Middle East and North Africa (MENA)

European Union, 2025

The Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) is an inter-governmental Regional Organisation that promotes cooperation and dialogue in the Euro-Mediterranean region through concrete projects and initiatives, focusing on strategic objectives of regional stability, human development, and regional economic integration. The EU holds the role of Co-Chair, currently alongside Jordan, and provides considerable funding (more than 50% of the UfM Secretariat budget).

Union for the Mediterranean Structure

Launched in 2008, building on the Barcelona Process (also called the Euro-Mediterranean partnership, created in 1995), the UfM is the regional framework for political, economic and social dialogue and cooperation in the Mediterranean. Along with the 27 EU Member States, 16 Mediterranean countries are members of the UfM: Albania, Algeria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Mauritania, Monaco, Montenegro, Morocco, North Macedonia (joined in 2022), Palestine, Syria, Tunisia, and Türkiye. Libya has observer status. Since 2012, the EU and Jordan jointly hold the Presidency of the UfM. UfM Senior Officials Meetings (SOMs), co-chaired by the European External Action Service (EEAS) and Jordan, oversee the activities of the UfM.

The UfM Secretariat, based in Barcelona, ensures the operational follow-up of the regional priorities identified at the UfM’s sectoral Ministerial meetings. Its operational budget is financed by the EU and by contributions from the 43 UfM member states. Currently, 6 Deputy Secretary-Generals (three from the EU and 3 from the Mediterranean partners) steer the sectoral work of the UfM, namely via thematic regional dialogue platforms. UfM Regional Policy Platforms exchange on sectorial ministerial mandates, coordinate their implementation and promote concrete projects for cooperation. They involve a large network of more than 30 000 stakeholders (international organisations, civil society representatives, international financial institutions, development agencies, private sector entities and universities, etc). The UfM Secretariat promotes region-wide cooperation projects and initiatives that address the root causes of regional stability and socio-economic challenges. So far, the UfM has attributed its label to more than 60 projects.

UfM Priorities 

Foreign Ministers of the UfM countries meet since 2015 in an annual Regional Forum, under the co-chairmanship of the EU High Representative / Vice President and the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. In 2025, at the 10th UfM Regional Forum, Ministers welcomed a new Vision Statement for the UfM, with a new set of priorities (centred around the concept of connectivity) and adopted a new structure for the Secretariat, to improve its agility, visibility and efficiency. 

Under the EU-Jordan co-presidency, more than 35 UfM Ministerial Meetings have been organised up to now on important domains for the region such as Energy, Transport, Women Empowerment, Industrial Cooperation, Environment, Climate Action, Digital Economy, Trade, Employment and Labour, Water, or Sustainable Urban Development.

The UfM coordinates the Day of the Mediterranean, celebrated every 28 November since 2021, with the aim to foster a common Mediterranean identity, embrace diversity and celebrate cooperation in the Euro-Mediterranean region, and together with the Anna Lindh Foundation,  organises a Mediterranean capitals of culture and dialogue, to promote the diversity and shared identity of the Mediterranean Basin, and to contribute to a better mutual understanding of its peoples.

The Resolution of the Arab-Israeli conflict is a fundamental interest of the EU. The EU’s objective is a two-state solution with an independent, democratic, viable and contiguous Palestinian state living side-by-side in peace and security with Israel and its other neighbours.

The EU has consistently expressed its concerns about developments on the ground, which threaten to make a two-state solution impossible. In our view, the only way to resolve the conflict is through an agreement that ends the occupation which began in 1967, that ends all claims and that fulfils the aspirations of both parties. A one state reality would not be compatible with these aspirations. A lasting solution must be achieved on the basis of the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions, the Madrid principles including land for peace, the Roadmap, agreements previously reached by the parties and of the Arab Peace Initiative. If an agreement to finally end the conflict were to be reached, the door would open to a deepened and enhanced cooperation among all the countries of the region.

The EU is willing to work with its partners to re-launch peace negotiations, based on the following parameters: 

• An agreement on the borders of the two states, based on the 4 June 1967 lines with equivalent land swaps as may be agreed between the parties. The EU will recognize changes to the pre-1967 borders, including with regard to Jerusalem, only when agreed by the parties. 
• Security arrangements that, for Palestinians, respect their sovereignty and show that the occupation is over; and, for Israelis, protect their security, prevent the resurgence of terrorism and deal effectively with security threats, including with new and vital threats in the region. 
• A just, fair, agreed and realistic solution to the refugee question. 
• Fulfilment of the aspirations of both parties for Jerusalem. A way must be found through negotiations to resolve the status of Jerusalem as the future capital of both states. 

To that end, the EU undertakes a range of activities – both political and practical – and is the largest donor to Palestinian state-building efforts aiming at a Palestinian state based on the rule of law and respect of human rights. It has also consistently called for intra-Palestinian reconciliation and holding of democratic elections.

The EU – with the UN, the US and the Russian Federation – is a member of the 'Quartet' which in 2002 launched a ‘road map for peace’ aimed at resolving the conflict. The EU has welcomed the Arab Peace Initiative as a significant contribution from the Arab countries. 

The European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) is the foreign policy framework aiming at bringing the EU and its Eastern and Southern neighbours closer, to their mutual benefit and interest. It was launched in 2004 to foster stability, security and prosperity in the EU's neighbouring regions, both in the South and in the East.

In 2015, the High Representative and the European Commission adopted the ENP Review, which brought a change to the cooperation framework and proposed ways to build more effective partnerships in the neighbourhood.

The ENP builds on the commitment of the EU and its neighbours to work together on key priority areas. This partnership is based on shared values, the promotion of democracy, rule of law, respect for human rights and social cohesion. The reviewed ENP also adds 3 joint priorities for cooperation: 1. Economic development for stabilisation; 2. Security; 3. Migration and mobility.

Differentiation is a guiding principle of the EU relations with its neighbourhood. This approach recognises the different aspirations of the partner countries towards their relations with the EU. Therefore, the EU offers tailor made partnerships to its neighbours. Joint Documents (i.e. Partnership Priorities, Association Agendas or equivalents) are set together with each country, focusing on shared interests. This allows for a sense of ownership and flexibility in tailoring support to each partner country’s ambitions. Greater involvement of EU Member States and shared responsibility are also among the key principles of the ENP. At the core of the ENP is the ambition to deepen the engagement with the civil society and social partners. The ENP offers partner countries greater access to the EU's market and regulatory framework, standards and internal agencies and programmes.

Since the 1995 Barcelona Declaration, the Maghreb Countries (Algeria, Morocco, Libya and Tunisia) and the EU have been working together to turn the Mediterranean basin into an area of dialogue, exchange and cooperation.

Almost three decades later, guaranteeing peace, stability and prosperity in the Southern Neighbourhood is a mutual interest, based on geographic proximity, economic and geographic complementarity as well as longstanding historical and cultural ties between the peoples on both shores of the Mediterranean.

Through the ENP – the European Neighbourhood Policy – framework launched in 2004,  the EU and the Southern Partners commit themselves to build an effective and tailored partnership that recognizes our growing interdependence and allows us to strategically act together to turn common challenges in opportunities.

The Gulf is a dynamic region and an important gateway between Europe, Asia and Africa. Its security, stability and prosperity bear direct consequences for Europe.

The promising societal and economic changes underway in the Gulf countries, based on ambitious transformative agendas (‘Visions’), and their further development, offer a wide range of opportunities for cooperation and investment. The EU stands much to gain from stronger cooperation with the Gulf as new developments emerged that inspired stronger cooperation with the Gulf region such as the need for seeking energy security, seizing trade and investment opportunities, addressing climate change, common security challenges and alignment of positions in multilateral fora. More recently, the conflict between Israel and Hamas and destabilizing activities in the Red Sea has demonstrated the major role of many of the Gulf countries in achieving sustainable peace and stability in the region but also beyond.

The OIC with it seats in Jeddah, is an international organisation constituted by 57 Member States from four continents: Africa, Asia, South America and Europe. Set up in 1969, its objectives are to safeguard and protect the interests of the Muslim world in the spirit of promoting international peace.

Stated OIC programmatic priority areas include Peace and Security, Palestine and Jerusalem, Poverty Alleviation, Counter-terrorism, Investment and Finance, Food Security, Science and Technology, Climate Change and Sustainability, Moderation, Culture and Interfaith Harmony, Empowerment of Women, Joint Islamic Humanitarian Action, Human Rights and Good Governance.

There are altogether 15 Delegations in the MENA region: