Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Gordan Grlić Radman on Monday participated in the 6th Regional Forum of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) and the 3rd EU-Southern Neighbourhood Ministerial Meeting.
Foreign ministers of the EU member states and the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean countries exchanged views on building a better and safer future for the Mediterranean. Other topics included curbing the spread of COVID-19, economic development, climate change and migration.
“Dealing with these challenges will require additional advancement of relations between the Northern and Southern Mediterranean countries through closer strategic partnership, stronger economic cooperation, investment and sustainable growth,” Grlić Radman said.
The ministers reflected on the climate change and the growing number of consequent natural disasters. “The Mediterranean is, unfortunately, experiencing one of the direst consequences of climate change – catastrophic wildfires. This year, Croatia helped put out historic wildfires in several neighbouring Mediterranean countries,” the minister said. He underscored the need for strengthening cooperation in fighting climate change through joint green development and sustainable blue economy projects.
Grlić Radman also reflected on migration, saying it posed a serious, long-term socioeconomic challenge to both sides of the Mediterranean. “The new Pact on Migration and Asylum will offer a framework for a stronger cooperation and coordination, and the EU will certainly provide support in that regard,” he said. The minister called for stepping up cross-border cooperation to improve security in the Mediterranean basin.
During his stay in Barcelona, Grlić Radman also met with his Spanish counterpart José Manuel Albares for talks on Croatia-Spain bilateral relations and cooperation in dealing with the challenges in the Mediterranean region.
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