Career diplomat, Nasser Kamel has been, for five years, the secretary general of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), an intergovernmental organization created in Barcelona in 2008 with the aim of promoting cooperation between the countries of the region. On Monday, the 43 countries that make up it came out in favor of recovering the two-state solution to the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. Israel, however, did not participate in the meeting because it rejected the change in the agenda of a meeting in which the Gaza war was discussed exclusively.
The UfM mainly deals with areas related to cooperation. This time they chose to talk about a conflict between two of their members.
It is good that the member countries of the European Union meet with Arab and Eastern Mediterranean countries. That they are able to discuss such an important, urgent and tragic issue as war is positive in itself. Ours is a unique platform for many reasons. One of these reasons is that Palestine and Israel are full members. It is the only international or regional forum in which this happens. For the UfM, it is also important that it is so: the fact that they have decided to meet on a platform like ours will undoubtedly have an impact on our ability to engage more politically.
You changed the content of the meeting agenda. Will the UfM change the war?
This conflict will have many repercussions on regional cooperation in general. Not only within the Union. The longer it remains between us, and the more tragic it is, if the current pause does not hold, and we hope it does, the more impact it will have. The meeting has given visibility to the organization as a platform for countries to talk, and even discuss difficult issues such as war. But what we hope is that events in the region will unfold in a way that allows us, the EU and everyone, to move in a more constructive and dynamic direction.
What is the Union's relationship with Israel?
Israel was invited to the meeting. Not just for me personally, but for many foreign ministers. They didn't come. But Israel remains invited to all our future activities. The UfM provides the right space for open dialogue, especially if we are serious about the hope of achieving security for Israel and justice for Palestine. And I emphasize these two terms. Security and justice. Israel's main concern has always been security. And for Palestine, justice. Justice, for the Palestinians, means an independent state. The two-state solution.
Do you think Barcelona is the right setting for this kind of meeting?
Barcelona has a symbolic meaning because the whole process of meeting between Europe and the countries of the south and east of the Mediterranean was launched in Barcelona in 1995. It was the end of a process of dialogue that had started before, in 1973, after the Yom Kippur War. Barcelona therefore has a symbolic meaning for us. And Spain also has it, because it has always been a bridge between the Arab world and the southern region of the Mediterranean. Spain is the closest European country to Africa. It has always had a good relationship with the Arab world and also with Israel. From a logistical point of view, Barcelona is perfectly located. It is one, two, three hours at most from other countries. The city has good transport infrastructure, good climate and quality of life. I don't see any other place that can compete with Barcelona as its headquarters.
Could the controversy over Pedro Sánchez's statements on the conflict, or some votes in the Barcelona City Council on the relationship with Israel, be a problem for the city's image of neutrality?
I am sorry to disagree with these statements. I don't think Pedro Sánchez's statements were controversial. Spain advocates a two-state solution. Is this controversial? Spain calls for an end to violence. Do you consider it controversial? Spain requests humanitarian aid access to 2.3 million Palestinians. Is this controversial? Maybe I didn't understand what Pedro Sánchez said, but what part of his speech is controversial?
This was not exactly Israel's reaction.
But that's understandable. It is a country that is under tension. We understand the rage and anger following the horrific and atrocious attack on October 7, which has led to the captivity and death of so many civilians in Israel. No one can deny this reality. But as I said in my speech at the summit on Monday, anger and revenge do not solve a deep-seated crisis. This crisis did not begin on October 7. No one denies that it was a terrible day, but this is a conflict that has been going on for seventy-five years.
Have you held talks these days with Minister Albares and Mayor Jaume Collboni to generate more activity in the Union for the Mediterranean for the next one?
The UfM holds about thirty meetings a year on very different subjects. Meetings where employment, blue economy, women's empowerment are discussed. Political correspondents may miss these issues, but it is our reality every week. And both Barcelona and Catalonia are two perfect ecosystems for us. They are two important actors in the field of cooperation. In any case, I must say that both the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Albares, and the Mayor of Barcelona, Mr. Collboni, have a high degree of commitment to the UfM.
Tell us what projects you are working on now.
This Sunday [the interview took place on Tuesday at the headquarters of this organization in the Pedralbes palace] I am going to Dubai for COP28. We are working with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the European Investment Bank (EIB) to create a fund for the blue economy. Our ambition, and I hope it will be fulfilled, is to raise 1.3 billion euros for projects of this nature for four countries: Egypt, Jordan, Morocco and Tunisia.
