PAM President, Hon. Gennaro Migliore, signed an important Memorandum of Understanding with UNODC Executive Director, H.E. Ms Gadha Waly.

The agreement represents an additional step in a long-standing collaboration. Over these years, PAM has contributed to many UNODC events bringing the parliamentary dimension in the discussions. Likewise, PAM has always engaged UNODC in its activities to benefit from its expertise.

The conference on The Review of the Status of the effectiveness of the Legislative Implementation of the Palermo Convention in the PAM Region will be the first deliverable of this MoU.

The high-level meeting will gather experts, parliamentarians, prosecutors, and judiciaries from the Euro-Mediterranean and Gulf regions to engage in a constructive dialogue to identify and address legislative gaps that remain or have emerged with the evolution of transnational organized crime and the involvement of new technologies in malicious activities.

PAM President and UNODC Executive Director discussed then the latest trend in terrorism and international crime. At present, PAM also follows with greatest concern the security developments in Afghanista, where the country is facing a new humanitarian emergency. Hon. Migliore and Ms. Waly agreed on the need of a regional approach for Afghanistan, in particular to manage mass migration flows. Parliamentary cooperation with the countries surrounding Afghanistan will be essential to guarantee security and stability in the PAM regions.

Furthermore, they agreed on a number of other strategic matters for PAM, namely women empowerment and training programs for young parliamentarians to build and share knowledge on the best legislative practices to prevent and contrast the spread of terrorist ideology and criminal activities.

Next months a dedicated plan of action on joint initiatives will be finalised to advance these important issues for the improvement and well-being of our societies.//