Athens, 10 March 2022

16th Plenary Session of Parliamentary Assembly on the Mediterranean (PAM) concluded

The work of the 16th Plenary Session of the Parliamentary Assembly on the Mediterranean concluded today in Dubai; the Hellenic Parliament was represented by MP Maximos Senetakis. The main topics discussed in the framework of the 3 Standing Committees were: geopolitical developments and security in the Mediterranean region, tackling the terrorist threat, economic recovery following the pandemic, climate change in the Mediterranean, difficulties caused by the pandemic in education systems and the implementation of the Global Compact on Migration.

Mr Senetakis, in his speech on geopolitical developments, explicitly condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which brought the catastrophe of war to the heart of Europe, also expressing our country’s full support to the people of Ukraine. He emphasised the fundamental importance of respecting all nations’ territorial integrity and called on the international community to resist the force of weapons and the challenging of borders and international treaties, adding that any revisionist initiative undermines international stability and progress.

Referring to Turkey’s behaviour, he characterized it as a threat to our region and beyond, also calling on it to contribute to problem-solving in a spirit of cooperation and not in confrontation with neighbours and states of the broader region. He also stressed that Greece is constantly working towards building an environment of stability, security and cooperation throughout the Mediterranean, an area presenting some of the most persistent issues at a global scale, such as the Israeli-Palestinian issue and the Cyprus issue.

Regarding migration, he stressed that the new European Pact on Migration and Asylum should serve a coherent European policy, with a fair division of responsibilities, also condemning any attempt towards the instrumentalisation of migration flows. Mr Senetakis also underscored the need for regional cooperation initiatives among countries of origin, transit and reception, and presented our country’s intense efforts undertaken since 2015 to rescue and receive thousands of refugees / migrants; in this context he highlighted the need to find legal migration routes that respond to the  host countries’ labour market needs.

Finally, expressing his concern about the current situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, he called on all participating Members of the Assembly to work to reduce tensions and create the conditions for peaceful coexistence and economic growth throughout the region, noting that “what unites us is much more than what separates us ".

In the discussion on economic issues, Mr Senetakis noted the crucial importance of transnational cooperation for consolidating stability and prosperity in the region, also in response to multifaceted challenges facing the Mediterranean countries in recent years, such as the Covid-19 pandemic and the effects of climate change.

In this light, he highlighted Greece’s efforts towards cooperation with the Mediterranean countries, focusing on 3 main priorities: green transition, tourism and digital transformation. He stressed the need to support small and medium-sized enterprises and start-ups, as well as the need to facilitate their financing, adding that diversifying the per capita income of the countries in the region offers a valuable opportunity to build a more open and inclusive cooperation development system, aligning resources and efforts around a set of common goals.

Regarding climate change, Mr Senetakis approached it as a global environmental and growth challenge, with significant ecological, economic and social impact on energy, food production, biodiversity, water resources, desertification, health and security. He also noted the severe impact on the Mediterranean and welcomed the balanced outcome of COP26 as another positive step towards achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement, to which Greece remains firmly committed, having adopted a short-term emission reduction strategy for 2030 and a long-term strategy for 2050.

Closing, he pointed out that setting goals is a relatively easy process, yet their implementation is obviously a more difficult task; he stressed that transition to a low or zero-emissions economy should be done in a fair way, ensuring that no one is left behind. The Assembly approved and adopted six Resolutions (one for each topic); PAM 2022 Award recipients were announced, including the Greek proposal for awarding the Hellenic Fire Service over the heroism and self-denial exhibited by its manpower during last summer’s major firefighting. The official accession to the Assembly of the Qatariand UAE parliaments was announced.

The Parliamentary Assembly on the Mediterranean 16th Plenary Session was attended by more than 200 representatives from 23 member-parliaments from Europe, North Africa, the Middle East and the Balkans. Further to the parliamentary delegations of its member states, the Plenary was also attended by representatives of many international and regional organisations and PAM partners.

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