UfM Ministers Agree on New Dynamics for Enhanced Regional Energy Framework

Rome – The ministers in charge of energy from the 43 members of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) agreed, on Thursday in Rome, to step up regional cooperation on energy in order to deliver a secure, affordable and sustainable energy supply, a major factor for stability and shared prosperity in the Mediterranean region.

At the meeting, co-chaired by the European Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy, Miguel Arias Cañete, and the Jordanian Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Ibrahim Saif, the ministers agreed that policy dialogue and concrete initiatives will be carried out under the three UfM energy platforms covering the priority policy areas, namely the UfM Regional Electricity Market Platform (UfM REM Platform), the UfM Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Platform (UfM REEE Platform) and the UfM Gas Platform.

The UfM energy platforms are flexible and effective structures which, under the coordination of the UfM Co-Presidency, organise and support systematic dialogue among UfM Members, financial institutions, regional organisations, industrial enterprises and experts.

“Cooperation in the energy sector is a major element of the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership,” said Commissioner Arias Cañete said.

He added that “a secure, sustainable and competitive energy supply is a priority that Europe shares with its North African and Middle East partners, and is key to underpinning stability and prosperity across the region,” noting that “to achieve these objectives, large scale investments in energy in the Mediterranean will be necessary.”

Echoing him, Minister Saif said that “energy security is one of the major common concerns and challenges that are storming our region at the Mediterranean, adding more constrains to the economic and social development.”

He added that “Ministers and stakeholders today’s gathering stand testimonial that only by strategic cooperation, energy security can be achieved.

For his part, UfM Secretary General Sijilmassi said that “today’s meeting demonstrates the common will of 43 countries to work together in the areas of energy and climate action,” adding that the three platforms should make the regional framework for the development of renewable energies, energy efficiency and the integration of electricity markets and gas in the Mediterranean more coherent and clearer.

“These initiatives illustrate the UfM’s action-driven efforts towards deeper regional cooperation and economic integration based on a specific methodology which turns our political mandate into concrete projects through a multi-partner regional dialogue,” Sijilmassi said.