What Union for the Mediterranean does

The Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) is an intergovernmental organization established in Paris in 2008 and operationally headquartered in Barcelona since March 2010, bringing together 43 countries — 28 EU Member States and 15 Southern and Eastern Mediterranean countries — to advance regional dialogue, cooperation, and concrete project delivery across three strategic objectives: human development, stability, and integration. Governance is exercised through a rotating co-presidency between the EU and a Mediterranean partner country, a Secretariat led by a Secretary General, and a Joint Management Committee, with member-state contributions and EU co-funding providing the entire financial base. The organization does not sell products or services and generates no commercial revenue.

The UfM's core deliverables are policy frameworks, publications, regional platforms, ministerial meetings, and labelled projects. Outputs cited in the input include the 2030 Action Plan on Civil Protection and Disaster Risk Management, the Youth Mainstreaming Plan (2026–2030), the Euro-Mediterranean Agenda on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the Empowering Women Entrepreneurs in the MENA Agro-Food Sector initiative, the Research to Business (R2B) commercialization programme, and reports such as the International Knowledge Exchanges in Architecture and Urban Planning. Cultural bridge-building initiatives include the Day of the Mediterranean and Mediterranean Capitals of Culture and Dialogue. Operations are supported by 51–100 staff of 17+ nationalities working in a trilingual (English, French, Arabic) environment, with go-to-market executed through ministerial convenings (35+ to date), regional platforms engaging 8,000+ stakeholders annually, and a project-labelling pipeline of 60+ initiatives.

The business model is contribution-based: 43 member states provide assessed funding, supplemented by EU co-funding and donor grants from partners such as GIZ, AECID, and the EIB. Strategic partnerships anchor execution capacity across verticals — UNESCO (culture and education), FAO and CIHEAM (agro-food), UN Women/UNDP/ESCWA (gender and development), EIB (infrastructure finance), IUCN (environment), EMUNI (higher education), IEMed (knowledge), and PRIMA (research and innovation). Distribution occurs through direct engagement with member states, regional platforms, ministerial meetings, and public communications channels rather than commercial sales channels.

Name

Union for the Mediterranean

Legal name

Secretariat of the Union for the Mediterranean

Website

https://ufmsecretariat.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Union for the Mediterranean is an intergovernmental organization of 43 Euro-Mediterranean countries that facilitates regional dialogue, ministerial cooperation, and labelled development projects through a Secretariat in Barcelona, funded by member-state contributions and EU co-funding.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Barcelona

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Member State Contributions: The UfM is financed through contributions from its 43 member states and co-funded by the European Union. The organization does not generate commercial revenue.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) is an intergovernmental organization that convenes 43 Euro-Mediterranean countries to promote dialogue, cooperation, and development projects. Its core offerings are not commercial products but policy frameworks (such as the 2030 Civil Protection Action Plan and Youth Mainstreaming Plan 2026–2030), labelled development projects, regional platforms engaging 8,000+ stakeholders annually, ministerial meetings, and knowledge products such as publications and reports.

Product overview

The Union for the Mediterranean is an intergovernmental organization that does not offer traditional software products or technology services. Its primary offerings consist of policy frameworks, publications, reports, and regional initiatives focused on Euro-Mediterranean cooperation. Key products include: the International Knowledge Exchanges in Architecture and Urban Planning report (presenting 10 case studies on Mediterranean urban development); the UfM Youth Mainstreaming Plan (2026-2030) providing an institutional roadmap for youth mainstreaming; the 2030 UfM Action Plan on Civil Protection and Disaster Risk Management for regional cooperation on disaster preparedness; the Euro-Mediterranean Agenda on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (a Theory of Change document); and the Empowering Women Entrepreneurs in the MENA Agro-Food Sector initiative. Additional initiatives include the Day of the Mediterranean, Mediterranean Capitals of Culture and Dialogue, the Euro-Mediterranean Women in Journalism Award, and the Research to Business (R2B) Programme. These publications and initiatives serve as the organization's primary deliverables for advancing regional dialogue, cooperation, and development across the 43-member Euro-Mediterranean region.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• International Knowledge Exchanges in Architecture and Urban Planning A report presenting case studies from Mediterranean cities on urban planning, climate resilience, and sustainable development initiatives, used by policymakers and urban development practitioners across the region.
• UfM Youth Mainstreaming Plan (2026–2030) A practical institutional roadmap for member states and partners ensuring youth considerations are systematically embedded across UfM's governance, programme design, inclusion, and accountability work.
• 2030 UfM Action Plan on Civil Protection and Disaster Risk Management An action plan supporting cooperation among UfM Member States in strengthening prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery systems for disaster risk management in the Mediterranean.
• Euro-Mediterranean Agenda on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities A Theory of Change document supporting the establishment of a comprehensive disability rights agenda in the Euro-Mediterranean region, co-designed with ONCE Social Group.
• Empowering Women Entrepreneurs in the MENA Agro-Food Sector An outcome document addressing women entrepreneurs' challenges in the MENA agro-food sector and promoting social and technological innovation for their economic empowerment.
• Day of the Mediterranean An annual initiative celebrating Mediterranean identity and fostering dialogue and cooperation across the region's countries.
• Mediterranean Capitals of Culture and Dialogue A cultural initiative recognizing and promoting cultural exchange between Mediterranean cities.
• Euro-Mediterranean Women in Journalism Award A prize recognizing excellence in gender-sensitive and solution-oriented journalism, encouraging cross-border collaboration among women journalists.
• Research to Business (R2B) Programme A 24-month regional initiative designed to strengthen research commercialization across the Mediterranean, helping research teams transform discoveries into market-ready innovations.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• UNESCOcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe UfM and UNESCO opened a new phase of strategic cooperation for the Mediterranean in June 2026. Secretary General Nasser Kamel met with UNESCO Director-General Khaled El-Enany in Paris to establish a structured partnership to generate reinforced impact for populations and peace across the Mediterranean region.
• ONCE Social GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe EuroMed Disability Agenda is an evolving initiative co-designed by the UfM and ONCE Social Group that has grown through successive conferences and stakeholder inputs. The 2022 Conference in Barcelona and 2024 Conference in Amman advanced discussions on socio-economic inclusion of persons with disabilities.
• CIHEAMcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe UfM partners with CIHEAM (International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies) on agricultural development and innovation, particularly for women entrepreneurs in the agro-food sector.
• FAOcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe UfM partners with FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) on food security, agricultural innovation, and women empowerment in agro-food value chains.
• UN WomencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe UfM partners with UN Women on the Climate, Women, Peace and Security Network to strengthen policy coherence on women, peace and security and climate change in the Arab region.
• UNDPcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe UfM partners with UNDP (United Nations Development Programme) on climate, women, peace and security initiatives and broader development cooperation.
• ESCWAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe UfM partners with UN ESCWA (Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia) on policy coherence for women, peace and security and climate change in the Arab region.
• PRIMAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe UfM partners with PRIMA (Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area) on innovation for women entrepreneurs in agri-food value chains.
• Euro-Mediterranean University (EMUNI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEMUNI is a university network dedicated to Euro-Mediterranean higher education and research cooperation, with the UfM supporting its development including the Euro-Mediterranean University of Fès in Morocco.
• European Institute of the Mediterranean (IEMed)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe IEMed contributes to knowledge exchange and cooperation in the Mediterranean, contributing to UfM publications on architecture and urban planning and other knowledge products.
• International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe IUCN partners with UfM on environmental initiatives including the Smart DESERT project addressing desertification and sustainable development in Mediterranean arid regions.
• CataloniacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn June 2026, Catalonia and the UfM signed a Memorandum of Understanding reaffirming their shared commitment to strengthening cooperation and advancing common initiatives in the Mediterranean region.
• UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe UfM partners with UNCTAD on international trade and investment policy, organizing study visits to strengthen policy knowledge and institutional capacity for sustainable investment.
• World Trade Organization (WTO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe WTO participates in UfM trade and investment policy activities, supporting knowledge exchange on multilateral trade frameworks.
• Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe UfM 2030 Action Plan on Civil Protection and Disaster Risk Management complements and aligns with the Union Civil Protection Mechanism, promoting cooperation on prevention, preparedness, response and recovery.
• Day of the MediterraneancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Day of the Mediterranean is a UfM initiative that builds bridges across the Mediterranean region, celebrating regional cooperation and shared identity.
• Mediterranean Capitals of Culture and DialoguecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Mediterranean Capitals of Culture and Dialogue initiative showcases cultural heritage and promotes intercultural dialogue across the Mediterranean region.
• AECIDcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Catalan Agency for Development Cooperation (ACCD) supported UfM's gender-responsive leadership programme for higher education institutions and local authorities.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Arab League: The Arab League is a 22-member intergovernmental organization of Arab states headquartered in Cairo. It shares UfM's Mediterranean policy domain on its eastern shore and similarly convenes summits and sectoral ministerial meetings, but lacks EU participation and focuses exclusively on Arab world coordination.
• African Union: The African Union is a continental intergovernmental organization of 55 member states with comparable structure: rotating chairmanship, secretariat in Addis Ababa, ministerial meetings, and regional project pipelines. It is the closest analogue to UfM in terms of being a regional multilateral convening platform, though operating at continental rather than sub-regional scale.
• ASEAN Secretariat: ASEAN is a 10-member regional intergovernmental organization promoting dialogue, cooperation, and integration in Southeast Asia. Like UfM, it operates via ministerial meetings, sectoral platforms, and project pipelines with a small secretariat—offering a comparable model of regional convening without supranational authority.
• International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF): The OIF is an intergovernmental organization of 88 member states promoting French-language cooperation and political dialogue. Comparable to UfM in its cultural and political convening mandate, with similar secretariat-driven programme delivery, though broader linguistically than geographically.
• Nordic Council: The Nordic Council is an intergovernmental parliamentary body of Nordic states promoting regional cooperation. It mirrors UfM's small-secretariat, project-labelling, ministerial-meeting model but on a much smaller geographic scale, providing a useful structural comparator.

Broad incumbents

• Council of Europe: The Council of Europe is a 46-member intergovernmental human rights and rule-of-law organization headquartered in Strasbourg. It parallels UfM's multilateral convening model and policy framework development but is broader geographically and legally oriented rather than focused on Mediterranean regional integration.
• OECD: The OECD is a 38-member intergovernmental economic policy forum producing comparable data, policy reviews, and ministerial convening. UfM shares its evidence-based policy dialogue and project-labelling function but operates regionally with a development cooperation rather than economic benchmarking lens.
• OSCE - Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe: The OSCE is a 57-state intergovernmental organization covering Europe, Central Asia, and North America for security and cooperation. Like UfM, it convenes member states through ministerial meetings and field operations, but operates at much larger geographic and security scope without a Mediterranean specialization.

Others

• European Investment Bank (EIB): The EIB is the EU's lending arm and a documented UfM partner on environment, water, transport, and urban development projects. While not a peer convener, it is comparable as a partner institution providing financing muscle for UfM-labelled regional development projects in the same Mediterranean corridor.
• International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies (CIHEAM): CIHEAM is a Mediterranean intergovernmental organization focused on agriculture, food security, and rural development. As an explicit UfM partner on women agro-food programmes, it is a closely adjacent IGO in the same geographic and policy space, though narrower in sectoral mandate.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ufmsecretariat
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCkKRWfvdEee5RRdcTu4rXPA
• Facebookfacebook.com/ufmsecretariat
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/union-for-the-mediterranean

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Union for the Mediterranean