The UfM and the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) joined forces, with the support of GNE Finance, to launch a Capacity-Building Programme designed to equip public authorities from selected Southern and Eastern Mediterranean countries with the skills and knowledge needed to develop bankable sustainable urban projects. Teams of public officials working on eight project proposals from Morocco, Tunisia, Jordan and Lebanon have been selected to participate in the 12-month programme. Combining in-person workshops with online mentoring, the programme is designed to enhance investment readiness, strengthen technical capacities, and promote peer-to-peer learning and cooperation among participating authorities.

Among all policy interventions, urban policy offers some of the most significant opportunities to deliver positive outcomes for society, the economy and the environment. By investing in sustainable urban development, the Mediterranean region can address pressing challenges, accelerate climate action and build a resilient, integrated future that benefits all citizens.

The capacity-building programme takes place within the broader framework of the UfM Urban Agenda. Adopted in 2017, the UfM Urban Agenda provides a strategic, long-term vision for sustainable urbanisation in the Mediterranean and supports the creation of resilient and inclusive cities by reducing inequalities, in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Third UfM Ministerial Conference on Sustainable Urban Development, held in Zagreb on 4 May 2023, updated the political mandate, identified priorities, and endorsed the UfM Strategic Urban Development Action Plan 2040, which aims to operationalise the objectives of the UfM Urban Agenda through coordinated and integrated actions that strengthen urban development strategies across the region.