“PAM committed to contribute to the international debate and efforts to promote a shared and comprehensive response to the migration phenomenon” – PAM President, Hon. Pedro Roque

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MEDIA INFORMATION: 42/2017
ISSUED ON: 16/11/2017

The President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM), H.E. Hon. Pedro Roque, addressed the opening ceremony of the International Conference Promoting better regional cooperation towards smart and humane migration across the Mediterranean”, being held in Malta on 16-17 November 2017.

The Conference for parliaments from the European Union and from the Mediterranean region is organized jointly by the Inter-Parliamentary Union, the Parliament of Malta and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean.

The conference brings together parliamentarians from the region in order to discuss concerted responses to current migration challenges and opportunities. In doing so, it takes inspiration from the recommendations contained in the IPU Declaration of October 2015 on The Imperative for Fairer, Smarter and more Humane Migration” and the New York Declaration on Refugees and Migrants adopted at the United Nations in September 2016. The outcome of the conference will also contribute to a parliamentary perspective on the negotiation of a Global Compact for safe, orderly and regular migration that will take place at the United Nations between February and July 2018 and discussions on a Global Compact on Refugees in 2018.

Hon. Roque remarked that PAM has agreed to co-organize this conference, together with the Parliament of Malta and the Inter-Parliamentary Union, due to the importance of the topic, and expressed his appreciation to both of them for their efforts in holding together this event. He added that PAM is strongly convinced that cooperation is crucial, especially at the inter-parliamentary level, on such a complex issue.

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean is fully aware of the relevance that migrations have assumed for the entire planet.We are talking of an unprecedented phenomenon that, because of its scope, presents many different aspects, compared to the last century, which result in a wide range of challenges for all of us”, the PAM President added.

The consequences of mass movement are numerous. Migration generates security, health, economic and social concerns for the receiving countries. The phenomenon is so complex that require the efforts of the entire international community to be addressed.

Parliamentarians are no exception. PAM is aware of these issues, and is committed to do its part to contribute to address migration-related matters in the best possible way.

The situation in the region is worrisome. The lack of progress in the negotiations between Israel and Palestine, or the latest military developments in Syria or Libya are just a few examples of this scenario. One can feel a sense of frustration regarding the incapacity of the international community to act in a coherent way. There is also a growing sense of insecurity in many countries in the region, fed by the many terrorist attacks that continue to affect a number of cities and citizens.

We should keep in mind that migration has always existed, and that not long ago the countries that are now receiving migrants were actually countries of origin. Therefore, migration needs to be managed and regulated, but it cannot be, and it will never be, stopped, because of a very simple reason: people will keep moving”, Hon Roque said.

PAM is confident that this meeting will help to have a better understanding of the current situation and also to provide parliamentarians with a fruitful exchange of opinions and ideas on how to tackle, from a legislative perspective, key issues related to migration.

In his concluding remarks Hon. Roque reiterated the readiness and commitment of PAM to contribute to the international debate and efforts to promote a shared and comprehensive response to the migration phenomenon, now and in the years to come. The conclusions of this conference will be used for the works of the United Nations Global Compact on Migration in Mexico in the coming weeks, as recently agreed between PAM and the President of the UN General Assembly.

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