The Middle East and the role of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) in the region at the centre of Albares' meeting with the UfM Secretary General

The Secretary General of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), Nasser Kamel, and the Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, José Manuel Albares, during the meeting held in Barcelona

The aim is to work together to strengthen collaboration in the Mediterranean and to promote projects that respond to challenges such as education and climate change.

Albares and Kamel also discussed preparations for the ninth UfM Regional Forum to be held at the end of October in Barcelona. The fifth EU-Southern Neighbourhood ministerial meeting will be held on the same dates. Both meetings will foster a necessary and fruitful dialogue between the EU's partners and the countries on the southern and eastern shores of the Mediterranean, both in its multilateral dimension through the UfM, and bi-regionally, reflected in the European Southern Neighbourhood Policy.

Minister Albares expressed his support for the important role the UfM plays in the region. He commended the organisation for ensuring the smooth running of its work programme, with the participation of all members, including Israel and Palestine, who have been present at the Senior Officials and sectoral platform meetings.

The meeting provided an opportunity to discuss the UfM's growing role in high-level political fora, such as the UN Security Council and the recent High-Level Conference on Gaza. In this regard, the Minister for Foreign Affairs expressed Spain's firm commitment to the organisation, both in the open debate on its reform and strengthening to be more effective in responding to the region's challenges, and in the contributions to guarantee its normal functioning.

Union for the Mediterranean (UfM)

UpM is an intergovernmental institution that brings together the 27 member states of the EU and sixteen countries on the southern and eastern shores of the Mediterranean to promote dialogue and cooperation. It is based in Barcelona and over the last year has increased its political presence in different fora for debate on the situation in the Middle East. Some of its members have expressed interest in the UfM contributing to the stabilisation and reconstruction of Gaza.

Non official translation