… read more
