The Foreign Minister participated in the proceedings of the 7th Regional Forum of the Union for the Mediterranean and the 4th EU-Southern Neighbourhood Ministerial Meeting, which took place today in Barcelona, Spain.
The discussions focused on the complications caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the food sector and the issue of energy supply for the countries of the region, as well as ways of jointly addressing them effectively. In this context, the Ministers exchanged views on securing the future of the new generation, focusing on the issues of research and innovation, labour market participation and improving the socio-economic situation in the Southern Neighbourhood countries.
In his interventions, the Foreign Minister focused on the further promotion of regional multilateralism which has the potential to deliver results at many levels, food insecurity and its consequences, migration flows, underlining the need to implement a zero tolerance policy for its instrumentalisation by some countries.
Kasoulides welcomed the agreement between Israel and Lebanon on the demarcation of their maritime zones, and stressed the importance of mutually beneficial regional synergies to ensure the energy security of our wider neighbourhood.
The Foreign Minister also highlighted the importance of empowering the role of the younger generation and women in terms of participation in entrepreneurship and the labour market, as well as in the decision-making process. Kasoulides called for closer EU cooperation with the Southern Neighbourhood countries, making full use of existing channels with the Arab League and the African Union.
In the margins of his presence in Barcelona, the Foreign Minister attended an informal working dinner hosted by the Spanish Foreign Minister, Mr. José Manuel Albares Bueno, while he had separate bilateral contacts, including with the Foreign Minister of Morocco, Mr. Mr. Nasser Bourita, the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Jordan, Mr. Ayman Safadi and the Secretary General of the Union for the Mediterranean, Mr. Nasser Kamel.
Mr. Kasoulides returns to Cyprus tomorrow, Friday, 25 November 2022.
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