On 24 February 2021, The Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM), represented by Secretary-General Ambassador Sergio Piazzi, and PLATFORMA, represented by Mr. Frédéric Vallier, Secretary General of the Council of European Municipalities and Regions, signed an important Memorandum of Understanding, simultaneously in two locations: in Geneva, Switzerland, and in Brussels, Belgium, via videoconference. The signing of the MOU occurred on the occasion of the meeting of PLATFORMA Steering Committee.
The agreement reaffirms the long-standing partnership between the PAM and PLATFORMA, and underscores the two organisations’ shared efforts to advance an open, inclusive, prosperous, and secure Euro-Mediterranean region, with an immediate focus on Human Rights, health security and economic recovery from the pandemic of COVID-19. The partnership builds on previous PAM-PLATFORMA joint activities, including the high-level webinar on the “EU Neighbouring South-Safeguarding human rights in the post-Covid-19 context”, organized in September 2020. The MoU leverages each organisation’s comparative advantage to promote sustainable development in Member States and partner countries through effective and accountable governance; infrastructure, energy, and digital connectivity; women’s empowerment; resilience to environmental and climate change challenges; and access to basic social services, such as health and education.
This event represents the natural outcome of a long-lasting and fruitful partnership between PAM and the oldest and broadest European Association of local and regional governments, with the aim of fostering an effective cooperation between parliamentarians from the northern and southern shores of the Mediterranean and representatives of regional and local governments from 41 European countries.
In his opening statement, PAM Secretary General Amb. Sergio Piazzi, shared views on the evolving and increasingly complex global society, which according to him, requires strong cooperation between local and regional authorities and parliamentarians, to overcome common challenges. “At the regional Euro-Mediterranean level, establishing and maintaining a direct dialogue between local authorities and parliamentarians is essential to foster a common understanding of critical issues- that need to be addressed through coherent and complementary strategies, including sharing experiences and practices” said Amb. Piazzi.
Recognizing the complementarity of their activities, PAM and PLATFORMA are strengthening existing cooperation by various means, which include joint programs, events, conferences and webinars, as well as joint research and policy analysis, and formal and informal consultations on issues of common interest.
By concluding this agreement, PAM continues to reinforce its network of operational partnerships with leading international bodies, aiming at addressing effectively the many and evolving challenges the Euro-Mediterranean region is facing.