The President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM), H.E. Senator Lhou Lmarbouh (Morocco), participated in the 3rd Summit of Presidents of the Union for the Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly (UfM-PA), held in Tangier, Morocco, on 28 May 2016.
Sen. Lmarbouh, on behalf of PAM, invited the UfM-PA to hold joint meetings to promote initiatives and to establish effective cooperation between the two institutions in the interest of the Mediterranean region and its peoples. “The Mediterranean was the world’s center of gravity. Since it has lost much of its centrality, shouldn’t we reflect how Europe and Africa can once again converge towards the Mediterranean as their centre?”, Sen. Lmarnouh added. It is in this context that cooperation and synergies between PAM and the UfM-PA are necessary.
PAM will continue to encourage parliamentarians to mobilise national governments, international institutions and civil society to promote development according to current priorities, including the global humanitarian system in the region. “The humanitarian system needs deep reforms to face the challenges arising from the migration flows from the Middle East and the Sahel Region. An integrated balanced and inclusive approach is required to assist the countries of origin, transit and destination”, the PAM President said.
Sen. Lmarbouh referred also to the thorny issues affecting the Middle East, such as the Israeli-Palestinian Peace Process, the civil war in Iraq, Syria and Libya, Foreign Terrorist Fighters and the spread of terrorism. He referred to PAM’s initiatives, particularly the dedicated seminars, together with UNODC and the UN Counter-Terrorism Committee, aimed at facilitating the task of its national Parliaments in the implementation of relevant UN Resolutions. “The next meeting will take place in October in Rome, hosted by the Italian Senate, with the specific goal of assisting the UN in evaluating how national Parliaments have adapted existing legislation to the new requirements”, Sen. Lmarbouh said.
“It is up to all of us to contribute to the rebirth of a Euro-Mediterranean region with a vision to create new opportunities and establish greater interaction, more cooperation and dialogue between cultures. The cradle of many civilizations, where the populations can live in harmony, peace and prosperity”, Sen. Lmarbouh concluded.