جريدة صيدونيانيوز.نت / UfM Foreign Ministers gather in Barcelona to strengthen Euro-Mediterranean cooperation amid regional tensions

2024-11-03

Sidonianews.net

Lebanon

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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 the Union for the Mediterranean. Waleed bin Abdulkarim El-Khereiji, the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, represented the Arab-Islamic Ministerial Committee. Nadia Calviño, the President of the European Investment Bank, was in attendance. Salvador Illa, the President of the Generalitat of Catalonia, took part in the greeting of delegations.

Launched in 2008 as a continuation of the Barcelona Process, which stemmed from the hope of the Oslo Accords, the UfM’s primary objective is to promote regional dialogue and cooperation in view of creating a peaceful, stable, and prosperous Euro-Mediterranean region.

Barcelona, 28 October 2024. The 9th Union for the Mediterranean Regional Forum, which centred on the alarming situation in the Middle East as well as the organisation’s reform, took place today in Barcelona.

The UfM is deeply concerned about the dire humanitarian catastrophe in the region and is committed to playing an active role in Gaza as soon early recovery is possible. It has already begun working on initiatives in this regard, including support for UNIMED and An-Najah National University’s Technical Education Support for Higher Education Student Initiative – TESI that is set to allow some 50,000 Palestinian higher education students to finish their studies online, and it is exploring others in areas such as employment, the water, energy, food and ecosystems (WEFE) nexus, or urban development.

“In my four decades of service, I have borne witness to countless crises and conflicts unfolding, yet never have I encountered a tragedy as profound as the one currently threatening the Mediterranean region. The humanitarian toll is staggering, with lives lost and families torn apart. The urgency for meaningful action has never felt more pressing,” UfM Secretary General Nasser Kamel stated. “There are no shortcuts to peace; it is a journey demanding dialogue, political will, and fair solutions. In these trying times, the Union for the Mediterranean has strived to fulfil its mission, with the belief that advancing regional cooperation can offer glimmers of hope,” he added.

Built on the legacy of the Barcelona Process and its goals of shared peace, stability and prosperity in the Euro-Mediterranean region, the UfM is a leading multilateral institutional framework for dialogue and cooperation in the Mediterranean, with projects and initiatives that advance the role of women and young people, create jobs, facilitate trade and urban development, and engage in climate action and environmental protection.

The UfM reform process, launched in 2023 on the occasion of its 15th anniversary, focuses on strengthening the organisation’s mandate, capacities for action, and resources. The first reform package has led to measures such as the streamlining of regional dialogue platforms or the enhancement of communication with Member States, while the second phase set in motion this year has revolved around reflecting on the UfM’s future priorities and vision. At the 9th Regional Forum, ministers debated what these should be given the evolving regional landscape and acknowledged the UfM’s crucial role, its convening power, and its ongoing advocacy and relevance to the Euro-Mediterranean cause.

Co-chairs’ official statement

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UfM Foreign Ministers gather in Barcelona to strengthen Euro-Mediterranean cooperation amid regional tensions