The Parliament of Mauritania and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean will organize the 4th High Level Meeting of the Parliaments of the 5+5 Dialogue member states in Nouakchott, on 15 April. The meeting will be held on the eve of the Conference of the Ministers for Foreign Affairs of the Western Mediterranean Dialogue member states, namely Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Tunisia, and, France, Italy, Malta, Portugal and Spain.
On this occasion, MPs from the West Mediterranean region will discuss and exchange views on the current situation in the region and the priorities of the parliamentary dimension of the 5+5 Process for the biennium 2013-2014. The themes proposed for discussion cover the Political Dialogue and Regional Security, and the Economic Development and Social Challenges. The agenda includes, among others, the situation in Syria, developments in Mali and the Sahel, Job creation, Support to the SMEs, Trade facilitation, Migration, Education and Youth.
At the end of the High Level Meeting, the Parliaments will adopt a Declaration which will be presented with a series of recommendations to the Foreign Affairs Ministers’ Meeting, in which the parliamentary role and contribution will be highlighted in view of the growing relevance of the legislative institutions within the context of the current regional challenges.
“This event will be an excellent opportunity to emphasize the parliamentary contribution to the 5+5 Dialogue and to the international efforts to face the current developments in the Western Mediterranean region”, PAM President, Sen. Francesco Amoruso said.
The Assembly, since 2009, represents the parliamentary dimension of the 5+5 Dialogue, which further strengthens the scope of this platform in relation to the key issues of concern for the region, which are equally debated by the Mediterranean parliamentarians during the PAM events held throughout the year within the framework of the three core Standing Committees. “PAM also participates regularly, in this capacity, in Head of State and Government Summits, as well as in ministerial conferences of the 5+5 Dialogue, and this role was also highlighted by the French President, H.E. Francois Hollande, the Tunisian President, H.E. Moncef Marzouki, the Italian Prime Minister, H.E. Mario Monti and the EU Enlargement and Neighbourhood Policy Commissioner Stefan Fule”, PAM Secretary General, Amb. Sergio Piazzi added. Furthermore, PAM has also been involved in 5+5 activities related to Defense and Security, notably by being represented at the last naval exercise in Malta.
“The 5+5 Dialogue is another important institutional framework within which PAM plays an important role in bridging the legislative aspect of the member states and assist in the integration and coordination of the legal instruments that can support and promote peace, security and stability in the West Mediterranean”, PAM Secretary General said.