"Regional South Newsletter" Newsletter Issues

OECD Sustainable Investment Days (13/11/2023)

On November 7, the OECD in cooperation with DG NEAR within the Global OECD Sustainable Investment Days, organised a meeting to exchange on monitoring and evaluation tools for Investment Promotion Agencies in the MENA region.

Exploring the Mediterranean dimension of the Global Gateway (13/11/2023)

On the last 9 October, took place the EuroMeSCo Business Platform at Casa Árabe, with a plurality of actors to talk about the Mediterranean dimension of the Global Gateway and its strategic cooperation opportunities.

150 experts meet in Madrid to discuss the future of Euro-Mediterranean relations (13/11/2023)

On the last 10-11 October 2023, EuroMeSCo held the 2023 edition of the Annual Conference “From the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership to a Euro-Mediterranean Geostrategic Alliance” which gathered around 150 participants from 32 countries to talk about the challenges in the Euro-Mediterranean region.

The annual Steering Committee of the SwitchMed project in Vienna (13/11/2023)

In Vienna on the last 8 and 9 November took place the fifth annual Steering Committee of the SwitchMed project. A project aiming to stimulate the creation of business and employment opportunities while reducing the environmental footprint.

Final conference of the SAFIR regional project in Paris (16/11/2023)

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EL HIWAR III Workshop on Green Transition and Climate Change (20/11/2023)

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Impact Week & launch of the Impact Together! Regional project on social economy in Torino. (22/11/2023)

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Planet on the Mend : Climate action in the Mediterranean Event - 24 October 2023 (27/10/2023)

On 24 October 2023 in Brussels, Planet on the mend: Climate Action in the Mediterranean, an event organized by the DG NEAR with support from the Clima-Med project, took place with several EU and South Mediterranean actors to raise awareness of the climate crisis affecting the region, and to discuss solutions.

Conference on Innovation and Digital Economy (2023 IGNITE North Africa Conference) (26/10/2023)

DG NEAR B2 was present at the 2023 IGNITE North Africa Conference, organized by SPARK, gathering different groups from public and private sector as well as investors and entrepreneurs to share their thoughts about how can they improve the economic opportunities for youth, women and refugees in North Africa.

The 8th Annual Focal Point Meeting with 10 partner countries (27/10/2023)

The 8th Annual Focal Point Meeting of the Euromed Trade Helpdesk - Trade and Investment Facilitation Mechanism aimed to give a platform for national partner of 10 partner countries to discuss achievements due to this program funded by the EU.

First step of collaboration with Lebanese stakeholders (27/10/2023)

The first step of the TIFM II project was launched through a Capacity-Building Programme in collaboration with Lebanese stakeholders

Palestinian certified trainers in the field (27/10/2023)

The Palestinian national trainers, recently, have been actively sharing their knowledge about the regional Euromed Trade Helpdesk, among Palestinians actors in the field.

Spreading the knowledge in Morocco on Euromed Trade Helpdesk (27/10/2023)

Moroccan certified trainers have been spreading the knowledge on Euromed Trade Helpdesk in Morocco to create more skilled team and actors.

OECD Sustainable Investment Days and M&E meeting for MENA IPA in Paris (07/11/2023)

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5th Euromed Justice Prosecutors General Forum and Euromed Justice V Conference (Online) (15/11/2023)

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UfM Trade and Investment Forum in Brussels (04/12/2023)

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CyberSouth final conference, Bucharest – Romania (14/12/2023)

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We are BACK after two months of break with updates on Regional Cooperation in the Southern Neighborhoud ! (16/10/2023)

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The UfM Transport Connectivity Platform and its Thematic Working Groups Meeting of the 3-4 October 2023 (13/10/2023)

On 3-4 October 2023, a meeting of the UfM Transport Connectivity Platform and its Thematic Working Groups took place with the objective of talking about the new Regional Transport Action Plan for the Mediterranean region (RTAP) for the period until 2027.

EuroMeSCo Survey on The Future of the European Neighbourhood Policy (13/10/2023)

“What is the Future of the European Neighbourhood Policy?” This is the title of the survey that the European Institute of the Mediterranean (IEMed) launched to reflect on how we can improve, through new dynamics, the Euro-Mediterranean relations. Respond before the 16 October.

EuroMeSCo published a Paper on Urban Farming and Its Socioeconomic and Environmental Benefits for Ensuring Sustainable and Inclusive Growth in Jordan (13/10/2023)

A New policy paper was published by EuroMeSCo about the pressing issues of food security, climate-induced risks, socioeconomic vulnerability in urban centers while promoting the socioeconomic and environmental benefits of urban farming to improve sustainable and inclusive growth in Jordan.

Amman regional forum - Future Scenarios for a Vital Cultural Ecosystem on 24-26 October 2023 (24/10/2023)

On 24-26 October, Culture Resource in collaboration with the MMAG Foundation will organize the Amman regional forum - Future Scenarios for a Vital Cultural Ecosystem, which will aim to share knowledge and strategic reflection about a better cultural ecosystem.

The Sixth edition of the Cairo Water Week from the 29th October to 2nd November 2023 co-organized by the EU (29/10/2023)

In Cairo, from the 29th October to 2nd November 2023, the EU co-organize the Sixth edition of the Cairo Water Week, while being largely involved in panels and exchange through several panelist from the European Commission, Delegation etc.

MED MSME Training of Trainers for a more inclusive Fintech sector in the South Med region (11/10/2023)

From the last 22nd September to 7th October 2023 the MED MSME programme held a Training of Trainers focusing on Fintech with a Gender lens. This Training of Trainers led by Dr. Amira Kaddour, had several objectives among them supporting champions on advocating more inclusive Fintech sector in the South Med region, engage with policymakers and regulators, etc.

EuroMeSCo Annual Conference 2023 "From the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership to a Euro-Mediterranean Geostrategic Alliance" (13/10/2023)

EuroMeSCo held on 10-11 October its 2023 Annual Conference in Madrid, with the participation of 150 experts from the public, private sector and civil society, to talk about all the experience gathered and think on what can be done to improve the Euro-Mediterranean partnership.

Amman Regional Forum - Future Scenarios for a Vital Cultural Ecosystem on 24-26 October 2023 (24/10/2023)

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The Sixth edition of the Cairo Water Week from the 29th October to 2nd November 2023 co-organized by the EU (29/10/2023)

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EuroMed Justice Study Visit, The Hague (19/07/2023)

High-level criminal justice representatives from countries from the Southern Neighbourhood region met in The Hague for a fruitful exhange of experience from peers at the International Criminal Court and EU bodies such as Europol and the project EuroMed Police.

Regional Seminar - Prevention and Avoidance of Investor-State Disputes (11/07/2023)

The seminar - Cairo, 11-12 July - focused on the prevention of disputes between governmental agencies and investors, through the establishment of adequate dispute prevention policies and institutional mechanisms.

IMAP-MPA project's last steering committee (20/07/2023)

The IMAP-MPA project, which will end in August 2023, held its last steering committee back-to-back with its final visibility event. The SEMPA project will build on the achievements of IMAP-MPA and will kick-off soon.

3rd Policy Working Group - Mainstreaming Employment into Trade and Investment (METI) Programme (21/07/2023)

The 3rd Policy working Group meeting of the Mainstreaming Employment into Trade and Investment (METI) Programme was held in Tunisia on July 21 to discuss value chain analysis of the aromatic and medicinal plants and essential oils sector.

Forum with Southern Neighbourhood statistical offices – steering MEDSTAT V forward (24/07/2023)

In Rome, on 5 and 6 July 2023, the 11th Forum of Euro-Mediterranean statisticians took place. A large range of participants, including Eurostat management, heads of statistical offices from the Southern Neighbourhood partner countries, representatives of statistical offices from the EU members states and EFTA statistical office, met to discuss the EU-Mediterranean cooperation in the field of statistics.

Fruitful impact event and Steering Committee of ‘Impact Together!’ project took place in Tbilisi (11/07/2023)

On 28-29 June, representatives of the European Commission (DG NEAR) attended a gathering with Eastern and Southern neighbours in Tbilisi. The aim was to connect stakeholders involved in social economic programmes in the two regions, to share and compare experiences and identify common challenges.

ASCAME Community Week: Strengthening Ties and Fostering Business Excellence in the Mediterranean (11/07/2023)

On 6-9 June, a community of stakeholders attended the ASCAME Community Week, held in the framework of the EBSOMED project. There, participants - among which chambers of commerce and businesses - could engage in fruitful interactions, share experiences and enlarge their respective networks.

Successful 11th Excom Meeting of EBSOMED project marks milestones and strengthens collaboration (11/07/2023)

Ahead of the EBSOMED project's final conference, project partners and European Commission representatives met to discuss achievements, share best practices and discuss prospects for the future.

Closing seminar of the EBSOMED Project: Celebrating Achievements and Shaping a Promising Future for the Euro-Mediterranean region (11/07/2023)

On 16 June, in Brussels, the EBSOMED project held its final conference, bringing together an esteemed consortium of partners. Partners shared the achievements, groundbreaking ideas, and promising prospects of the EBSOMED project, which has consistently demonstrated resilience and innovation in the face of regional challenges.

WES project concludes national activity in Algeria (11/07/2023)

The Water and Environment Support (WES) project recently delivered its conclusion on the technical support activity carried out in Algeria, which focused in the promotion of sustainable consumption and green entrepreneurship.

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UfM Regional Platform on Trade and Investment (22/06/2023)

In preparation of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) Trade Ministers Conference to be held in Valencia, the regional platform on trade and investment met in Brussels.

UfM Regional Platform on Industrial Cooperation (22/06/2023)

The Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) member states met online on 13 June in the framework of the Regional Platform on Industrial Cooperation.

EU-OECD Regional Seminar on Investment for Sustainable Development in the MENA Region (19/06/2023)

On 19-20 June, within the framework of the EU-funded programme on Investment in the Mediterranean, the Regional Seminar and the Programme 2nd Advisory Group Meeting were held in Istanbul at the OECD Regional Centre.

EU-South Med Tech Days took place in Marrakech, Morocco, on 31 May-2 June 2023 (20/06/2023)

The event, organized jointly by DG NEAR and DG GROW, gathered around 60 participants in the framework of the 'Euromed Clusters Forward' project to unlock potential collaborations among South Med clusters and peers.

Tabadool dialogue on SME policy evaluation (21/06/2023)

In collaboration with the OECD, the MED MSMEs programme organized an online Tabadool dialogue to take stock and provide insights on evaluation of support policies addressed to MSMEs.

The 'Water and Environment Support' (WES) project presents outcomes of technical assistance on plastic bottle waste management in Morocco (20/06/2023)

In its latest newsletter, the WES project recalls the technical assistance provided to the Department of Sustainable Development (DSD) in the Moroccan Ministry of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, between April 2021 and February 2023. This technical assistance aimed at promoting Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for managing plastic bottle waste.

Tabadool webinar on Fintech in gender lens: an action plan (21/06/2023)

Fintech is also an opportunity for women of the Mediterranean region, this is why the MED MSMEs programme held a Tabadool webinar to discuss women as potential beneficiaries and implementers of a Fintech regional action plan.

The MED MSMEs programme publishes the May issue of the Tabadool newsletter (21/06/2023)

All there is to know about inspiring practices concerning policies and regulations related to MSMEs business environment can be found in the Tabadool newsletter.

Contribution to the IMF Middle East Regional Technical Assistance Centre (22/06/2023)

Representatives from IMF/METAC, METAC member countries, development partners (European Commission, France, Germany, Switzerland, as well as UNDP and UN women) and civil society organisations met at the Regional Conference (hybrid) held in Beirut on 7 June.

Exploring Sustainable Investments: Best Practices and Collaborative Strategies Shared at the EBSOMED Conference (22/06/2023)

In Barcelona, Spain, experts and stakeholders from the business and investment sectors came together for a three-day event, organized in collaboration with the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM).

Connecting Businesses for Growth: Key Takeaways from the Regional Business Networking Forum (22/06/2023)

A networking event took place in Amman, Jordan, counting on the collaboration with the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Supply of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation in Jordan to offer opportunities to Jordanian SMEs to connect with other stakeholders and businesses of the MENA region.

Successful EBSOMED training course in Rabat: dematerialization at the heart of business start-up challenges (22/06/2023)

ANIMA organized, in the framework of the EBSOMED project, a three-day academy aiming to promote high-quality digital tools and services to improve the efficiency of the strategies of startup businesses.

Building Bridges for Sustainable Development: Insights from the EBSOMED Academy (22/06/2023)

Transformative change should come about if green and social transitions are addressed together. The EBSOMED academy which took place in Marseille in May aimed to offer the platform to catalyze such change via exchange of experiences and good practices to define ways to advance to social and solidarity economy.

EuroMeSCo publishes Policy Study on Digital Transformation in the MENA Region (23/06/2023)

The digital transition comes with challenges but also great opportunities. This new EuroMeSCo Policy Study the economic opportunities related to this transition and the steps needed to ensure a positive outcome.

Civil society actors met in Morocco for the first national meeting of the Civil Society Facility for the Mediterranean (CSF Med) (23/06/2023)

To kick-start the national engagement activities of the new CSF Med, the EU Delegation to Morocco co-organized a two-day event which gave the opportunity for relevant stakeholder to engage in structured dialogue with civil society at country level.

EuroMeSCo publishes Policy Study on Climate-Induced Internal Displacement in MENA Countries (23/06/2023)

The Mediterranean is one of the regions that is most affected by climate change. In the MENA region, internal displacement is one of the direct consequences of climate changes and adds up to the several challenges the region faces. This new Policy Study highlights the need for a holistic approach and the importance of long-term adaptation and resilience mechanisms for affected communities.

EBSOMED BSO’s Management Academy - An introduction to the ESG framework: Understanding Environmental, Social, and Governance Factors in Business Operations (05/07/2023)

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Civil Society Facility - National engagement in Morocco (12/06/2023)

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Forum on social entrepreneurship hosted by the SAFIR project in Casablanca, Morocco (06/06/2023)

Around 200 participants gathered for a two-day forum to share experiences and ideas concerning social entrepreneurship ecosystems.

Euromed Police: Mentoring programme 1 - Criminal financing (22/06/2023)

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CyberSouth: National conference (20/06/2023)

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Civil Society Facility - National engagement in Tunisia (19/06/2023)

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Consultation workshop organised by WES environment experts in Jordan (09/06/2023)

On 17 May 2023, environment experts of the WES project convened a workshop in Amman, Jordan, to discuss the outcomes of two interlinked project activities in Jordan pending conclusion.

Investment for sustainable development in the MENA region: Incentives, skills development & Advisory Group of the EU-OECD Regional Programme on Investment in the Mediterranean (19/06/2023)

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EuroMed Justice : 17th CrimEx in Rome. (12/06/2023)

A three-day event in Rome gathered all relevant stakeholders of EuroMed Justice and marked the first meeting of the EuroMed Justice Network of Contact Points (EMJNet)

EuroMeSCo launches Call for Participants for the EuroMed Young Researchers Forum 2023 (12/06/2023)

EuroMeSCo is looking for talented young researchers to join the 6th edition of its Young Researchers Forum. 30 participants will be selected to meet in Madrid to explore youth approaches to conflict resolution in the Euro-Mediterranean region.

CyberSouth: Renewed interest and support at the 10th Steering Committee Meeting (12/06/2023)

On 1 June 2023, the Cybercrime Programme Office of the Council of Europe, together with the Council of Europe Office in Tunisia and the European Commission met with representatives from Algeria, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco and Tunisia for the 10th Steering Committee meeting of the CyberSouth project, in Tunis, Tunisia.

EBSOMED jointly holds seminar with GIZ and UfM on 'Aligning Investments with Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility' (12/06/2023)

On 24 - 26 May ANIMA organised, under the EU supported EBSOMED project, a seminar jointly with the UFM Secretariat and GIZ on ‘Aligning Investments with Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility’, gathering representatives from different international organisations (including EBRD, OECD, UNIDO) and Business Support Organisations in Europe and the Southern Neighbourhood.

Building Alliances for Budget Accountability in the Southern Neighbourhood (BABA) to unlock the power of open budget in the region (12/06/2023)

Amidst the challenges of budget transparency in the MENA region, glimpses of hope and promising signs of reform are emerging. The EU-International Budget Partnership (IBP) new initiative in the MENA region, Building Alliances for Budget Accountability in the Southern Neighbourhood, will enable further progress to be made. The project is currently in its inception phase.

WES concludes national activity in Tunisia on support for the implementation of sustainable public procurement mechanisms (12/06/2023)

The project recently concluded one of its national activities in which Tunisian public and private borides participated.

The Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) holds first in-person Senior Officials meeting since start of Covid-19 pandemic (30/05/2023)

In Barcelona, on 23 May, Senior Officials met at the UfM headquarters to discuss and reflect on the future developments and possible improvements to be made for the functioning of this institution.

EuroMeSCo launches Call for Papers for Annual Conference 2023 (30/05/2023)

As its Annual Conference will be held in the autumn, EuroMeSCo is looking for authors for its related call for papers on the topic of "The quest for a more “geopolitical” EU foreign policy in the MENA"

EU-ILO programme on Mainstreaming Employment into Trade and Investment (METI) zoom on the value chain selection for further analysis (22/05/2023)

Trade and investment can stimulate employment, but it is necessary to build on a solid basis and to select the value chains that are fit for purpose. On 8 May, 20 representatives from relevant government ministries, from the social partners, specialized national agencies, and civil society organisations gathered in Egypt to discussed the value chain analysis.

Georges Youssef, Mayor of Menjez, Lebanon, appointed as a member of the Board of Mayors and Leaders of the Global Covenant of Mayors (GCoM) for Climate and Energy (30/05/2023)

In recognition of Mr Youssef's work as Mayor of Menjez, a municipality in Lebanon, for more urban sustainability in his city, Mr Youssef was recently appointed to be part of the GCoM's Board of Mayors and Leaders.

EuroMed Justice (EMJ) holds conference on joint investigations (30/05/2023)

Cooperation among judicial authorities of Southern Mediterranean countries has many prospects. The Joint EMJ and Academy of European Law explored how countries could take a step further and implement joint investigations.

The Second Edition of meetMED Week in Morocco tackles energy transition in the Mediterranean region (30/05/2023)

Within the activities of the meetMED II project (Mitigation Enabling Energy Transition in the Mediterranean Region), funded by the European Union, the second edition of meetMED Weeks took place in Marrakech from 9 to 11 May. The three-day event brought together more than 250 energy experts representing officials, stakeholders, and policymakers from the Mediterranean region with the aim of promoting energy and climate transition.

EuroMeSCo releases the Joint Policy Study: Towards a Renewed Euro-Mediterranean Cooperation on Sustainable Agri-Food Systems for Food Security in the Region (30/05/2023)

Written under the coordination of Marko Lovec, the new Policy Study of the EuroMeSCo project explores the state of play of cooperation in the field of agriculture in the Mediterranean region and makes policy proposals in this regard.

1st regional roundtable of the UfM Water-Energy-Food and Ecosystems (WEFE) Nexus (06/06/2023)

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BCD regional presentation: 2023 UfM-UNIDO Women Business Forum (06/06/2023)

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13th Meeting of UfM Water Expert Group (WEG13) (07/06/2023)

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The MED MSMEs Programme issues April newsletter (10/05/2023)

In the April issue of its monthly newsletter "TABADOOL", the MED MSMEs Programme provides fresh insights on policies and regulations affecting the MSMEs business environment.

BCD regional presentation: Business and Investment Regional Forum (22/05/2023)

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UfM Energy Platforms Annual Meeting in Barcelona highlights importance of regional collaboration on energy in the Mediterranean region (15/05/2023)

Following up on the UfM Ministerial Declaration on Energy as signed in 2021, every year representatives of the UfM member countries meet to discuss the state of play of implementing the roadmap for Action on Energy. Some 80 participants from UfM member governments as well as relevant energy stakeholders, came together on 3 and 4 May in Barcelona to discuss the progress of implementation of the roadmap and next steps for further regional cooperation on energy.

Conference : Aligning investment with sustainability and corporate responsability (24/05/2023)

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Cryptocurrencies and drugs: Analysis of cryptocurrency use on darknet markets in the EU and neighbouring countries (15/05/2023)

Cryptocurrencies are still trendy and a growing topic of interest. They also raise a lot of questions as to the opportunities and the risks that they represent for societies and markets. On that topic, the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) published an analysis of the use of cryptocurrencies on darknet markets

Leveraging e-Commerce for SME Exports: How to Unleash the Potential? (10/05/2023)

Representatives of the EU, ministries, regulators, financial institutions, alternative finance promoters, as well as the civil society, notably women in business associations as well as the National SBA Coordinators, gathered for a webinar to discuss how to reshape commerce through the digital transformation.

Researchers from MENA participate in a workshop on Open Budget Survey methodology (12/05/2023)

Partners from Jordan and Palestine joined a cohort of collaborators coming from 125 countries in a series of workshops held by the International Budget Partnership between January and April 2023.

4th UfM Working Group on Environment and Climate Action (24/05/2023)

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Video: EU4Monitoring Drugs and Cooperation with the Southern Neighbourhood (15/05/2023)

The European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) released a new video about the regional programme “EU4 Monitoring Drugs” and the cooperation for the South Partner Countries.

1st regional roundtable of the UfM Water-Energy-Food and Ecosystems (WEFE) Nexus (06/06/2023)

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BCD regional presentation: 2023 UfM-UNIDO Women Business Forum (06/06/2023)

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13th Meeting of UfM Water Expert Group (WEG13) (07/06/2023)

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NEAR B contributes to reflection on Spain’s future regional programme (02/05/2023)

Ensuring the coordination of EU and Spanish priorities in terms of development assistance in the Southern Neighbourhood is of utmost importance in a context of geopolitical shift in the region. To convey the EU's approach, NEAR B attended the IEMed-AECID Seminar on “Development Cooperation in the Mediterranean”, which took place on 24 April 2023 at Casa Arabe in Madrid.

Supported by South Programme V, Morocco publishes first guide of indicators to detect and identify potential victims of human trafficking (27/04/2023)

In close collaboration with the joint EU-Council of Europe programme South Programme V, Morocco released its newest tool to combat human trafficking.

EU4Monitoring Drugs II launched in Brussels (27/04/2023)

The second phase of the EU4Monitoring Drugs programme was launched in April. This second iteration of the programme marks a new phase of cooperation between the EU and the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA).

Water and Environment Support (WES) project concludes national activity in Lebanon (27/04/2023)

Between March 2021 and September 2022, the WES project supported the government of Lebanon with specific technical assistance focused on prevention and abatement of industrial pollution in the country.

International Budget Partnership is recruiting for the position of Senior Programme Officer (Regional Coordination) MENA Region (27/04/2023)

The International Budget Partnership, a partner of the EU on the Open Budget Survey, is currently looking for a new Senior Programme Officer focusing on the MENA Region, a position to be filled until September of 2026.

The South Programme V kicked off in Lisbon in March 2023 (27/04/2023)

The joint EU-Council of Europe (CoE) South Programme launched its fifth iteration in Lisbon on 13-14 March 2023 with 130 participants from both shores of the Mediterranean.

EBSOMED BSO Management Academy - Dematerialisation of procedures for companies and investors (03/05/2023)

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BCD regional presentation: Business and Investment Regional Forum (22/05/2023)

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Conference : Aligning investment with sustainability and corporate responsability (24/05/2023)

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4th UfM Working Group on Environment and Climate Action (24/05/2023)

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1st regional roundtable of the UfM Water-Energy-Food and Ecosystems (WEFE) Nexus (06/06/2023)

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13th Meeting of UfM Water Expert Group (WEG13) (07/06/2023)

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BCD regional presentation: 2023 UfM-UNIDO Women Business Forum (06/06/2023)

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