The President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM), H.E. Sen. Lhou Lmarbouh, and PAM Vice-President and President of the 1st Standing Committee, Sen. Dr. Mohammed Halaiqah, participated at the NATO Parliamentary Assembly (PA) Seminar – Mediterranean and Middle-East Special Group, held in Rabat, Morocco, on 21-22 April 2016.
Hosted by the two Chambers of the Moroccan parliament the event discussed a range of shared challenges confronting the countries of North Africa, the Middle East, Europe and North America. Migration, regional development, political reform and terrorism were the key themes of the debate.
Senator Halaiqah also addressed the Session dedicated to “The fight against extremism: challenges and strategy”. The PAM Vice-President underscored the efforts required to focus on implementing the relevant provisions of Security Council resolutions 1373, 2178, 2199 and 2253, and other resolutions and measures that sanction terrorist groups and individuals. “It is essential, he added “for our Governments to take more concrete steps to stop ISIS from fundraising through the smuggling of oil and gas, the illicit trade of cultural artefacts, kidnapping for ransom and donations from abroad”.
One must also continue to work towards a smooth adoption and application of those laws needed to curtail the ability to abuse and misuse the Internet and social media to radicalize and recruit young people, by identifying global and regional solutions that involve governments, private enterprise and civil society. Strategies to counter the threat of online radicalization will also require legislative and law enforcement measures at the national and regional level, through institutions, including regional parliamentary assemblies.
Sen. Halaiqah also referred to the intervention of Hon. Andrea Manciulli at the 10th PAM Plenary Session last February in Tirana. “PAM shares his comments about the roots and perspectives about the threats posed by ISIS, both in the Euro-Mediterranean region and the Sahel”.
PAM fully agrees on the necessity to fight violent extremism in order to contain the proliferation of terrorism. As indicated to PAM by the UN Security Council, the effective use of parliamentary diplomacy is crucial, and parliamentarians can effectively contribute in aligning national and international legislation to support the effective fight against terrorism. “I would encourage NATO-PA and PAM to establish an even better structured cooperation on this”, Sen. Halaiqah added.
In line with this request, PAM has already organized a number of dedicated seminars, together with UNODC and the UN Counter-Terrorism Committee, aiming at facilitating the task of its national Parliaments in the implementation of relevant Resolutions. The next meeting will take place in October in Rome, hosted by the Italian Senate, with the specific goal of assisting the UN in evaluating how national Parliaments have adapted existing legislation to the new requirements.
PAM is also coordinating with the parliament of Jordan the preparations of a regional hearing, next September in Amman, on the security implications and challenges posed by the refugees’ crisis in the Middle East. PAM will share the outcome of this conference at the High Level Summit, which will take place in New York on 19 September, on the eve of the United Nations General Assembly.