<h6><strong>Eduardo González</strong></h6> <h4><strong>Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares highlighted the equal standing of the Israeli and Palestinian delegations at the tenth Regional Forum of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), because “it demonstrates that the State of Palestine is not a concept, it is a reality that can be embodied in people with names and surnames in a government.”</strong></h4> “The UfM is the only organization that places Israel and Palestine on equal footing, and today they sat down together at the table, on equal footing,” Albares declared at the press conference following the tenth Regional Forum of the Union for the Mediterranean, held this Friday, November 28, at the Pedralbes Palace in Barcelona, where the 43 member states adopted, among other measures, the Pact for the Mediterranean, the document that will set the organization's roadmap for the coming years. “The fact that 43 countries from both shores of the Mediterranean, including Israel and Palestine, have come together and recognized that a multilateral response, dialogue, cooperation, and commitment are the way forward together is hopeful. And, of course, the Union for the Mediterranean is, on the one hand, a forum that demonstrates that the State of Palestine is not just a concept, but a reality that can be embodied in real people with names and surnames in a government,” he emphasized. “There are many more of us who believe that progress can be made through dialogue, diplomacy, and cooperation than those who think that violence and the law are the strongest,” Albares continued. “Spain will always be at the heart of the Union for the Mediterranean to promote precisely that: diplomacy, dialogue, multilateralism, and a commitment to peace, which in the Mediterranean and the Middle East is called the two-state solution and entails establishing a State of Palestine that lives in good neighborliness with the State of Israel, as its representatives have demonstrated this morning around the table,” he added. “Spain reiterates that there will be no future of peace in the Mediterranean without a just solution for the Palestinian people,” Albares declared. “We need a lasting, permanent peace that respects international law, including humanitarian law, and all of this, as we all know, depends on the implementation of the two-state solution,” he insisted. It had been three years since Israel had participated in the UfM Regional Forum. Benjamin Netanyahu’s government boycotted the eighth edition in 2023 in protest against the organizers’ decision to change the agenda to address, almost exclusively, the crisis in the Middle East, barely a month and a half after the Hamas attacks in Israel and the start of the Israeli armed operation against the Gaza Strip. Israel also did not attend the ninth edition in 2024, which came at the height of the Middle East conflict and coincided with a serious deterioration in diplomatic relations between Spain and Israel following the decision by Pedro Sánchez’s government to recognize the State of Palestine. In contrast, the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs highlighted in 2024 the participation of Palestine "for the first time as a State formally recognized by Spain". <h5><strong>New Strategy, Headquarters Agreement, and Pact for the Mediterranean</strong></h5> The tenth Regional Forum of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), held in Barcelona under the anniversary theme “Together for a Stronger Euro-Mediterranean Partnership” and coinciding with the thirtieth anniversary of the signing of the Barcelona Process (which led to the creation of the UfM itself), adopted the Pact for the Mediterranean. Presented last October by the European Commission and the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, the Pact establishes “an ambitious and practical framework for the years to come” based on shared responsibility, one hundred concrete initiatives, and strong governance, according to Brussels. Following its launch in Barcelona and with the backing of partner countries, EU leaders are expected to welcome the Pact at the European Council meeting in December. An Action Plan will then be drawn up and presented in early 2026, specifying the participating countries and the specific aspects of each initiative. Separately, within the framework of the Regional Forum, the Secretary General of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), Nasser Kamel, and José Manuel Albares signed a new Headquarters Agreement between Spain and the Union for the Mediterranean. The new Agreement provides greater clarity regarding the UfM's status as an international organization, aligns it with best practices, and strengthens the UfM's capacity to fulfill its mission. Furthermore, the 43 Member States endorsed a new strategic vision for the UfM, defined through extensive regional consultations, to guide the UfM's actions in the coming years. This strategic framework is based on three interconnected pillars: connecting people through education, youth mobility, skills development, gender equality, and social inclusion; connecting countries by strengthening dialogue, climate resilience, water and energy security, and crisis preparedness; and connecting economies by boosting trade, digital cooperation, sustainable infrastructure, and green investment. The ministers also endorsed the selection of Córdoba (Spain) and Saida (Lebanon) as Mediterranean Capitals of Culture and Dialogue 2027. Throughout 2027, the two cities will host a dynamic program of cultural and civic events designed to foster exchange and understanding across the region. This initiative, led jointly with the Anna Lindh Foundation, focuses on sustainability, gender equality, digital inclusion, and the protection of tangible and intangible heritage, in line with the Union for the Mediterranean's priorities for a more inclusive and resilient Mediterranean. “Aware of the current circumstances, we have given a definitive boost to the reform process of the Union for the Mediterranean with the adoption of its new vision, a strategic reform that will provide the Union for the Mediterranean with the necessary instruments and capacity for deeper regional coordination,” Albares stated at the press conference. “This guarantees the coherence of public policies in the region, strengthens the role of the Union for the Mediterranean as a structured forum for regional dialogue, and will play a key role in the coordination and implementation of some of the flagship projects of the new Pact for the Mediterranean,” he explained. “Spain has made a strong commitment to this reform, and it does so because the Mediterranean is undoubtedly one of our country’s top priorities, as we are a deeply Mediterranean nation,” the minister affirmed. “That is why we have redoubled our support for the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), increased Spain’s contribution to its budget by €400,000, and contributed €1 million to projects implemented by the Union for the Mediterranean with the support of the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation,” he announced.
