The Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean regularly monitors the current events in the Southern Mediterranean, through its parliamentary and diplomatic network. At the same time, as part of its mandate to support stability of the region, the Bureau and the Secretariat continue to implement those actions related to other priority areas of the Assembly’s calendar for 2011.
On 19 April 2011, the Second Meeting of the Steering Committee of the PAM Panel on External Trade and Investments in the Mediterranean, was held in Milan (Italy) in preparation for the Joint Conference by UNECE, UNCTAD and PAM, of the Second Operational Meeting of the PAM Panel itself, to be held in Geneva on 4-5 May 2011 in cooperation with all the agencies of the United Nations system with a mandate on economic matters.
In Milan, under the leadership of Sen. Francesco Amoruso (Italy), PAM Vice President and President of PAM 2nd Standing Committee, the opening remarks were dedicated to the situation in the Mediterranean in relation to the political, social and economic impact of recent events.
During the meeting, the results of the Questionnaire entitled “Economic Cooperation in the Mediterranean Region”, distributed by PAM to all member states’ parliaments and economic actors in the region, were presented by CSE-Crescendo Strategy Advisors.
The idea of a Master Plan for the Mediterranean, concept also launched by Italian Foreign Minister, Hon. Franco Frattini, and French President, H.E. Nicolas Sarkozy, was discussed, as it represented the main item resulting from the questionnaires, along with infrastructures, the need for a Mediterranean Free Trade Area, as well as a more efficient management of energy and water.
In Milan, it became clear that stability in the region depends on the quality of life that can be guaranteed to its populations, which has to be reached through an equitable distribution of wealth. “This is the reason for which the PAM Bureau fully supports the timely initiative of the PAM Panel”, Sen. Amoruso commented at the end of the meeting.
The Steering Committee, under the presidency of Mrs. Teresa Ribeiro of Portugal, also discussed the Coordination of the Sectoral Groups and outlined the specific activities which every Sector will be focusing upon in the coming months. During the roundtable, proposals and suggestions were made, and strategies and priorities by sectors, regions, sub-regions and actors identified, in view of the 2nd Operational Meeting of the PAM Panel on External Trade and Investments in the Mediterranean.
PAM Secretary General, Dr. Sergio Piazzi, also informed the Steering Committee members that PAM was invited to the 8th Euro-Mediterranean ministerial meeting on Industry, to be held in Malta on 11-12 May 2011. “This represents an important opportunity for PAM to explain the philosophy and the strategic objectives of the PAM Panel to a wider audience of stakeholders at a ministerial and government level. This is useful to establish further synergies and cooperation in the economic, industrial and financial sectors of the region”, Dr. Piazzi concluded.