EU and Southern Neighbourhood partner countries to discuss their future partnership

Tomorrow, on 26 November, High Representative/Vice-President, Josep Borrell, will chair the EU-Southern Neighbourhood partner countries Foreign Ministers’ meeting, hosted by Spain and in which Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement, Olivér Várhelyi, will also take part. Participants will officially launch the reflection on how to renew the EU-Southern Neighbourhood partnership to respond better to today’s challenges and opportunities, including the green and digital transitions and an inclusive recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. On 27 November, High Representative/Vice-President Borrell will co-chair the 5th Regional Forum of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) together with Jordan’s Deputy Prime Minister and the Secretary General of the UfM Secretariat, Nasser Kamel. The meeting will gather Foreign Ministers from the 42 UfM Member States to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Barcelona Process which launched the Euro-Mediterranean partnership in 1995. Participants will discuss developments and common challenges in the Euro-Mediterranean region, reflect together on how to best harness the potential of the UfM to increase dialogue and regional cooperation, and prioritise the activities of the UfM for the years to come. A press conference will take place at 13:00 to conclude the Forum, transmitted on EbS. Today, on 25 November, Commissioner Várhelyi also addressed the participants of the Union for the Mediterranean Civil Society Forum with a video-message which will be available on EbS. More information on the partnership between the EU and its Southern Neighbourhood will be available here.