Need to consolidate more coordinated efforts to fight against human trafficking – PAM President, Hon. Pedro Roque

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MEDIA INFORMATION: 34/2017
ISSUED ON: 14/09/2017

Hon. Pedro Roque, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM) has represented PAM at the 26th Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference (BSPC) – “Innovative Science, Sustainable Tourism – Participation and Cooperation in the Baltic Sea Region”, held in Hamburg on 3-5 September. 2017.

The Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference brings together national and regional parliaments from across the Baltic Sea Region and serves to strengthening the common identity of the region and initiates and guides political activities in the regions interest.

Hon. Roque addressed the opening session of the new BSPC Working Group on Migration and Integration.

Due to its geopolitical composition, PAM is strongly committed to encourage enhanced parliamentary cooperation and collective legislative actions in dealing with the problems and challenges related to migration, integration and trafficking. The Assembly, President Roque added, has always been active since the early years of its establishment in the promotion and protection of human rights, particularly on human trafficking, by organizing dedicated parliamentary hearings, with the participation of the UN Counter Terrorism Committee, UNODC, the International Organization for Migrations, INTERPOL, Frontex, and the Italian Coast Guard. PAM also organised a series of dedicated induction seminars for its member parliamentarians on Human Rights, in cooperation with UNHCR and the European Court of Human Rights.

Human trafficking is also a huge criminal business. The International Crisis Group estimates that people-smuggling through Libya alone generates annual revenues of between 1 and 1.5 billion dollars.

Recently, at the request of the new President of the United Nations General Assembly, Minister Lajčák of Slovakia, PAM will also contribute to the drafting of the UN Global Compact on Migration. In addition, in this regard, PAM will organize in Malta on 16 and 17 November 2017, in cooperation with the IPU and with the support of the Maltese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a two-day international conference on Mass Population Movements from Africa to Europe. The focus will be root causes, the role of the Mediterranean countries, as well as economic, social and security challenges, and lasting solutions.

Hon. Roque concluded by reiterating PAMs commitment to deal with these crucial issues and to work together with the BSPC, in a close and structured cooperation, through the parliamentary networks, to achieve respect for human rights, ease the suffering of civilians in regional conflicts, strengthen the rule of law, and consolidate more coordinated efforts to fight against human trafficking, while assisting the most vulnerable members of society.

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