On 28 October 2024, the Under-Secretary of State, Political Director of the Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ivars Lasis, took part in the 9th Regional Forum of the Union for the Mediterranean held in Barcelona, which gathered officials from the European Union Member States and the Southern Mediterranean countries for a discussion on the situation in the Middle East.
Partners from the EU and the Mediterranean region discussed a possible engagement of the Union for the Mediterranean format in resolving the crisis in the Middle East. The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell Fontelles, underlined the need for making every effort in order to stop the escalation of violence and to resume dialogue. The participants expressed alarm over the suffering and deaths of civilians in hostilities in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon, calling for a ceasefire to be agreed as soon as possible.
The meeting voiced a strong and unanimous support for a two-state solution. Strong support was then expressed for the UN mission in Lebanon, or UNIFIL (United Nations Interim force in Lebanon), also contributed to by Latvia. Iran’s destabilising role in the region and support for Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine were condemned amid concerns about the regional and global impact of Russian aggression.
In 2023, the Union for the Mediterranean celebrated 15 years since its establishment, while launching an internal reform process in this format. The forum addressed the progress of reforms. An exchange of views was held on closer economic integration of the Mediterranean region, which would also contribute to strengthening economic relations with EU Member States and offer a means of enhancing prosperity and security throughout the Mediterranean.
Background information
The Barcelona Process was launched in 1995 as an instrument for cooperation between Europe and the Southern Mediterranean. At the Paris Summit in 2008, it was transformed into the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), providing for closer cooperation between the EU and the Mediterranean countries. The Union for the Mediterranean brings together 42 countries[1], including all EU Member States and 15 Mediterranean region countries – both the so-called Southern Neighbourhood and the Balkan countries. The EU institutions and the Arab League also participate in the union’s work.
[1] Syria’s membership was suspended in 2011. Libya has an observer status.
