European Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights, Nicolas Schmit, stressed, on July 12 in Madrid, that the Marrakech Declaration, which concluded the work of the Union for the Mediterranean’s (UfM) 5th Ministerial Meeting on Employment and Labour, which was held in May 2022, has established a “solid foundation” for the countries bordering the Mediterranean.
In a statement to the press on the sidelines of a high-level meeting on skills organized by the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) and the European Union (EU), Schmit stated that “the Marrakech Declaration is the cornerstone of several crucial areas for all Mediterranean countries, namely education, employment, youth inclusion, the fight against poverty, and job creation.”
The European Commissioner emphasized that the conclusions of this Declaration, which call for tackling the challenges of employment and employability for the most vulnerable, particularly women and youth, are “major achievements” towards building a more prosperous future.
In a similar context, the EU official stressed that the Marrakech meeting was “the keystone” for adopting important initiatives and measures concerning employment and training.
Schmit also added that the high-level meeting in Madrid “builds on the outcome of the Marrakech Declaration, which raised awareness of the importance of intensifying cooperation between the Mediterranean’s two shores and the crucial role that youth play, as they represent both a prosperous future and a huge potential.”
The work of the Madrid high-level meeting on skills is structured around three panels focusing on investing in skills, supporting transitions (green, demographic, and digital), and anticipating the future of labor.
The meeting brings together several partners and stakeholders to exchange ideas and expertise, seize current opportunities, and tackle challenges in the field of skills and skills development in an ever-changing labor market. It also aims to gather, discuss, evaluate, and disseminate expertise and good practices, particularly in the fields of support for the generation of decent jobs, quality education, training systems, skills, and employability.
