Date: 16. October 2025
Time to read: 1 min
In the coming days, Portorož will become the heart of the Mediterranean. It will host the presidents of all nine MED9 Member States – Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Greece, Cyprus, Malta, Croatia and Slovenia – as part of the MED9 Leaders’ Summit. They will be joined by President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and the guest of honour, King Abdullah II of Jordan.
Slovenia at the helm of the Mediterranean alliance
This year, Slovenia is for the first time holding the Presidency of MED9, a group of nine like-minded Mediterranean EU Member States. Slovenia's presidency programme includes six ministerial meetings, while its culmination will be the Leaders' Summit in Portorož on 20 October.
Slovenia's presidency reflects the importance and reputation of the country's foreign policy activities in the Mediterranean. Alongside the non-permanent membership of the UN Security Council, the Presidency of the MED9 group is the biggest foreign policy event for Slovenia this year, which confirms its role of a true Mediterranean country.
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Slovenia’s presidency of the MED9 offers an opportunity to bring forward key topics and lead discussions within a strong group of Mediterranean EU member states, contributing to a more coordinated approach in efforts to strengthen the resilience of the entire Mediterranean region and the southern neighbourhood. Photo: Slovenia.info/Jaka Ivančič
Although Slovenia only has 47 kilometres of coastline, its Mediterranean identity is deeply rooted in its history, culture and economy. For years, Slovenian foreign policy has been demonstrating its commitment to Mediterranean issues, from participating in Euro-Mediterranean initiatives to playing an active role in dealing with migration challenges and strengthening stability in the region.
The power of unity: one-third of the EU under the Mediterranean sun
The MED9 alliance is not merely a geographical community, it is a platform for strategic cooperation in addressing key challenges. Its members focus on political dialogue, security and stability in the region, and joint consideration of challenges, such as climate change, energy and food security, migration, and the green and digital transitions.
A closer cooperation of Mediterranean countries means greater power at the EU level, as the MED9 represents one-third of all EU Member States and almost half of the EU population.
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During its presidency, Slovenia will focus on strengthening the visibility and role of the MED9 within the EU and the region in the areas of enhancing competitiveness, regional resilience, and addressing current geostrategic and foreign policy issues. Graphic: UKOM
The culminating event in Portorož
The Leaders' Summit in Portorož will be devoted to exchanging views on current European topics and challenges in the region. The leaders are expected to focus primarily on strengthening economic competitiveness and resolving the situation in the Middle East, particularly the intolerable conditions in Gaza.
The agenda also includes topics such as climate change, transport and energy connectivity, and the broader situation in the region. The leaders will coordinate their positions on regional and global challenges and explore ways to make better use of the potential of this remarkably beautiful and welcoming part of the old continent.
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On the one hand, the MED9 group strengthens cooperation among Mediterranean EU member states on important EU matters and serves to facilitate closer coordination of positions in order to achieve a common voice within the EU in areas of shared interest. Photo: Depositphotos
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Closer cooperation within this group also contributes to keeping Mediterranean issues high on the EU agenda. Photo: Depositphotos
Special attention will be paid to the priorities of Slovenia's presidency, including current foreign policy issues and EU enlargement, strengthening resilience, the economy and competitiveness, youth empowerment, and capacity-building in higher education and digitalisation.
The MED9 is an alliance of Mediterranean EU Member States established in 2013 on the initiative of Cyprus and Spain. At the 8th MED7 Summit in Athens in September 2021, the group's membership was extended to include Slovenia and Croatia, and the group's name was changed to MED9 to reflect this.
More information on MED9: The Mediterranean: A Sea of Challenges and Opportunities | GOV.SI
