On 3 June 2021, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean held its 15th Plenary Session. The event gathered over 230 participants, including high-level delegations from all the 34 national Parliaments of the Assembly and senior representatives of International Parliaments, the United Nations, and International Organisations, as well as leaders from civil society, private sector and academia.
The meeting was opened by Hon. Karim Darwish (Egypt), PAM President. In his speech, he stressed that during challenging times caused by the pandemic, humanitarian crises, military confrontations, and environmental degradation, parliamentary diplomacy and international cooperation remain vital. He highlighted the valuable role of PAM in bringing together parliamentarians and key global stakeholders at the same table to address these challenges.
The opening session also included a message from the United Nations Secretary General, H.E. Antonio Guterres. He emphasized the essential role of PAM in reflecting on the Covid-19 crisis and stressed that parliamentarians are “the guardians of human rights and the rule of law” and urged PAM to put people at the centre of recovery strategies.