The Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM) held a parliamentary debate on “The Role of Parliaments in Support of the Economic Process”, as part of the “International Conference on Productive Work for Youth in Tunisia and the MENA Region”, currently being held in Tunisia (28-29 November, 2012). The conference is organized by the Tunisian Ministry of Industry, the Tunisian Agency for Investments and UNIDO. Over 2,500 participants attended the opening session. PAM is participating at the Conference with a high level delegation with MPs from Jordan, Morocco and Turkey.
The PAM debate, chaired by PAM Vice President and President of the 2nd Standing Committee, Senator Lhou Lmarbouh (Morocco), focused, inter alia, on “Measures adopted at the national and regional levels in support of Productive Work”, and “SMEs and Job Creation: obstacles, challenges and opportunities”. Examples of national policies, model initiatives and best-practices from PAM countries and the international Secretariat animated the debate.
Hon. Mehmet Gunal presented the Turkish Model of public-private partnership as a successful example of economic growth. Hon Chaoui Belassal explained the impact of a special micro credit fund for youth employment in Morocco, while Sen. Marwan Alhmoud gave an overview of the Jordanian model for financing youth employment and entrepreneurship. Several exchanges on information ensued, during which the participants expressed their views on how Parliaments can be actively engaged, through their legislative mandates, in the processes of development and cooperation for youth access to the economic sphere following their education, especially vis a vis banks, which too often are reluctant to trust young entrepreneurs in their productive projects.
Concurrently, the PAM parliamentarians and the PAM Secretary General, Amb. Sergio Piazzi, met with the Prime Minister of Tunisia, H.E. Hamadi Jebal, the Minister for Industry, H.E. Mohamed Lamine Chakhari, and with the Minister for Tourism, H.E. Ilyes Fakhfak, with whom PAM’s support to the democratic and constitutional process, and economic reforms in Tunisia were discussed. The PAM delegation will have further meetings with the Tunisian authorities, namely the President of the Constituent Assembly, H.E. Mustapha Ben Jafar, and the Foreign Affairs Minister, H.E. Rafik Abdessalem.
Issues pertaining to the economic growth in the Euro-Mediterranean region were also discussed in a bilateral meeting between the PAM delegation and the European Commission Vice President, Antonio Tajani, responsible for Enterprise and Industry. In line with the indications of both the EU and the PAM Panel on Trade and Investments in the Mediterranean, it was highlighted that national and regional “Security and Stability” are the key conditions to attract foreign investments and facilitate the development of SMEs, critical to the creation of jobs. PAM Secretary General, Amb. Sergio Piazzi, and Mr.Tajani, further agreed that a more in depth meeting between the EU Commission and PAM will be held in the near future in Brussels, in order for PAM to support EU initiatives in the MENA region addressed to securing economic growth, and to further elaborate common strategies and initiatives for youth employment and SMEs in the Mediterranean.
Another bilateral meeting was held with UNIDO Director General, Mr. Kandeh Yumkella, who personally invited PAM to also address the Opening Session of the Conference and to preside over its Concluding Session. Long term synergies were discussed, in particular PAM’s support to those policies addressed to sustain productive initiatives in the Mediterranean. Energy was also at the centre of the discussions and UNIDO has committed to promote the recommendations reached at the PAM meeting on Energy held in Ouarzazate a few weeks ago, in particular the establishment of the “Mediterranean Energy Community” and the setting up of an “Energy Training and Information Centre for the Mediterranean”. PAM, on its side, also committed to support the adoption of a draft Resolution by the UN General Assembly on the establishment of an “International Decade on Energy”. PAM also confirmed its support to Mr. Yumkella in his new capacity as the UN High Representative for the “Energy for All” programme and its High Level Panel, which PAM will join in due course. At the end of the meeting, PAM Vice President, Sen. Lhou Lmarbouh, and Secretary General, Amb. Sergio Piazzi, while expressing their congratulations, presented the PAM Prize 2012 commemorative plaque to Mr. Yumkella, who was nominated for his support to the Assembly’s activities in the economic sector.