Speeches

  • Speech by Mr. Fathallah Sijilmassi, Secretary General of the Union for the Mediterranean, at the 8th Plenary Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union for the Mediterranean, 25th March 2012

    27.03.2012

    " The current structural evolutions require a new vision and action. I am glad to note that both in the North and in the South, there is a unanimity that the methodology of the Euro Mediterranean partnership need to be amended and adapted. And indeed, important decisions and steps have been taken in that direction.

    The UFM is, more than ever, an appropriate tool for the new Euro Mediterranean partnership. I want to give you three reasons for that: Co-ownership; Management of concrete and tangible projects and initiatives and the funding raising; Effective and efficient coherence of actions with other regional frameworks."

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  • Speech by Mr. Youssef Amrani, Secretary General of the Union for the Mediterranean, at the Conference in support of the New Libya Paris, 1st September 2011

    02.09.2011
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  • Deputy Secretary General Yigit Alpogan speech at the 8th Working Group Meeting on Infrastructure and Regulatory Issues, Brussels, 14 April 2011

    14.04.2011

    When we say; to work on projects; we aim to facilitate the mobilization of resources and political support, provide coordination, saving of cost and time for development of projects, facilitate access to funding, and enhance investment security. Our objective is to deliver a tailor-made support and assistance to stakeholders, according to their priorities and strategic needs.  Our expectation in the UfM Secretariat is to further the work in our common cause that is to say to realize projects in the UfM region. In this respect, any reference to the solid cooperation between the UfM Secretariat and the Euro-Med Transport Forum, in the conclusions of today’s meetings, will be welcomed.  And finally, as a gesture of our willingness for cooperation with the Euro-Med Transport Forum and its WGs,   I would like to propose to hold one of the next meetings of the Euro-Med Transport Forum in the premises of the Secretariat in Barcelona.

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  • Deputy Secretary General Rafiq Husseini speech on urban development strategies in the Mediterranean

    14.03.2011

    As the recent developments in our region proved once again, the globalization is closely affecting the Mediterranean region, bringing new opportunities as well as new challenges. The challenges that we are facing in the Mediterranean urban areas are more complicated and more interlinked than ever before. According to the UN Environmental Program, in 20 years, nearly 82 million more urban inhabitants are expected in cities in our region, of whom at least one-third will be located in coastal urban areas. If uncontrolled, such growth rates can only aggravate the already alarming current problems, as illustrated by the low levels of social cohesion, the spread of poverty, the expansion of informal settlements, sometimes accounting for over 60% of new built-up areas, the rising levels of air pollution, the inadequate supply of clean water, ineffective waste management and the accumulated effects of these factors on the health of the population.

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  • Deputy Secretary General Yigit Alpogan speech at the PAM Meeting on Economic and Financial Affairs, Social Affairs and Education, Rome, 3 March 2011

    03.03.2011

    For almost a decade, the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership has been the main venue for the multilateral political, economic and social relations between the Northern and Southern partners.   The European Neighborhood Policy which was launched in 2003 has brought an additional bilateral dimension to the Euro-Med cooperation.  The Barcelona Process has been a valuable systemic and institutional advance in Euro-Med cooperation; however, it has not been sufficient to keep up with the expectations put forward in 1995.

    The efforts to increase the cooperation with the aim of contributing to the stability, economic development and welfare of the peoples of the Mediterranean continued, and in 2008, a new initiative for the region, which would bring together the first time the countries of the Mediterranean which so far formed different groups under regional organizations such as the EU, Arab League, Maghreb Union or 5+5, was launched.  The Paris Declaration, signed   by the 43 Heads of State and Government on the 13th of July 2008 argued, a new impulse would be achieved "in at least three very important ways: by upgrading the political level of the EU’s relationship with its Mediterranean partners; by providing for further co-ownership to our multilateral relations; and by making these relations more concrete and visible through regional and sub-regional projects, relevant for the citizens of the region."

    The Declaration set out the priority fields and key initiatives, which the future Secretariat was mandated to detail.

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  • Deputy Secretary General Yigit Alpogan speech at the II Euro-Arab Cities Forum, Malaga, 25-26 February 2011

    25.02.2011

    The challenges that we are facing in the Mediterranean urban areas are more complicated and more interlinked than ever before. The majority of the population of the Mediterranean countries will soon be living in cities and towns. The Mediterranean region is suffering from rapid increase in urban population which brings problems such as unregulated housing, high levels of air pollution, inadequate supply of clean water or poor waste management which affects the wellbeing and the health of citizens. The social progress is not adequate in the region, and has led to increased rates of unemployment and consequently to poverty. The impact of coastalization   adds burden on the urban sprawl, affects aquatic life and destroys arable lands. The lack of suitable transport network continues to plague cities of Southern and Eastern Mediterranean. These problems require cohesive and collaborative solutions. If the efforts of local and regional authorities are to be effective on a larger scale, there is a  need for a coherent, multi-disciplinary and integrated regional cooperation.

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  • Deputy Secretary General Rafiq Husseini speech on the role of Young Water Ambassadors in the UfM, Paris, 9 February 2011 (PDF)

    09.02.2011

    At the UfM Secretariat, we believe the youth have a very important role to play: If Governments cannot drive the goal of “unity through diversity” as quickly or as effectively as we the people in the Euro-Med region want, then it is up to the youth in the UfM countries, who represent no less than 50% of the population, to take the lead and move forward the process of regional sustainable development despite the political impediments. There is much more that unites the Euro-Med peoples and youth than separates them.

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  • Deputy Secretary General Cecilia Attard-Pirotta speech at the European Parliament, Brussels, 9 February 2011 (PDF)

    09.02.2011

    Like elsewhere in the world, women in the Mediterranean bear a disappropriate burden of the world´s poverty; in fact according to estimates, women represent 78% of the world´s poor, leaving them without even the basic rights to have access to clean water, sanitation, medical care, and decent employment - let alone giving them the opportunity to have a significant role in the decision making process.

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  • Deputy Secretary General Rafiq Husseini's speech at the meeting of the Euro-Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly Committee on Energy, Environment and Water (PDF)

    29.11.2010

    The Mediterranean region and its surrounds face serious environmental threats to its biodiversity, natural resources, habitable areas, health and food security. It also faces major challenges of water scarcity and droughts on one side, and floods and fires on the other. In many countries, increased pressure on water resources resulting from global warming will be exacerbated by escalating demand from growing population levels, improved standard of living, and per capita water needs.

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  • Deputy Secretary General Rafiq Husseini's speech at the ARLEM Commission for Sustainable Development (PDF)

    08.11.2010

    Gentlemen Co-Chairs of ARLEM, Ladies and Gentlemen Members of the Commission for Sustainable Development, Distinguished Guests It gives me great pleasure to meet with you today and to exchange views on the UfM, its planned activities with regards to the Water Sector, as well as your role in advancing its noble goal of achieving a safe, secure, cooperative and developed Euro-Med region that reflects positive dialogue and constructive discourse, rather than clash and conflict, of civilizations.

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  • Deputy Secretary General Yigit Alpogan's speech at the Mediterranean Strategy Group Meeting - Genoa (PDF)

    26.10.2010

    Mediterranean Strategy Group, in those two days of meetings  will be elaborating on different dimensions of the Mediterranean such as maritime commerce, infrastructure, regional economic development and the Euro-Med cooperation, with a special focus on security and governance. This meeting’s intellectual debate, will no doubt contribute to a fresh thinking on Mediterranean.

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  • Deputy Secretary General Cecilia Attard-Pirotta's speech PPRD South meeting, 20 October 2010 (PDF)

    20.10.2010

    Mr. Chairman, In a first instance allow me to express my thanks and appreciation for the invitation extended to me to attend this meeting; having moved to Barcelona in August, this has indeed given me the opportunity to first hand, observe, listen and learn about this Programme.

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  • Deputy Secretary General Yigit Alpogan's speech at the international forum “Villes nouvelles en Méditerranée”, Marseille, 1 October 2010 (PDF)

    01.10.2010

    Mr Alpogan’s address – First debate : Land developers and operators of sustainable new cities in the Mediterranean countries. Forum International “Villes nouvelles en Méditerranée” in Marseille – 1st October 2010

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