The President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM), H.E. Sen. Lhou Lmarbouh (Morocco), and Honorary Presidents, Sen. Francesco Amoruso (Italy) and Mr. Mohamed Abou El-Enein (Egypt), participated at the “Regional Workshop for parliamentarians on the challenges posed by a criminal justice preventive response to violent extremism leading to terrorism”, held in Aswan, Egypt, from 31 January to 2 February 2017.
The workshop was organised by the Parliament of Egypt and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC/TPB), with the support of and in cooperation of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and PAM.
The workshop was intended for parliamentarians of the MENA region and Gulf States, and brought together some 30 parliamentarians to discuss and identify national and regional strategies and approaches for effective criminal justice responses to countering violent extremism leading to terrorism, in line with international standards and rule of law.
The event also focused on parliamentary oversight and other applicable mechanisms as well as the good governance of the security sector in the fight against terrorism. It also provided a forum for exchanging information and good practices among parliamentarians on the role they play and could play in developing and enacting legislation, translating the universal legal instruments against terrorism into national law that should shape a comprehensive national plan addressing, inter alia, factors conducive to terrorism.
The PAM high level delegation recalled how the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM), since its creation, has considered the threat of terrorism in the region as a priority issue for the political and security dimension of the Assembly and has used its unique parliamentary platform to address the issue . “From its creation in 2007, the threat of terrorist activity in the region has evolved greatly and, consequently, PAM’s approach to the problem has adapted to deal with the phenomenon, both politically and operationally, in order to respond adequately to the current situation”, PAM President, Sen. Lmarbouh said.
Honorary President El Enein added that the future needs different actions, in which international efforts unite and where the United Nations play a pivotal role and “the time has come for an international legislation that protects all nations”. Mr El Enein suggested a new perspective in eradicating all roots of terrorism, which he said, is not only poverty and lack of education but also included political, economic and cultural aspects.
In his remarks, Senator Amoruso, gave an overview on the legislation enacted in Italy to contrast terrorism, and referred to the PAM initiatives on intercultural dialogue held in Rome at the end of 2016 and the meeting in Morocco next week during which the role of religions, and their relations to states, to promote dialogue and mutual understanding to contrast fanaticism and extremism will be discussed.