Finland Times

 

 

The Union for the Mediterranean’s Secretary General Fathallah Sijilmassi is scheduled to reach Finland today (Wednesday) as part of the organisation’s first official visit to the country, said a foreign ministry press release.  

 

In his two-day long visit, Sijilmassi would meet, among others, with Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja and Minister for International Development Pekka Haavisto and is scheduled to speak at the seminar entitled "The Union for the Mediterranean: Challenges and Opportunities in Strengthening Euro-Mediterranean Cooperation". 

 

The Finnish Institute of International Affairs is organising the seminar. 

 

Founded in 2008 at the initiative of France, the Union for the Mediterranean is a cooperation body of 43 countries. With headquarters and secretariat in Barcelona, the Union’s membership comprises of the EU Member States as well as all of the coastal states of the Mediterranean.

 

As did its predecessor, the so-called Barcelona Process created already in 1995, it includes both Israel and the Palestinian Territory.

 

The main purpose of the Union for the Mediterranean is to promote regional cooperation, in particular through the creation of new productive projects where the public and private sectors collaborate closely. Its fields of priority are renewable energy, transport, the environment and sustainable development, social issues and education.

 

The European Union is the largest financier of the Union for the Mediterranean. The European Investment Bank (EIB) also supports its activities.