Union for the Mediterranenan (UFM) Secretary-General Nasser Kamel stressed that Tunisia, by virtue of its geostrategic position and its close ties with key regional partners, is at the heart of any project bearing the name of the Mediterranean as he was received by Prime Minister Youssef Chahed.
Mr. Chahed, who reaffirmed his support to the work of the Union for the Mediterranean and conveyed the message that the cooperation in the Mediterranean is essential in order to strengthen ties among the countries and the peoples of the region.
Secretary General Nasser Kamel was also received by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Khemaies Jhinaoui, with whom he had the chance to talk about some of the 39 UfM projects implemented in Tunisia, such as the Bizerte Lake Depollution Project, as well as the upcoming Regional Forum of the Union for the Mediterranean, which will take place in Barcelona on October 8th.
Besides, the UFM Secretary General met Minister of Social Affairs, Mohamed Trabelsi, with whom he discussed the regional project MedNC, which addresses the challenge of socio-professional integration of young people and in particular those youngsters who are not in Education, Employment, or Training (NEETs). The Minister has highlighted the importance of the action of the UfM for the access of young people to the labor market. They discussed as well the important matter of diasporas, the role they play on investments and their impact for the development of the countries of origin.
The Secretary General held talks with Riadh Mouakhar, Minister of Local Affairs and Environment, and Neziha Labidi, Minister of Woman, Family and Children.
Ms. Labidi stressed the need to intensify coordination among the countries of the Mediterranean in order to promote the status of women and further strengthen their rights. She highlighted national efforts to promote women’s active participation in political life and economic empowerment, reviewing the various programs, plans and mechanisms developed by Tunisia in this field.
