Portugal assumes co-presidency of the WestMED Initiative

Source: DGPM / Portuguese government press release

Starting in January 2024, Portugal, through the DGPM – Direção-Geral de Política do Mar, has assumed the co-presidency of the WestMed Initiative for a Sustainable Blue Economy in the Western Mediterranean. It will do so jointly with Mauritania in 2024, and with Tunisia in 2025 – fully in line with the Initiative’s rotating co-chairmanship.

Portugal has taken over this role from Malta who has held this responsibility for the past 2 years.

The aim of Portugal’s co-chairmanship is to develop cooperative strategies and policies in favour of a sustainable blue economy that will boost the development of the Western Mediterranean region, with an emphasis on its coastal areas and communities.

Portugal intends to work with its WestMED Initiative partners on issues related to:

• The implementation of the terms of the Ministerial Declaration of Malta, adopted in 2023;
• The adoption of the recommendations set out in the Report from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament on the implementation of the WestMed Initiative;
• The development of synergies between the Atlantic sea basin and the Western Mediterranean sub-sea basin.

Read the full Portuguese government press release (in Portuguese)

For more information, contact WestMED National Hub Portugal: portugal@westmed-initiative.ec.europa.eu