The Diplomat
The Foreign ministers of the member states of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) will take advantage of the next annual meeting of the Regional Forum, which will take place on November 27 in Barcelona, to review the achievements to date and discuss ways to boost the sustainable and inclusive development of the Euro-Mediterranean region, coinciding with the fifteenth anniversary of its creation.
The UfM, created in 2008 “building on the values and achievements of the Barcelona Process” and thanks to “the collective efforts of the leaders of the European Union and the countries of the southern and eastern shores of the Mediterranean,” has become over time “a crucial institutional framework for dialogue and cooperation in the region” and, over the past 15 years, “has worked to boost regional inclusive sustainable development, foster dialogue and address pressing regional challenges,” the organization said yesterday in a statement.
“On the occasion of the 15th anniversary, the UfM co-presidency and member states have launched a general review of the actions taken by the organization over the past 15 years” with the aim of “identifying areas for improvement, strengthening the UfM and enhancing its capacity to promote initiatives and projects on a larger scale,” it continued.
“The culmination of those talks will take place at the next Union for the Mediterranean Regional Forum, an annual meeting of the foreign ministers of the UfM member states,” it announced. “The forum is scheduled to take place on November 27 in Barcelona” and, “based on the success of the previous seven editions, the eighth edition of the forum will provide a good opportunity to review the achievements to date and to discuss the way forward to stimulate the sustainable and inclusive development of the Euro-Mediterranean region,” it added.
To date, the UfM totals more than 60 cooperation programs across the region, which are the result of agendas agreed by member countries at more than 30 ministerial meetings. “The projects and initiatives supported by the UfM are aligned with the regional priorities set by the ministers of each sector and are developed within the framework of different sectoral regional platforms, resulting in a unique space for cooperation in the region,” the organization assured.
