The Vice President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean, Sen. Lhou Lmarbouh (Morocco) represented PAM at the NATO Parliamentary Assembly Rose-Roth/Mediterranean and Middle East Special Group (GSM) meeting held in Marrakesh Morocco from 3-5 April 2013. The meeting was organized in collaboration with the House of Representatives and the House of Councillors of Morocco, held under the High Patronage of King Mohammed VI.
Entitled Political and Security Changes in North Africa: Implications for Peace and Cooperation in the Euro-Mediterranean and Transatlantic Regions, the seminar engaged Parliamentarians from 25 NATO member and Partner countries as well as legislators from Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Senegal. The gathering marked the 82nd Rose Roth Seminar and included in the discussions a number of leading experts, government officials, representatives of international organizations, among which PAM, and members of the diplomatic community.
The NATO PA Mediterranean and Middle East Special Group (GSM) provides a forum for parliamentarians from NATO countries and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, including PAM member states, to discuss political and security issues and to enhance co-operation.
Sen. Lhou Lmarbouh highlighted the major initiatives undertaken by the Assembly in the context of the political changes taking place in the Mediterranean, and in particular North Africa and the Middle East. PAM Vice President referred to the forthcoming special mission to the Middle East with visits to Cairo, Jerusalem, Ramallah, Amman, Beirut and Damascus, where PAM parliamentarians will meet representatives of governments and parliaments. Sen. Lmarbouh reaffirmed the centrality of the Mediterranean region, where PAM is acting as a coordination platform for the institutions in the Euromediterranean, North African and Middle East regions.
“The multi-sectoral approach by PAM to the current strategic priority areas and challenges is aimed at guaranteeing in the short and long term security, stability and prosperity in the region”, Sen. Lmarbouh concluded.
Participants at the Meeting explored also conditions in countries such as Syria. Several speakers warned that the situation in Syria, tragic as it is, can get still worse. Even after the fall of Bashar al-Assad the violence might continue due to the heterogeneity of the rebel movement and the increasing prominence of extremists.
The participants widely agreed that further strengthening of democratic institutions and implementation of meaningful reforms was key to the region’s long-term stability, because the lack of the rule of law and exclusion of certain groups from the political process provides fertile ground for terrorists and separatists.
Furthermore, it was suggested to broaden the scope of the Mediterranean Dialogue to give more prominence to the political, socio-economic and human rights aspects.