The Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM), represented by its Vice-President, Hon. Belal Qasem (Palestine), participated and actively contributed in the 141st IPU Assembly, held from 13 to 17 October in Belgrade, Serbia, kindly hosted by the Serbian National Assembly.
The event gathered more than 149 countries, 72 Speakers of Parliaments and over 1,800 parliamentarians, and UN and civil society partners from around the world, under the overarching theme of “Strengthening international law: Parliamentary roles and Mechanisms, and the contribution of regional cooperation”. As 2019 marks its 130th anniversary, IPU celebrated 130 years of parliamentary diplomacy and action, as well as the 70th anniversary of the Geneva Conventions.
During the Assembly, participants agreed on the Belgrade Declaration, in which their commitment to peace, as well as the importance of international law for a world order based on solidarity and cooperation, was highlighted. Two important resolutions on health coverage and climate change were also adopted.
In his address at the Assembly, Hon. Qasem highlighted the role of international parliaments to act as effective operational and legislative networks in their own regions. The strategic role of PAM in promoting the rule of law and advocating effective regional cooperation, and the need for common action in finding political solutions to ongoing conflicts was presented.
PAM provides legislative support to its Member States in critical areas such as terrorism, peace building, economic development, migrations, trade and climate change, thanks to its unique operational approach and, through its partnering with international organizations, such as UN, OSCE, the Council of Europe, NATO, OECD, the World Bank, the World Trade Organization and the World Meteorological Organization.
He concluded by reaffirming PAM’s commitment to national reconciliation in Libya, to the unity, sovereignty, territorial integrity and lasting peace in Syria, as well as the resumption of direct talks between Israel and Palestine to achieve the two-state solution.