The Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) will be meeting in Barcelona on Monday 23 and Tuesday 24 January 2017 for its second forum to set a ‘common development agenda’ for the Mediterranean, focused particularly on young people and aiming to breathe new life into cooperation that has long been struggling. The meeting will bring together representatives of the member states, civil society and project carriers and was proceeded by an informal ministerial conference chaired by EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini, who is also vice-president of the European Commission. It was also chaired, on behalf of non-EU countries, by Jordan’s foreign minister, Ayam al Safadi.
Political exchanges
Our sources say that in an informal meeting that extended into lunch, the attending ministers raised all the various conflicts in the region. The informal nature of the conference did not allow great details to be given, but it is known that the main subject of discussion was Palestine. The Jordanian minister stressed preservation of the ‘two states’ process, and was backed later in a press conference by comments by Mogherini, who issued her answer following a question about relations with the new US administration. She said differences didn’t stand in the way of dialogue, but the EU was working with its own positions and its approach is to help a two-state solution to come about in connection with its partners, the UN, the Russians and Arab states. The Jordanian minister hinted that a hew Arab initiative would be on the cards after an upcoming Arab League summit.
Reinvigorating UfM to boost the region by focussing on young people, jobs and security
The ministerial meeting aimed to follow in the spirit of the first such meeting, held in Barcelona on 26 November 2015 (see EUROPE 11440), which gave a strong signal of support for UfM so it could become a suitable framework for regional cooperation. Hence the officials of all attending countries reaffirmed their view that UfM had become the sole EuroMed intergovernmental system. Once again, they praised the fact that an Israeli minister, the minister for international cooperation, Tzachi Haneghi, and a Palestinian minister, Anouar Maliki were sitting around the same table.
In a roadmap drawn up at the end of the meeting that suggests holding such a meeting in Barcelona on an annual basis, it is noted that given the scale and serious nature of the challenges facing the region, along with the potential for opportunities, the time has come to take UfM into a new, third, phase.
The ministers appreciated the progress made thus far and reaffirmed their desire to breathe new life into the common framework. Mogherini praised the ‘good results’ and successful outcomes of this stage. The High Representative said the ‘positive and inclusive’ agenda was a sign of the intangible commitment. UfM secretary general Fathallah Sijilmassi unveiled a comprehensive activity report, detailing the 47 projects already ‘labelled’ whose launch will require financial commitments to the tune of €5.2 billion, a third of which is reported to have been secured from the EIB and the EBRD.
Mogherini said she saw a huge potential for the region that merits common commitment, but added that the Mediterranean is an area of conflict that remains one of the least integrated areas of the world. She said this circle needed to be smashed by focussing on young people and security.
Her Jordanian counterpart stressed the difficult context characterised first and foremost by the continuation of armed conflict in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Palestinian question. He called for determined support for a two-state solution to the Israel/Palestine conflict.
The exhaustive roadmap lists all the commitments taken or still to be launched in the various domains, along with focus on the two main axes, security and young people. These two themes are connected in many ways. Hence the imperative need to create jobs and, in this regard, a number of specialist projects were announced including working together with young entrepreneurs, for example. Sweden announced cooperation and signed a financing agreement with the UfM. Other agreements are in the process of approval by United Nations agencies, such as projects under the Agadir agreement for promoting South-South trade, financed by the EU.
The common action will be characterised by the three Ps, explained Secretary General Sijilmassi. This refers to P for politics, P for platforms for dialogue and P for projects. (Original version in French by Fathi B'Chir)