1 March 2023 - Rabat, Morocco. On the first day of the PAM 17th Plenary Session, PAM delegates reviewed the work carried out in 2022 by the 3rd Standing Committee on Dialogue among Civilizations and Human Rights, and put forward the activities for 2023.
This session was chaired by Hon. Pedro Roque (Portugal), PAM President, and presided by the address of several high-level personalities, including Mr. Valiant Richey, OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, and Mr. Vicente Ramón Garcés, President of the Mediterranean Citizens’ Assembly Foundation (MCAF).
Reports and resolutions on “Combating Human Trafficking and Migrants Smuggling in the PAM Region” and “The use and implications of Artificial Intelligence in the field of energy efficiency” were respectively presented by Sen. Marie-Arlette Carlotti (France) and Hon. Katica Glamuzina (Croatia), on behalf of Hon. Abdelouahab Yagoubi (Algeria).
Reports highlighted the sudden global energy crisis, caused by the interruption of traditional energy supply channels, following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, as well as the multiple challenges that the Euro-Mediterranean and Gulf regions are experiencing, which facilitate illicit profits for the criminal networks involved in human smuggling and trafficking.
The Report on AI called on regional and international parliaments to increase cooperation in the knowledge transfer of clean energy technologies and artificial intelligence. The second report encouraged PAM National Parliaments and governments to provide adequate resources and training to competent authorities to strengthen their capacity in preventing and combating transnational organized crime, and providing assistance to the victims, including through ensuring their access to justice.
A number of interventions from the floor contributed to shaping the debate, including very insightful contributions from the delegations of Egypt, Malta, Portugal and the UAE.
At the conclusion of the session, Hon. Ray Abela (Malta), PAM Rapporteur on Digitalization, reminded of the importance of digitalisation, while Hon. Joana Lima (Portugal), President of the PAM Women Parliamentary Forum, expressed her concerns about the vulnerability of women in conflicts and gender inequality in the work sectors.
Finally, the two resolutions on “Combating Human Trafficking and Migrants Smuggling in the PAM Region” and “The use and implications of Artificial Intelligence in the field of energy efficiency” were unanimously adopted.//