UfM Secretary General calls for renewed Euro-Mediterranean partnership at Rabat Retreat
Rabat, 11 September 2025. The Secretary General of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), Nasser Kamel, delivered the keynote address at the Retreat on the Future of Euro-Mediterranean Relations, hosted by Morocco. The high-level meeting brought together political leaders, senior officials and think tanks to reflect on regional cooperation ahead of the 30th anniversary of the Barcelona Process this November.
Secretary General Kamel warned that the region is at a crossroads of global tensions and urged a coordinated response. He outlined five priorities for the years ahead: bridging economic gaps, addressing youth and migration challenges, accelerating the green and digital transitions, strengthening social inclusion, and reinforcing peace and dialogue.
Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita stressed the need to treat the Mediterranean as a shared space, not as a subsidiary of European policy. He identified five pressing challenges: creating a common Mediterranean identity, addressing asymmetry of motivations between the two shores, overcoming geopolitical fragmentation, taking ownership of crisis responses, and strengthening the legitimacy of the partnership.
EU Commissioner for the Mediterranean Dubravka Šuica presented the upcoming New Pact for the Mediterranean, describing it as a “partnership of equals” built around three pillars: putting people first, unlocking economic potential, and strengthening cooperation on security, resilience and migration. She underlined the central role of the UfM in delivering this agenda.
The Rabat Retreat also allowed the UfM Secretary General to hold bilateral meetings with Minister Bourita, Commissioner Šuica, senior EU officials and ambassadors from both shores of the Mediterranean.
