The work of the first edition (constitutive session) of the Parliamentary Economic Forum for the Euro-Mediterranean and Gulf region, initiated by the House of Councilors of the Kingdom of Morocco and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM), opened on Wednesday in Marrakech.
The opening ceremony was marked by the presence in particular of the minister delegate in charge of relations with parliament, government spokesperson, Mustapha Baitas, of the president of the House of Councillors, Enaam Mayara, also president of the Association of Senates , Chouras and equivalent Councils from Africa and the Arab World, the President of PAM, Pedro Roque and the President of the Pan-African Parliament, Fortune Zenaphia Charumbira.
This high-level meeting, attended by parliamentarians from more than 30 countries as well as government officials, public and private sector actors, academics, experts, businessmen and representatives of civil society, is intended as an opportunity to strengthen cooperation between the two geographical areas and to intensify efforts capable of meeting common challenges together, at the head of which is economic growth and the preservation of peace and security in the region.
The Forum, hosted by the Chamber of Councillors, an active member of PAM, thus stands out as an interface for parliamentary diplomacy and a crucial stage for the debate on the most pressing economic and environmental issues in the euro region. -Mediterranean and Gulf.
Several thematic sessions are on the program, through which the organizers aspire to bring about a paradigm shift in the face of the main social and economic challenges of climate change and to promote more effective economic integration in the region, capable of enabling it to resist the factors exogenous, in addition to the creation of an expanded South-South trade network and the establishment of an integrated area for the production and marketing of green energy, enjoying self-sufficiency.
Driven by this vision, the Forum represents a platform for discussion and assessment of the economic situation in the region, in light of the unprecedented challenges facing the region, from the great financial recession to the Covid-19 pandemic. 19, passing through the Russian-Ukrainian crisis which had a considerable impact on all productive sectors and on consumers worldwide, including in the Euro-Mediterranean and Gulf region.
In this regard, participants will review the urgent measures needed to deal with the economic effects of this crisis and examine its multifaceted long-term economic repercussions, with particular emphasis on issues related in particular to food security. , energy security, climate change, environmental issues, industry 4.0, financial and commercial integration, regional disparities, sustainable tourism and maritime transport.
The Forum also sets itself the objective of promoting the emergence of a more integrated economic and financial zone, while ensuring the implementation of more sustainable practices and a transition to green energy capable of reducing the effects of climate change. and to increase the energy independence of the region, to propose tangible solutions to improve resilience to challenges and crises (food, fuel, fertilizers, etc.) and to better prepare the countries of the region to face possible future shocks, including financial and epidemic crises, while reducing dependence on external factors.
The participants will thus work, during the two days, to propose practical solutions to the main economic and environmental challenges that the region is called upon to take up, by engaging in discussions on concrete legislative proposals intended to make it possible to strengthen energy security in the region. and support economic complementarity in the Euro-Mediterranean and Gulf area in terms of renewable energies, within the framework of the resumption of political negotiations at parliamentary level in order to establish a common commercial and economic area, while reconnecting priorities with the broader objective of mitigating climate change and promoting the United Nations 2030 Agenda and with the objectives of the Paris Agreement.
Morocco’s hosting of this meeting, through the House of Councillors, testifies to the confidence enjoyed by the Kingdom as a major player in the Mediterranean region and a credible partner which brings its great contribution to the success of the efforts deployed to address the challenges facing the region.
And the Kingdom, proud of its Mediterranean identity through its constitutional consecration and its many manifestations in the habits and customs of the Moroccan people, continues to consolidate its positive involvement in the Mediterranean area, whether through the Union for Mediterranean (UfM) or the “5+5 Dialogue”.
Also, Morocco has always shown its constant concern for the various issues that plague the region, such as terrorism, organized crime, drug trafficking, illegal immigration, climate change and conflicts related to energy and food challenges. , health security and post-pandemic economic recovery. The Chamber of Councillors, beyond its legislative mission, plays a key role in promoting pluralist public debate on the various major issues of concern on the regional, continental and international scenes, within the framework of its openness to other parliamentary institutions and on its societal and economic environment.
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean, created in 2005, is an international organization that brings together 34 member parliaments from the Euro-Mediterranean and Gulf regions. Its main objective is to forge political, economic and social cooperation between the Member States in order to find common solutions to the challenges facing the region and to create an area of peace and prosperity for its peoples.
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean, created in 2005, is an international organization that brings together 34 member parliaments from the Euro-Mediterranean and Gulf regions. Its main objective is to forge political, economic and social cooperation between the Member States in order to find common solutions to the challenges facing the region and to create an area of peace and prosperity for its peoples.
With MAP