On Friday 28 November in Barcelona, the European Commissioner for the Mediterranean, Dubravka Šuica, and the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, together with ministers from the Member States and the Mediterranean partner countries, launched the ‘Pact for the Mediterranean’. The Commission presented the pact on 16 October (see EUROPE 13732/2).
“Thirty years after the Barcelona Declaration, we are entering a new era in our collective commitment in the Mediterranean”, emphasised Ms Šuica, considering that, in a context of geostrategic and economic uncertainty, the EU wanted to strengthen its relationships with its trusted partners and closest neighbours.
“Right now, there is a window of opportunity to reset the European Union’s relationship with the southern neighbourhood and build stronger foundations for the future”, added Kaja Kallas.
According to Ms Šuica, this pact, which defined an “ambitious new framework for cooperation”, will be followed by a specific action plan, due to be presented in early 2026. This plan will specify the participating countries and stakeholders for each initiative. According to the High Representative, the pact includes more than 100 initiatives covering a wide range of areas, such as energy, digital technology, employment and training, the economy, security and migration.
At the press conference following the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) ministerial meeting, the commissioner reiterated the need to ensure strong synergies between the pact and UfM action. “The latter is a valuable partner on the ground for implementing the pact, particularly for developing networks and flagship projects”, she emphasised.
In addition to the ‘Pact for the Mediterranean’, the UfM ministers have approved a new ‘strategic vision’ for the organisation. It is based on three interdependent pillars: (1) connecting people through education, youth mobility, skills development, gender equality and social inclusion; (2) connecting countries by strengthening dialogue, climate resilience, water and energy security and crisis preparedness; (3) connecting economies by boosting trade, digital cooperation, sustainable infrastructure and green investment.
The new ‘strategic vision’ and headquarters agreement position the UfM as the central platform for providing collective solutions to shared challenges, the organisation explained in a press release. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)