Participation of the PABSEC in the 16th plenary session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union for the Mediterranean, Brussels, 4 December 2021

Mr. Asaf Hajiyev, PABSEC Secretary General and Mr. Miltiadis Makrygiannis, PABSEC Deputy Secretary General, attended virtually the 16th plenary session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union for the Mediterranean which took place under the Presidency of the European Parliament in Brussels, on 4 December.

The debates focused on the fight against climate change in the Mediterranean region, which is the priority topic defined by the EP's presidency of the PA-UfM for this year. Keynote speakers, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Mr. Josep Borrell and European Investment Bank's Vice-President, Mr. Ricardo Mourinho Félix among others, and several experts presented the main challenges of climate change on both shores of the Mediterranean.

The Committees on Political Affairs, Economic Affairs, Energy and Environment and Women's Rights met in parallel.

A joint declaration and recommendations for the Assembly plenary were adopted, focusing on COVID-19 pandemic, regional conflicts, migration, jobs opportunities and education.

At the closing of the meeting, the plenary took the decision to give the Permanent Observer status to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation.