The second conference of stakeholders of the UfM on sustainable blue economy is currently taking place on Monday and Tuesday, February 19-20, 2024, in Athens, with the participation of over 250 individuals, including public and private officials, as well as key actors from civil society who will discuss the progress made to date and the next steps in implementing the ten priority cooperation areas approved by the 43 UfM member states in the UfM ministerial declaration of 2021 on sustainable Blue Economy.
This conference serves as a discussion forum to share knowledge and best practices, as well as to define the directions of future policy deliberations. According to the European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans, and Fisheries, Virginijus Sinkevičius, « Progress achieved is not solely the result of institutional work but also of the commitment and cooperative mindset of our stakeholders, ensuring sustainable development of the blue economy in the Mediterranean. » He further stated, « It is crucial that we listen to their vision, ideas, learn from their expertise, and exchange our opinions. The Union for the Mediterranean makes this cross-sectoral and cross-border collaboration a reality. »
Nasser Kamel, Secretary General of the UfM, stated that « The Mediterranean Sea is a vital resource for over 480 million people living along its shores. Economic activities related to the sea in our common basin generate an annual economic value estimated at a minimum of $450 billion. » He added, « The sectors and activities of sustainable blue economy in the Mediterranean are of utmost importance for the rational and sustainable use of our marine resources, for the economic growth of our region, and to support livelihood improvement and job creation. »
Mohammad Al Sakran, representing the Jordanian co-presidency of the UfM and Director of the Aqaba Development Corporation, emphasized that « The second conference of stakeholders of the UfM on sustainable blue economy presents a unique opportunity for countries from the South and North of the Mediterranean to exchange experiences and discover successes of sustainable blue economy. »
It is noteworthy that the conference includes 11 parallel multi-stakeholder workshops aimed at facilitating capacity building and engagement. These workshops address topics such as marine research and innovation for sustainable blue economy in the Mediterranean, sustainable maritime transport and ports, integrated coastal zone management based on ecosystems, blue skills, career paths, and employment for sustainable blue economy, sustainable seafood from the sea: fisheries and aquaculture, initiatives for sustainable blue economy in the territorial context of islands, sustainable coastal and maritime tourism, marine renewable energies, processes of blue finance in the Mediterranean, and maritime security and safety of blue economy activities.
According to the UfM, discussions on each of these themes will form the basis for revising the Roadmap for the implementation of the ministerial declaration on sustainable blue economy. Networking activities are also planned, including B2B sessions aimed at providing acceleration services to innovative SMEs to promote internationalization and improve skills in order to create a more cohesive maritime cluster ecosystem in the Mediterranean basin.
According to the same information source, the event will conclude with a session on upcoming projects, calls, and financial opportunities.
It is worth mentioning that in February 2021, the 43 UfM member states adopted the ministerial declaration on sustainable blue economy, in which ten priority cooperation areas were defined, including governance and future of maritime basin strategies in the Mediterranean region, marine research and innovation, skills, careers, and employment, sustainable food from the sea: fisheries and aquaculture, sustainable maritime transport and ports, neutral for climate and non-polluting, interactions between marine litter and the blue economy, coastal and maritime tourism, maritime spatial planning and integrated coastal zone management, marine renewable energies, maritime security and safety of blue economy activities, and sustainable investments in the blue economy.
This commitment to circularity and climate neutrality in the Mediterranean occurred just over three years after the first conference of stakeholders of the UfM on sustainable blue economy in Naples and was followed by the approval of a roadmap for its implementation in 2022. The UfM is also a member of the Blue Mediterranean Partnership, an initiative aimed at mobilizing at least 1 billion euros of investments in sustainable blue economy in the southern and eastern Mediterranean.
About the UfM
The Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) is the only Euro-Mediterranean intergovernmental organization that brings together the countries of the European Union and 16 countries from the southern and eastern Mediterranean. The UfM provides member states with a forum to strengthen regional cooperation, dialogue, and implement projects and initiatives that have a tangible impact on citizens to achieve the region’s three strategic objectives: stability, human development, and integration.
À propos de l’UpM
L’Union pour la Méditerranée (UpM) est la seule organisation intergouvernementale euro-méditerranéenne qui rassemble les pays de l’Union européenne et 16 pays du sud et de l’est de la Méditerranée. L’UpM offre aux États membres un forum pour renforcer la coopération régionale, le dialogue et mettre en œuvre des projets et des initiatives qui ont un impact tangible sur les citoyens afin d’atteindre les trois objectifs stratégiques de la région : la stabilité, le développement humain et l’intégration.
