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Marrakech: APU President Highlights Parliamentary Cooperation’s Role in Meeting Challenges

Marrakech, 07/12/2022 (MAP) – The President of the African Parliamentary Union (APU), Mabel Memory Chinoma, also Speaker of the Senate of the Republic of Zimbabwe, highlighted on Wednesday in Marrakech, the importance of parliamentary cooperation to meet the current challenges.

« The promotion of economic cooperation between Europe, Mediterranean and Gulf countries is an excellent initiative » given the current situation marked by changes in balance and many challenges in terms of world peace, health, climate and access to water and food, said Chinoma who spoke at the opening of the constituent session of the Parliamentary Economic Forum for the Euro-Mediterranean and Gulf region (December 7-8).

« No country can hope to find solutions to these problems by acting alone, » she stressed, citing the need to converge efforts to carry out relevant actions.

She also welcomed the creation of a climate fund for vulnerable countries affected by the consequences of global warming on the sidelines of COP27, while calling for « climate justice », with the need to share good practices so that countries can consume what they produce and produce what they consume.

The APU President also dwelt on the problems resulting from global warming, including migration, which can be solved by promoting development in Africa and by creating jobs in the migrants’ countries of origin, and terrorism, which requires a global response and a strengthening of parliamentary cooperation to achieve common goals.

Finally, Chinoma expressed the hope that the dialogues generated during this Forum could lead to « fruitful conclusions capable of strengthening hope for a better future for the peoples of Africa and the Euro-Mediterranean and Gulf regions.

The first edition (constitutive session) of the Parliamentary Economic Forum for the Euro-Mediterranean and Gulf region is initiated by the Chamber of Advisors of the Kingdom of Morocco and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM).

The opening ceremony was marked by the presence of the Minister Delegate for Relations with Parliament, Government Spokesman, Mustapha Baitas, the Speaker of the House of Advisors, Enaam Mayara, who is also President of the Association of Senates, Shuras and Equivalent Councils of Africa and the Arab World, the President of the PAM, Pedro Roque and the President of the Pan-African Parliament, Fortune Zenaphia Charumbira.

This high-level meeting, attended by parliamentarians from more than 30 countries as well as government officials, public and private sector actors, academics, experts, businessmen and representatives of civil society, is an opportunity to strengthen cooperation between the two geographical areas and to intensify efforts to address together common challenges, leading to economic growth and the preservation of peace and security in the region.