Yesterday, Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Union for the Mediterranean gathering in Barcelona for the Third Regional Forum reaffirmed their “strong political commitment to promote regional cooperation and recognized the UfM as a unique, action-driven platform to intensify joint efforts to address common challenges and create common opportunities in the Euro-Mediterranean region.“

Co-chaired by the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Federica Mogherini and Jordan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Forum commemorated the 10th anniversary of the Union for the Mediterranean.

“This is a unique space for dialogue among actors that sometimes have this as the only and unique opportunity to talk among themselves, about our common interests and common objectives – security, human development – and to work and focus on common, concrete projects,” Mogherini underlined.

The High Representative highlighted that one of the common purposes of the UfM members – the need to promote sustainable security, to tackle the threat of terrorism and extremism – can only be addressed across the Mediterranean region. She stressed that the main interest shared is improving people’s lives: “We want to put the people of our region at the centre of our cooperation and this is why the Union for the Mediterranean does not only provide this common platform for discussions, but also – and mainly – involves different works and different projects in many different areas.”

She also affirmed the willingness to put an end to the political crises in the region.  “We all want to find political solutions to the crises we are facing in Syria, in Libya, in the Middle East. We are determined to solve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict on the basis of the two-state solution as the only path to comprehensive peace and security.”

“In a nutshell, in one sentence it is: renewed political commitment to this Forum, to regional cooperation across the Mediterranean – the more it becomes difficult, the more it is needed – and to a positive agenda based on projects that have an impact on the daily life of our citizens in different areas of the Mediterranean region.”

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Press release

Remarks by High Representative Federica Mogherini

Conclusions of the Co-Presidency