The Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM) actively participated in the 2019 OSCE Mediterranean Conference, held on 24-25 October 2019, in Tirana, Albania.
Hon. Klodiana Spahiu, a Member of the Albanian delegation to PAM, represented the Assembly at this important event.
The conference brought together over 250 high-level representatives, including from the OSCE 57 participating States, covering the area from Vancouver to Vladivostok, representatives of OSCE Mediterranean Partners for Co-operation (Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Morocco and Tunisia) and numerous international organizations, academia and civil society.
The parties gathered to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Mediterranean Contact Group, addressing achievements, challenges and future opportunities for their Partnership in order to further strengthen a common security in the Mediterranean through dialogue and co-operation.
Discussions were dedicated to joint efforts in countering terrorism, violent extremism and radicalization, that leads to terrorism; promoting youth participation and engagement to enhance dialogue; and building bridges between the two shores of the Mediterranean – the role of connectivity, digitalization, sustainable development and economic growth in advancing common security in the Mediterranean.
Speaking at the meeting, Hon. Spahiu stressed PAM’s concerns about the continuing developments in Northeast Syria, in particular the mass displacement of civilians, the fate of foreign ISIS terrorists held in the area, and the future of their families and children in the Al-Hol camp.
Regarding this issue, she introduced PAM’s proposal to the UN Security Council of setting up a “mechanism of triage” under a UN mandate, to help identify the nationality of each individual so that countries can repatriate, persecute, imprison and de-radicalize their own nationals.
Hon. Klodiana Spahiu also emphasized the need for effective and harmonized legislation in order to ensure effective counter-terrorism efforts, and especially international cooperation in criminal justice matters and, herein, highlighted the role that parliamentarians play in this regard.
PAM and OSCE enjoy a long and fruitful cooperation on issues related to security in the Euro-Mediterranean region, and PAM views the OSCE Mediterranean Contact Group as an excellent platform to further facilitate cooperation between the two shores of this region, and they regularly participate in each other activities to ensure synergies and joint action.