The Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean contributed to a Virtual Parliamentary Meeting on Fragility, Conflict and Violence (FCV) in the Time of COVID-19, organized by the World Bank Group. The meeting, which gathered over 190 participants, brought together high-level representatives of the World Bank together with senior parliamentarians from Africa, Europe and the Middle East.
The discussion focused on the World Bank strategy for work in fragile and conflict-affected areas, with an emphasis on the Sahel. The meeting also served as an opportunity to exchange ideas on how parliamentarians can support development and investment in these areas, both in donor and recipient countries, through targeted legislation, enhanced oversight and development funding.
The discussion also looked at the current challenges posed by the COVID 19 pandemic, which adds a layer of complexity to these intricate and fluid situations, and explored strategies for adapting to this reality. The interventions of H.E. Haroun Kabadi, Speaker of Parliament of Chad and Hon. Fadi Alame, Member of the Lebanese Parliament, described the unique challenges being faced in the Middle East and Sahel regions.
Senator Lhou Lmarbouh of Morocco contributed as a key speaker on behalf of PAM, in his capacity as PAM President Emeritus and the current rapporteur on political and security issues. His intervention focused on the emphasis that PAM places on its neighboring region of the Sahel. He expressed concern that environmental degradation, especially around Lake Chad, as well as the fragility of sustainable development and lack of economic opportunities, have resulted in mass migrations, internal tensions and even security vacuums, which have been filled by non-state armed groups, many of which are allied with international terrorist organisations like ISIL and Al-Qaeda.
Sen. Lmarbouh emphasized that the strategy for this region must combine security and development, and called for a Marshal Plan type of approach for the Sahel and throughout Africa. He recalled the 360-degree approach of PAM on the Sahel through its work on counter-terrorism, migration and development, and collaboration of PAM with key partners, such as the Pan-African parliament and NATO Southern Hub.
PAM contribution to this virtual meeting comes in the context of excellent bilateral cooperation with the World Bank and IMF, and PAM’s proactive strategy to engage with key international actors to support a coordinated international response to the COVID 19 pandemic through parliamentary diplomacy.
PAM is at present also working in close coordination with the World Health Organisation, World Travel and Tourism Council, UN World Tourism Organisation, World Trade Organisation, Council of European Municipalities and Regions, among other partners, to support the PAM constituency with best practices and guidelines on legislative approaches in regard to the recovery phases of the pandemic.