With the participation of Rachid Talbi Alami, the PA-UfM Bureau grants the House of Representatives the Rotating Presidency of the Assembly from December

The Bureau of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union for the Mediterranean (PA-UfM) affirmed on Tuesday, November 16, 2021, the official assumption by the Moroccan House of Representatives of the Rotating Presidency of the Assembly from its next plenary meeting scheduled for December 3-4, 2021, in Brussels, succeeding the European Parliament.

In a statement during the videoconference meeting the Assembly's Bureau held on Tuesday, Speaker of the House of Representatives Rachid Talbi Alami emphasized the importance of the PA-UfM as a platform for dialogue and consultation between the two sides of the Mediterranean in a way that serves peace, stability and democracy in the region.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives shed light on the common challenges that face Mediterranean countries, noting specifically the security threats in the Sahel; the situation in Libya, Syria and Palestine; and the issues related to migration, security and stability in the region. The Speaker also highlighted the obstacles emanating from climate and environmental changes, desertification, water scarcity, energy shortage, population challenges and other issues inscribed on the parliamentary agenda.

Besides, Rachid Talbi Alami added that the South countries must face the said challenges, in addition to the ones caused by covid-19, collectively by elaborating preemptive strategies on the economic, cultural and security levels. In the same context, he added that the Kingdom of Morocco, a role model and a pillar to security and stability in the Mediterranean basin, is committed to consolidating cooperation with its partners to overcome the challenges arising in the region.

The Speaker of the House called for laying the grounds for a fruitful dialogue between the countries of the two sides of the Mediterranean, especially through establishing mutual respect. He also expressed the readiness of the Moroccan House of Representatives to strengthen the friendship and cooperation ties linking it to the Mediterranean Parliaments to contribute to the prosperity of the region’s peoples.

In addition, the Speaker stated that climate change is one of the challenges that the PA-UfM must focus on, as they are a priority for Mediterranean Parliaments. He also noted the necessity to open up to other Parliaments, particularly the Parliament of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, and to solidify the Administration and Secretariat of the Assembly.

The meeting of the PA-UfM Bureau also dealt with the preparations for the Summit of Speakers of the member Parliaments, the next plenary meeting, the formation of a Secretariat as an administrative body of the Assembly and other matters inscribed on the agenda.

It should be noted that the Moroccan House of Representatives is a co-founder of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union for the Mediterranean and chaired it twice. Also, the House currently chairs a working group in charge of studying and monitoring the post-Covid19 period and previously hosted several of the Assembly's sessions and meetings of its standing committees.