The Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean and UNIDO discussed the establishment of a cooperation agreement between the two organizations, marking the consolidation of the collaboration developed during the last months on a number of events dedicated to priority issues of common concern. The meetings were held at the UNIDO Vienna International Centre on 19 March, 2012.
PAM Secretary General, Amb. Sergio Piazzi and UNIDO Director General, Mr Kandeh K. Yumkella, focused on PAM’s role in the Region through parliamentary diplomacy and delved into topics concerning the private sector, SMEs development, investment, employment, trade and energy.
Amb. Piazzi explained how PAM is focusing on gathering, around the same table, parliamentarians and representatives of the economic and financial sector (primarily investments promotion agencies, chambers of commerce, financial institutions, governmental bodies and agencies, business and consumers’ associations and international organizations), in order to assess and support measures needed to contribute to economic processes, including through legislative action. PAM aims at supporting trade and investment of the region to stimulate trade in the Mediterranean area and support the establishment of a Free Mediterranean Trade Zone, sustain SME activities, facilitate investments and finance and stimulate job creation. In this process UNIDO has played an important role and has also participated in the 2nd operational meeting of the PAM Panel on External Trade and Investments in the Mediterranean in May 2011 organized by PAM and the UN Trade and Productive Capacity Cluster, UNECE & UNCTAD. On that occasion, Mr. Gerardo Patacconi, Chief Cluster and Business Linkages Unit, Business, Investment and Technology Branch, UNIDO, had underlined these common priority areas and has been instrumental in building and supporting cooperation initiatives between UNIDO and PAM.
With regards to the energy sector PAM has requested the support of UNIDO for its participation and involvement in the UN High Level Group on Sustainable Energy for All. PAM is involved in energy and environmental issues in the Mediterranean covering availability of adequate, consistent, reliable, environmentally friendly and sustainable energy systems, cooperation with MEDREG, the Association of Mediterranean regulators for Electricity and Gas, the re-launching of the Rome Euro-Mediterranean Energy Platform, Water management and conservation projects to improve fresh water supplies in the Mediterranean in order to face major challenges of population growth, development strategies and climate change.
Bilateral meetings were also held with other high ranking UNIDO officials. Specific actions in the short and long term for the benefit of the Mediterranean region were discussed.