Euro-Mediterranean Cooperation
Foreign ministers reviewed regional challenges, including the situation in the Middle East and the broader issues of inequality, unemployment, the rising cost of living, declining opportunities, and the increasing impacts of climate change and water stress, and adopted a new strategic vision for the organization
Developed through an extensive consultative process, the vision centres on three priorities: strengthening education, mobility, and skills; deepening dialogue on climate resilience and energy and water security; and boosting economic integration through trade, investment, infrastructure, and digital cooperation.
The meeting was co-chaired by Kaya Callas, the European Union’s (EU) High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and Jordan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi. Spain’s Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares hosted the forum, which was attended by UfM Secretary General Nasser Kamel.
A high-level event launching the EU Pact for the Mediterranean was also held on the sidelines, with backing from the EU and Southern Mediterranean partners.
Throughout the week, representatives from civil society, local authorities, regional governments, and international organizations met to discuss coordinated regional responses to climate change, socio-economic inequalities, and peace and security issues.
“Barcelona will be the capital of Mediterranean dialogue as we celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Barcelona Process,” Kamel said. “This year’s Forum marks a pivotal moment for the Union for the Mediterranean, with the adoption of a new strategic vision that reinforces our role as a key platform for collective action and dialogue in the region, connecting peoples, countries, and economies. As we celebrate three decades of cooperation, we also look forward with determination to a more interconnected, stable, and prosperous Mediterranean region.”
The UfM brings together EU member states and 16 countries from the southern and eastern Mediterranean, providing a platform for regional cooperation to promote stability, human development, and integration.
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