The Centre for Global Studies is privileged to be part of the 18th Plenary Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM) in the historic city of Braga, a distinguished event hosted by the esteemed Parliament of Portugal.
Over 250 delegates, representing the diverse voices of 26 national parliaments, 25 international organizations, and 10 diplomatic representations, will enrich the event with their esteemed presence. The opening ceremony, scheduled for 15 May, will feature several Speakers and Deputy Speakers of national and international Parliaments, representatives of governments, international organizations, and the UN system.
The Hon. José Pedro Aguiar-Branco, President of the Portuguese Parliament; the Hon. Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, President of the Republic of Portugal; and the Hon. Enaam Mayara, President of PAM and Speaker of the Council of the Kingdom of Morocco, will address the opening remarks of the 18th Plenary Session of the PAM. The opening remarks will be followed by a message from the Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, and the President of the United Nations General Assembly, Dennis Francis.
The opening ceremony will feature the PAM Award Ceremony. This year, the Award is dedicated to individuals and institutions that have provided political mediation and life-saving humanitarian assistance during natural and manufactured disasters, thus contributing to alleviating the suffering of people facing catastrophic events and wars.
On the first day, the PAM and CGS delegates will delve into substantive debates on the significant work accomplished by the 3rd and 2nd PAM Standing Committees. These discussions, guided by the expertise of top international agencies and the private sector, will cover a wide range of pressing issues on which CGS is researching, such as human rights, human trafficking, digital transformation, Artificial Intelligence, migration, environment, economic integration, energy, and climate change.
On the second day, the work of the 1st Standing Committee on Political and Security-related Cooperation, chaired by Sen. Alia Bouran, Member of the of the Jordanian Senate/Foreign Affairs Committee and PAM President Emeritus, will address the Mediterranean and Gulf regions’ most pressing geopolitical and security challenges. This segment will see the participation, among others, of Mr. Álvaro Castello-Branco, Assistant Secretary of State for National Defence of Portugal, the representative of NATO PA, and a unique address by Amb. Shaukat Fareed, PAM Permanent Observer at the UN in New York.
At the end of the Plenary Session, delegates will be provided with a management and administrative update, and the new Presidency team of the PAM Women Parliamentary Forum (WPF) will be elected for the biennium 2024-2026.
