Unlocking the blue economy: first investments flow through Blue Mediterranean Partnership
- 23 juillet 2025
Le contenu ci-dessous est extrait du bulletin d’information officiel de l’Union pour la Méditerranée (UfM), publié en juin 2025.
Il met en lumière une série d’initiatives régionales récentes portées par l’UfM dans les domaines de l’économie bleue, du dialogue interculturel, de l’action climatique, du développement durable, des transports, et de la promotion de l’égalité.
Ce contenu est partagé tel quel, en version originale (anglais), à titre informatif.
Source : Union for the Mediterranean – ufmsecretariat.org
The Blue Mediterranean Partnership announced its first wave of investments in Egypt, Morocco and Jordan at the UNOC3 Mediterranean Day in Nice, to support coastal resilience, wastewater treatment, and sustainable tourism. These flagship projects are the first steps in addressing the region’s financing gap for a sustainable blue economy—while creating jobs and safeguarding marine ecosystems.
The UfM’s expanding role as a catalyst for investment in the Mediterranean took a new leap forward with Spain’s formal pledge of €8.5 million to the BMP. This contribution brings Spain into the circle of committed donors—alongside Sweden, Germany, France, and the EU—and raises the Partnership’s available funding for technical assistance and project feasibility studies to €22 million.
The UfM marked a strong presence at the ALForum 2025 in Tirana, co-organising key sessions on cities as drivers of dialogue, creative storytelling through the Mediterranean Capitals of Culture and Dialogue (MCCD), and the role of academia in promoting inclusion and trust.
Highlights included bringing together content creators from 11 countries to shape authentic narratives for the MCCD and exploring how universities can build ethical, community-focused research partnerships across the region. High-level figures, including ALF President Princess Rym Ali and Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, underscored the MCCD’s role in fostering intercultural understanding.
Read the full article for insights on outcomes and next steps
The UfM hosted the 2nd Mediterranean Green Week (24–26 June 2025, Brussels), where policymakers, experts, youth leaders, and stakeholders from across the Euro-Mediterranean region gathered to reaffirm their commitment to a just and inclusive green transition.
Key highlights included the announcement of the first-ever UfM Energy & Climate Action Youth Delegates, empowering young leaders to help shape climate and energy policy, drive innovation, and co-create solutions for a just energy transition.
UfM Activities
The Secretary General of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), Nasser Kamel, took part in the Summit for a Connected Mediterranean held today in Nice. Organised under the auspices of the President of the French Republic, the summit gathered 21 heads of state and government from Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Gulf to strengthen cooperation on land, maritime, and digital connectivity.
UfM and allWomen launch community to empower women to lead in artificial intelligence
The UfM and AllWomen have launched a new regional community to empower women researchers to take the lead in shaping the future of artificial intelligence (AI) in the Mediterranean. The initiative is supported with funding from GIZ, the German development agency, in the framework of its partnership with the UfM.
From knowledge to action: training researchers to influence Mediterranean policy
The UfM, in collaboration with the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) and the National Office for Science Advice of Spain (ONAC), organised a two-day training programme on “Science for Policy: Building Capacity in the Mediterranean.”
Empowering women through innovation in Mediterranean agro-food systems
Women play a fundamental role in Mediterranean agro-food systems, being actively involved in agriculture, fisheries, and rural development, and generating essential economic activity in many areas of the region. Even though significant progress has been made in the last decade, there is still much work to be done to empower women and strengthen their engagement in these sectors.
On World Environment Day, the UfM underscores the need for urgent action to tackle the threats posed by plastic pollution in the region. Although the Mediterranean Sea represents less than 1% of the world’s ocean area, it is home to almost 20% of all known marine species, making it a one of the most important marine biodiversity hotspots globally.
The UfM convened the Regional Platform on Transport Connectivity and its thematic Working Groups on Land, Air, and Maritime Transport and Logistics in an online session on 26 June 2025.
Agenda
1 July 2025, Athens, Greece
UfM Community of Practice Supporting Transition from Education to Employment Readiness (STEER)
2–3 July 2025, Athens, Greece
UfM Conference: the tourism sector employment-related opportunities and challenges
8 July 2025, Brussels, Belgium
Senior Officials Meeting (SOM)
16–17 July 2025, Bratislava, Slovakia
Promoting digital transformation as a prerequisite for smart development in the UfM region
16–17 July 2025, Palermo, Italy
Women Business Forum 2025