The Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM) participated in the Malta Summit of Heads of State and Heads of Government of the 5+5 Dialogue (5-6 October 2012), made up of Western Mediterranean European and North African countries, namely France, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Spain and Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia.
PAM was represented by the Secretary General, Amb. Sergio Piazzi, on behalf of the President of PAM and Prime Minister of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Sen. Dr. Fayed Al Tarawneh. Dr. Piazzi had already formed part of the PAM delegation led by Vice President, Sen. Francesco Amoruso, at the Rome Foreign Ministers Meeting of the 5+5 Dialogue held earlier this year.
The Dialogue has gained a renewed momentum with the resumption of the sectoral Ministerial meetings and the Heads of State Summit. PAM’s participation at the Rome and Malta events has been a success that has very much highlighted the Assembly’s position and role in the region. The 5+5 Dialogue fills a gap in PAM’s own structure in the absence of a dedicated inter-governmental pillar to mirror its activities. PAM’s partnership with the Italian and Mauritanian co-presidency of the 5+5 is working extremely well, and PAM has been already invited to assist Tunisia in the preparations of a Ministerial meeting next December, and Mauritania, for a larger event in March 2013. Since Portugal will replace Italy, and possibly Morocco will follow Mauritania in 2013, PAM is already coordinating with the two countries to ensure synergy and complementarity of action. Furthermore, at the Summit, Mauritania has announced its decision to join PAM.
The Malta Summit discussed the Middle East Peace Process, the developments and new impetus in the Mediterranean region, including the latest events in Syria, and themes of global concern such as security, economy, climate change, food, energy and education.
The Assembly, since 2009, represents the parliamentary dimension of the 5+5 Dialogue, which further strengthens the scope of this platform in relation to the key issues of concern for the region, which are equally debated by the Mediterranean parliamentarians during the PAM events held throughout the year within the framework of the three core Standing Committees. This role was also highlighted by Italian Prime Minister, H.E. Mario Monti and the EU Enlargement and Neighbourhood Policy Commissioner Stefan Fule.
On the margin of the 5+5 Dialogue, the delegates of the League of Arab States (LAS) and PAM discussed developments in the region and agreed to jointly organize a meeting to promote a coherent approach to initiatives and programmes in the region, to which they will invite other regional and international organizations whose work is relevant to the Mediterranean.
“The 5+5 Dialogue is another important institutional framework within which PAM plays an important role in bridging the legislative aspect of the member states and assist in the integration and coordination of the legal instruments that can support and promote peace, security and stability in the Mediterranean”, PAM Secretary General said.
The conclusions of the Summit will be officially presented at the PAM VII Plenary Session which will take place in Malta, on 12-13 October, 2012.