UfM Secretariat supports the launching of the MED Confederation

Barcelona, 20 December, 2013. The Secretariat of the Union for the Mediterranean participated in the official launching of the MED Confederation, which took place on 19-20 December 2013, in Barcelona. Nine organisations from France, Egypt, Morocco, Turkey, Tunisia and Belgium came together in this initiative that seeks to encourage socioeconomic cooperation in the Mediterranean. Under the name MED Confederation, this alliance is founded by La Caixa, the IEMed (European Institute of the Mediterranean), the WSBI (World Savings and Retail Banking Institute, Brussels), IPEMED (Institut de Prospective Economique du Monde Méditerranéen, France), Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations (Tunisia), Caisse de Dépôt et de Gestion (Morocco), TEPAV (Economic Policy Research Foundation of Turkey), Al Barid Bank (Morocco) and CEEBA (Chamber of the Euro Chambers in Egypt).

The UfM Secretariat welcomes the creation of the MED Confederation as a key network of players in the promotion of regional cooperation and development of synergies with existing institutions and Euro-Med cooperation frameworks, with particular focus on civil society.

Since 2012, the Union for the Mediterranean has witnessed a renewed political dimension under the co-presidency of the European Union and Jordan, and its Secretariat has become an operational instrument to enhance regional and subregional integration in the Mediterranean region through the implementation of specific cooperation projects. 2013 has witnessed the launching of important projects in the fields of transport, women empowerment and environment, and the Secretariat expects to consolidate this operational work in 2014.

In this regard, the institutions involved in the MED Confederation will become key partners of the UfM Secretariat in its aim to promote and implement regional cooperation projects that respond to the current needs and aspirations of Mediterranean populations, and contribute to sustainable development, job creation, exchange of knowledge and innovation.