ANNUAL REPORT 2009
Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean Palazzo Spinola St. George Road St Julians, STJ 3207 Malta
Telephone: +356 22 48 42 00 Fax: +356 22 48 42 15
Electronic mail: [email protected] Website address: www.apm.org.mt
ANNUAL REPORT 2009
INDEX
Message by PAM President Hon. Rudy Salles 1 IVth Annual Plenary Session 3 1st Meeting of the Secretaries General of the Member Assemblies 3 The PAM Bureau 4 The Standing Committees 5 Middle East Fact Finding Mission 6 PAM strengthens relations with the United Nations and the United States of America 7 UNISDR-PAM Parliamentarians international roundtable on Climate Change – COP 15 8 PAM delegation joins Copenhagen Climate Change discussions 8 The Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean and the United Nations 9 PAM and the Holy See 9
In the Gulf Region – beyond the Mediterranean 10
Conclusions 10
Financial Report 11
2009 Financial Performance 13 Financial Position at 31st December 2009 14 2009 Cash-flow Statement 15
Annex 1: UN General Assembly Resolution (PAM Observer Status) 18 Annex 2: Malta Declaration of the Commitment by Parliamentarians to COP 15 and 19 Beyond Annex 3: Work Plan & Calendar 2009 21 Annex 4: Overview of PAM outreach activities in 2009 22 Annex 5 : Work Plan & Calendar 2010 27
Message by President Hon. Rudy Salles
“This has been yet another intensive year for our organisation. I cannot but not start with the achievement of the Observer Status that the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean has been granted to the General Assembly of the United Nations1.
Perhaps an unprecedented recognition for a regional inter-state organisation at such an early stage of its endeavours. I am particularly proud of this step forward, a sign of respect by the international community towards the role of PAM in parliamentary diplomacy in the Mediterranean region. It is the result of a steadfast, concerted effort between the Bureau and our Secretary General with the unconditional assistance of a number of friends and supporters, among which Malta, France and Libya through their Permanent Representatives at the UN in New York.
“Thank you” is the least we can say, although totally aware of the new responsibilities this status bestows upon us. But I am sure our Mediterranean character, determination, ideals and vision will inspire our future actions and the national parliaments of the member states will surely rise to the occasion collectively within PAM.
Equally important is the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the League of Arab States, which took place during a visit to our Headquarters by Secretary General H.E. Amr Moussa. PAM‟s advantage is that we have a 360 degree outlook. We are convinced that the seeds of peace, security and stability grow wherever there is a true sense of goodwill, and all parties to our Assembly are men and women who believe in creating the conditions for a better living for their citizens.
In Amman, the President of the Euro-mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly, H.E. Abdulhadi Majali, Speaker of the Jordanian Parliament and myself, pledged in a joint statement, to join efforts to support international initiatives for a rapid and lasting peace between the peoples of Israel and Palestine. The issue is only one of the regional aspects we consider of common concern to PAM, including the Balkans and Cyprus. I will not give here an exhaustive list of all our 2009 activities, but what follows my humble introduction is absolutely worth reading.
I am half way through my term at the helm of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean. I would have never imagined how honoured and fulfilled I would have felt to lead, in the role of primus inter pares, my fellow parliamentarians of the region in such a demanding task aimed at building on and consolidate the sterling work of my predecessor, Hon. Abdelwahed Radi, whose balanced and wise contribution we all yearn to continue to count on.
I am also grateful to all those parliamentarians, experts, keynote speakers and representatives of the private sector and civil society, who actively participated in our debates at the Standing Committees‟ meetings. I express my full appreciation to those parliamentarians who have
1 Annex 1 – Resolution A/64/124 adopted by the UN GA 1 taken upon them, over and above their national commitments, the onus to research and prepare reports and resolutions that found full approval through adoption at the IV Plenary Session in Istanbul. There we also had the occasion to convene the 1st Meeting of the Secretary Generals of our National Parliaments, an occasion to exchange best practices and experiences, further consolidating PAM‟s parliamentary network.
My message for the year 2010 is to continue on the path already initiated in the last 3 years. This can only be achieved through the unreserved commitment by the National Parliaments, the personal involvement of their Presidents and the pro-active participation of the members of their delegations to the activities of PAM, which are the synthesis of all political, social, economic and cultural views of each member state. Our strength is in our operational structure. We have to support our small but by far almost overly dynamic Secretariat, to which we must secure a realistic level of resources in order to carry out a sustainable programme of initiatives at the international level.
The Plenary Session of our Assembly, on the other hand, is a concrete expression of the realisation of an ideal and at the same time a tangible “cradle of civilisations” since every single one of us parliamentarians, is the direct representative of the constituents, those who believe in us, those who expect us to be their voices and the leaders who have the power to transform dreams into concrete actions for a better life for us adults and for our children‟s future.
We are delivering. I am sure you all concur with me.”
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IVth Annual Plenary Session Istanbul, Turkey 23-24 October 2009
The Annual Plenary Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM) is the highest moment of the work of the Assembly. The IV Plenary Session of PAM this year was hosted and co-organised by the Grand National Assembly of Turkey in the splendid city of Istanbul: a city of wonders offering a unique cultural and historical experience.
The proceedings kicked off with the inaugural address by H.E. Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Prime Minister of Turkey, H.E. Hon. Mehmet Ali Sahin, Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (GNAT) and PAM President Hon. Rudy Salles (France).
A further novelty for the Plenary Session was the participation of six distinguished guest speakers representing different regional parliamentary organisations who addressed the opening session. The Plenary Session was also the occasion to draw the conclusions of the year‟s various discussions. The Presidents of the three Standing Committees summarised the reports and resolutions drawn up by the individual Special Task Forces and Ad Hoc Committees during 2009. The texts were subsequently submitted to the Assembly for their final and unanimous adoption.
President Salles concluded the Assembly‟s proceedings by referring to its unprecedented success thanks to the participation of almost all PAM delegations and many of its international partners, to the excellent organization and wonderful hospitality of the Turkish Parliament, and the hard work put in by the PAM Secretary General and the Secretariat staff.
1st Meeting of the Secretaries General of the Member Assemblies Istanbul, Turkey 25th October 2009
The 1st Meeting of the Secretaries General of PAM member assemblies represented another step towards further networking of the legislative arm of Mediterranean parliamentary diplomacy. The objective of the Secretaries General meeting was to exchange experiences, information and to learn about each other‟s best practices, as well as benefit from the vision and knowledge of the participants in developing the communication strategies and working procedures of PAM.
Some 15 parliaments were present and this served to lay down the foundation stones for future dialogue.
The Meeting far exceeded the expectations and proposed a number of actions on how to improve the communications network between the PAM Secretariat and the SG‟s of the member parliaments. Mr. Alain Delcamp – Secretary General of the French Senate, offered to host the next PAM Secretaries General meeting in Paris.
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The PAM Bureau
The Bureau is the governing body of PAM, comprising eight members equally representing the Northern and Southern geo-political groupings of the region. During 2009, the Bureau met 3 times; in Rome (March), in Lisbon (June) and in Istanbul (October) just before the Annual Plenary Session. Due to other opportunities arising from PAM‟s busy calendar of international activities, the Bureau members also met on another two occasions; during the High Level Mission to the Middle East in May, and during the visit to the United States in September.
The PAM Bureau for 2009 is composed as follows:
Mr. Rudy Salles, PAM President(France) Mr. Abdel Kader Fedala (Algeria) Mrs. Elisavvet Papadimitriou (Greece) Mr. Francesco Amoruso (Italy) Mr. Suleiman Ghneimat (Jordan) Mr. Mohamed Titna Alaoui Idrissi (Morocco) Mr. Tayseer Quba'a (Palestine) Mr. José Junqueiro (Portugal)
Honorary President: Hon. Abdelwahad Radi (Morocco) PAM Roving Ambassador: Mr. Mohammed Abu Al-Enein (Egypt)
The 9th Meeting of the Bureau was held on 12th March 2009 and was hosted by the Italian Parliament at Palazzo Montecitorio in Rome, Italy. On that occasion, meetings were held with the Vatican State authorities and in the city of Assisi.
The 10th Meeting of the Bureau, on 24 June 2009, moved to São Bento Palace in Lisbon, Portugal. President Salles presented the outcome of the mission to the Middle East, and specifically thanked the Egyptian and Jordanian Parliaments, and personally, Hon. Abou El-Enein, Head of the Egyptian delegation, for their precious and tangible support without which the mission would not have been possible. It was decided that the Middle East Mission report should be widely distributed, including to the Presidents of all EU national Parliaments, as well as the media.
The 11th Meeting of the Bureau was held on 23th October 2009 in Istanbul, Turkey, prior to the IV Plenary Session. President Rudy Salles commented on the enthusiasm for PAM both from the US Administration and the UN and reiterated that more visibility meant greater responsibility. It was also imperative that as Palestine was accepted with open arms, it was equally necessary that the same is done with Israel, which would have been in attendance at the Plenary Session. The Secretary General referred to the fact that the organisation has far outgrown its initial budget provisions due the momentum gained by PAM and the actual running costs. At the end, the Bureau members thanked the Secretary General and his staff for the support and outstanding commitment towards the Assembly especially in their continued effort to support the Bureau, the Standing Committees, the delegates and delegations to carry out their work in the best way possible.
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The Standing Committees2
During 2009, the three Standing Committees further developed the following themes:
1st Standing Committee – Political and Security-related Cooperation
Ad Hoc Committee – Regional Issues: the Middle East Chair: Hon. George Vella, (Malta) Special Task Force on Organized Crime Rapporteur: Hon. Angela Napoli (Italy) Reflection Group on the Definition of Terrorism Rapporteurs: Hon. Askin Asan (Turkey) and Hon. Tayseer Quba’a (Palestine)
2010 Agenda for the 1st Standing Committee:
- The Ad hoc Committee on the Middle East will continue its work; - The Special Task Force on Organized Crime will focus its work on human trafficking and the dumping of toxic waste; - The Reflexion Group on Terrorism will focus on the Root Causes of Terrorism.
2nd Standing Committee – Economic, Social and Environmental Cooperation
Special Task Force – Environment and Climate Change Rapporteur: Hon. Elsa Papadimitrou (Greece) Special Task Force – Disaster Management Rapporteur: Hon. José Junqueiro (Portugal) Special Rapporteur on Energy, Hon. Mohammed Abou El Enein (Egypt) Special Rapporteur on Water. Senator Jacques Blanc (France) Special Task Force on Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, Rapporteur: Hon. Ridha Bouargoub (Tunisia)
2010 Agenda for the 2nd Standing Committee:
- The Malta meeting on Climate Change Adaptation will be part of the work of the STF on Climate Change; - The Special Rapporteur on Water will continue his work; - The Special Rapporteur on Energy will continue his work; - The Special Task Force on SMEs will organise a Panel on External Trade; - Updates on the Copenhagen Summit will be organised;
3rd Standing Committee – Dialogue among Civilizations and Human Rights
Special Task Force – Dialogue among Cultures and Religions Rapporteur: Hon. Sonia Sanfona (Portugal) Special Task Force – Migration Rapporteur: Hon. Mahmoud Muhaidat (Jordan) Special Task Force – Gender and Equality Issues Rapporteurs: Hon. Aski Asan (Turkey), Hon. Bizid Blaiech (Tunisia)
2 Detailed Executive Reports of the Standing Committees will be available on the New PAM website: www.apm.org.mt 5
2010 Agenda for the 3rd Standing Committee:
- The Special Task Force on Dialogue of Cultures and Religions will continue its work, with specific focus on the Balkans; - The Special Task Force on Migration will continue its work with a particular focus on Palestinian Women. - The Special Task Force on Gender and Equality Issues will continue its work with a specific focus on “Achieving Gender Equality” - A colloquy with EMUNI will be organised in Slovenia to examine how the work of PAM can be supported by Universities located in PAM Member States.
Middle East Fact Finding Mission
A high-level delegation led by PAM President, Hon. Rudy Salles, went on a four-day mission to the Middle East (Egypt, Jordan, Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories) from 18- 21 May 2009. In Cairo, the delegation met, inter alia, with H.E. Ahmed Fathy Sorour, Speaker of the People‟s Assembly of Egypt. With him, the delegates spoke on the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. The delegation was also received by H.E. Ahmed Abou El Gheit, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Egypt, who discussed Egypt‟s role in inter- Palestinian dialogue and efforts by his country in response to the humanitarian situation in Gaza. Another meeting was held at the League of Arab States Headquarters (LAS) with Hon. Ahmed Ben Helli, Deputy-Secretary General of LAS, who spoke on the organization‟s role in both the Arab Peace Process and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict.
In Ramallah, the delegation had talks with members of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC), namely with Hon. Riyad Al-Maliki, Minister for Information and Foreign Affairs, and Hon. Samir Abdallah, Minister of Planning and Labour, of the Palestinian Authority, on the inter-Palestinian dialogue and the state of Jerusalem. Another meeting was held with Ambassador Robert Serry, High Commissioner of the United Nations Special Coordinator Office for the Middle East (UNSCO). In Gaza the PAM delegation met Mrs. Karen AbuZaid, General Commissioner of UNRWA, and also visited the Jordanian Military Hospital.
In Amman, the PAM Bureau met with Hon. Naser Judeh, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Jordan, with whom the Arab Peace Initiative was discussed. The delegation also paid a visit to Hon. Abdulhadi Majali, Speaker of the Jordanian House of Representatives who, at the time, was also the President of the Euro-mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly (EMPA). On this occasion, Presidents Salles and Majali declared their intention for the two Assemblies to collaborate in a structured and regular manner. A joint declaration was issued to this effect.
In Ramallah, the delegates also met with other key members of the Palestinian National Authority, including representatives of the Palestinian Legislative Council and the Palestinian National Council.
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In Jerusalem an important meeting was also held with H.E. Reuven Rivlin, Speaker of the Knesset, who explained Israel‟s position on the major issues regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
PAM strengthens relations with the United Nations and the United States of America
A Bureau delegation led by President Hon. Rudy Salles embarked on a mission to New York and Washington, D.C., USA, from 29 September to 2 October, 2009. Meetings were held with senior United Nations officials and high-level members of the United States Congress and Administration.
Issues discussed ranged from the Middle East, the environment, migration, energy and intercultural dialogue, all of which are of critical importance to the Mediterranean community, as well as to the UN system and the United States. The aim of the mission was to introduce PAM, establish closer cooperation and a structured dialogue with the UN and the US, and exchange views on these important issues. In New York, a meeting was held with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, as a follow up to a meeting between PAM and the UN Secretary General held earlier in the year in Malta. Further discussions were held with the Heads of other UN Departments dealing with political affairs, humanitarian affairs, peacekeeping, the question of Palestine, and climate change. In Washington, talks took place with members of the US Congress on topics ranging from terrorism, energy and the Middle East. The delegation exchanged views on the status of the peace process in the Middle East at the White House and at the US State Department.
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UNISDR-PAM parliamentarians international roundtable on Climate Change St. Julians, Malta – 23-24 November 2009
The event was organized jointly by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean and the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR), as well as the Government of Malta. Participants included members of parliaments from as far as Algeria, Argentina, Colombia, Costa Rica, France, Indonesia, Jordan, Kenya, Malta, Namibia, Senegal, Uganda and Turkey, in representation of regional parliamentary assemblies from Asia, Latin America, Africa, Europe and the Mediterranean. At the end of the two day meeting, the parliamentarians had agreed upon a common position to be presented at the UN Climate Conference, COP15, in Copenhagen in December 2009. The adopted document is the “The Malta Declaration of the Commitment by Parliamentarians to COP 15 and Beyond.”3
“The Malta Declaration” was circulated to all Heads of States and Governments ahead of the Copenhagen meeting, and the message was also conveyed to the COP15 participants by the Prime Minister of Malta, Hon. Dr Lawrence Gonzi, and the PAM Secretary General, Dr. Sergio Piazzi. It reflects how parliamentarians can unite across borders and cultures. Both UNISDR and PAM expressed their belief that parliamentarians must continue to be the driving force behind their governments, as well as build awareness and ensure immediate action by all actors of society.
Emphasis was placed on the role of the private sector, civil society and other relevant stakeholders who should use their influence to see that all COP 15 decisions are implemented. A particular reference was made to the private sector, calling on it to play its part by setting aside no less than 10% of corporate social responsibility funding for the specific use for disaster risk management and climate change adaptation programmes and projects.
PAM delegation joins Copenhagen Climate Change discussions
A delegation from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean was officially invited to participate as observer to the Climate Change COP15 meeting in Copenhagen, as an inter- governmental organization. PAM President, Hon. Rudy Salles (France) led a group of Mediterranean parliamentarians, namely Hon. Mohamed Abou El-Enein (Egypt), Hon Camille de Rocca Serra (France), Hon Athanasia Merentiti (Greece), Sen. Francesco Amoruso (Italy), Hon. Suleiman Ghneimat (Jordan) and Hon Askin Asan (Turkey). The Secretary General, Dr. Sergio Piazzi, also accompanied the PAM delegation. The Secretary General took the floor in the plenary session on behalf of President Salles, where he illustrated the commitment of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean to issues related to Climate Change in the region.
3 Annex 2 8
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean and the United Nations
The agreement between Malta and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean on the juridical status of the Assembly was presented to the United Nations Office of Legal Affairs by H.E. Mr. Saviour F. Borg, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary and Permanent Representative of Malta to the United Nations, and by Dr. Sergio Piazzi, Secretary General of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean, in a ceremony held at the UN Headquarters in New York on 23rd January 2009.
In April, during a second mission to New York, the Secretary General of PAM launched the process for PAM to obtain the Observer Status at the United Nations General Assembly.
The process was spearheaded by the Permanent Mission of Malta and together with the delegations of France and Libya, played an important role in the negotiations and consultations with other UN Member States on the draft resolution which was first adopted by the Sixth Committee (Legal Affairs). By this decision, PAM has been granted the right to occupy a seat at the General Assembly, intervene in important debates and participate in the formal consultation processes.
The collaboration with the United Nations and a number of its Agencies, continued to grow throughout the year, and as this report shows, this synergy has materialised into the co- organisation of international events on topics such as the Middle East and Climate issues, while many UN high-level officers have addressed PAM parliamentarians during the meetingsthroughout the year.
PAM and the Holy See
While in Rome, on the invitation of the Italian Parliament for the meetings of the Special Task Forces falling under the 3rd Permanent Commission on Dialogue among Civilisations and Human Rights, PAM parliamentarians participated in the general audience with H.H. Pope Benedict XVI, which was followed by a private meeting with the Secretary of State of the Holy See, H.E. Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone. On this occasion both sides exchanged views and possible actions required to secure peace and stability in the region. “The Mediterranean is back in the centre of attention”, Cardinal Bertone said to the MPs. He also underlined the importance of PAM, which “is a young institution that has already made important progress in promoting political dialogue among the countries of the Mediterranean”. PAM President, Hon. Rudy Salles (France), while thanking Cardinal Bertone for the privilege conceded on the occasion of the unique opportunity to meet PAM delegates, underlined the Assembly‟s philosophy to work with all the parliaments of the region on issues of common interest, in order to bring closer the populations of the Mediterranean. The delegates were also addressed by Monsignor Pietro Parolin, Vatican Undersecretary for Relations with States, with whom the Secretary General also discussed the future structured cooperation between the Vatican and PAM.
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In the Gulf Region – beyond the Mediterranean
On 5th April 2009, Hon. Rudy Salles paid a courtesy visit to H.E. Mohamed Bin Mubarak Al-Khulaifi, President of the Advisory Council of Qatar. Among other major issues they discussed the granting of “Associate Member” status with PAM to the Qatari Parliament, whereupon His Excellency said that he would take all the measures necessary in order to begin proceedings for the Advisory Council to obtain this status.
Two days later President Salles addressed the opening ceremony of the 6th Annual Dubai International Humanitarian Aid and Development Conference (DIHAD). He presented the organization‟s role in the Mediterranean region as regards disaster management, and highlighted the fact that PAM itself has established a Special Task Force on Disaster Management. He also emphasised that “Parliamentarians can facilitate the establishment of bilateral/multilateral agreements among the Member States in order to create additional capacities to respond to disasters.”
Conclusion
The list of activities organised by the Assembly, and the international events to which PAM has been invited and represented by members of the Bureau and parliamentarians from different member countries, is endless4. This is testimony to the proactive and dynamic attitude that the Organisation has vested itself with. The Secretariat, although limited in human and financial resources, has embarked on an intensive programme of advocacy and empowered by a clear vision, is committed to support further the intercultural dialogue at all levels, as a means of mutual understanding between the citizens of the Mediterranean region.
4 Annex 3 – Work Plan & Calendar 2009: Annex 4 – Outreach Activities 2009: Annex 5 – Work Plan & Calendar 2010 10
Financial Report
Whilst in 2009 the PAM continued to increase its relevance in dealing with issues related to the Mediterranean in general and in their parliamentary dimension in particular, the financial situation remains a source of concern. A condition for PAM to maintain a constructive role in the region is to ensure to its members the highest standard of support in their individual and collective endeavors, through, for instance, the preparation of state-of-the-art background documents, the conduct of open and fruitful debates, the organization of and/or participation in conferences and fora relevant to the mandate of the Assembly. The recent acquisition of Observer Status with the UN General Assembly and the League of Arab States represents the recognition of the excellent work carried out by the Assembly.
As pointed out in last year‟s report, and considering the real costs incurred by the Assembly in Malta, the 2008 budget was already inadequate to meet and cover the daily functioning of PAM. The budget for 2009, of an equal amount, was again absolutely insufficient to cover the operational costs of the Assembly, and the Secretariat had to work under enormous financial constraints to complete the scheduled activities and honor the Assembly‟s financial obligations. The situation of 2009 is illustrated by the fact that, just to refer to some simple examples, bills were paid late, the staff could not be afforded any medical insurance nor pension fund, the premises of PAM were not (and are still not) covered by a Fire and Theft insurance, the maintenance of premises had to be kept at a bare minimum. To address this situation, at its Annual Session of the Assembly in Istanbul, the Bureau and the Assembly, took an informed decision so as to increase the budget in order to meet the critical needs of the Assembly. The adopted budget for the biennium 2010 and 2011 was therefore fixed at Euro 755,400 per year.
As from 1 January 2009, PAM has changed its basis of recognizing income from one of an accruals basis to one on a cash basis. As a result contributions are only reflected in the Financial Reports when they are received. Figures brought forward from previous years have been adjusted to reflect this change.
To summarize the 2009 situation, the original budget for the years 2008 and 2009 had been tentatively set at Euro 500,000 per year which included a yearly contribution of EUR 20,000 towards the establishment of a Working Capital Fund. However the authorized expenditures for 2009 amounted to Euro 555,461. Contributions actually received (including those for the Working Capital Fund of EUR 18,900) amounted to EUR 472,552, resulting in a deficit of Euro 82,909. This deficit, together with the deficit brought forward from previous years of EUR 20,892, was mainly due to the outstanding contributions of one country as at 31st December 2009 (see Contributions table attached). Therefore, the amount allocated for the years 2010 and 2011 is intended not only to cover the basic operational requirements of the Assembly in 2010, but also to absorb the unbearable deficit and put the Secretariat in the condition to operate beyond a survival mode. In Istanbul, the Bureau also proposed, and the Assembly agreed, to request an expert to review the current proportional (%) system of sharing the amount required among its members based on national GDP and per capita GDP as criteria. The idea being to: A) reduce the actual ten contribution groups to four, and B) if possible, spread in an even more equitable fashion the required budget among its members.
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In brief, the main chapters of the 2009 expenditure were the following:
Staff Euro 370,365 Services Euro 36,025 Operational Euro 149,071
Staff As was pointed out in the previous year‟s report, staff allocations were inadequate to maintain a dedicated capacity on regular basis. Most of the contracts for the staff are on a short-term basis as, in the absence of a reserve fund, their extension depends entirely on PAM receiving all the assessed contributions, and also on receiving them on time, at the beginning of the year. Furthermore, no provisions exist for home leave or for the transport expenses of personal effects. PAM has been further fortunate in obtaining the free services of a couple of dedicated interns.
Services Due to the high cost of organizing conferences in Malta in 2008 on the budget of the Secretariat, it was then decided by the Assembly to hold all the future meetings in member countries, where host Parliaments were able to meet the direct expenses of such meetings. Even so, the total expenditure on services to be covered by the Assembly amounted to Euro 36,025. In this category are to be listed, inter alia, expenses on translation services. Again, with the due limitations, action has been taken so that, as much as possible, the Secretariat carries out this work in house.
Operation and Maintenance A major part of this budget line was absorbed by increased costs of communications, as well as increased travel expenses. The Secretariat has looked at various possibilities to try to cut the cost of the telecommunications bill and it partly succeeded by using both internet communication lines and in negotiating a new favorable agreement with Malta‟s leading telecommunications supplier, GO mobile. In 2010, however, it has also to be expected a major rise in utility bills, as both the water and electricity rates in Malta have been recently increased significantly by national authorities. Furthermore, due to frequent power cuts and in order to protect its IT equipment, of a value exceeding Euros 70,000.00, in 2010 PAM Headquarters will have to be equipped with an independent power generating unit to ensure continuity of operation and safeguard the integrity of the server.
Conclusion From a financial point of view, 2009 was a difficult year. PAM was not able to put aside any amount for a much needed reserve fund, something that is required – by its own rules - in order to be able to carry on activities from one year to the next, and also to have sufficient funds available to anticipate small amounts pending receipt of assessed contributions, to extend the contracts of staff at the end of each year, or to meet any unforeseen expenditure, as requested by the Assembly. Within the space of 30 months, since the set-up of the Secretariat in Malta in September 2007, the Assembly has made a great leap forward. It has increased its visibility and relevance, and it would be a real pity if, due to lack of funds, PAM will not be able to keep its position as the leading parliamentary voice of the Mediterranean.
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2009 Financial Performance
2009 2008
EUR EUR
Assessed Contributions as foreseen by the Budget
1 Assessed 2009 480,000 480,000 2 Working Capital Fund 20,000 20,000
Total Assessed Contributions 500,000 500,000
Income
Contributions Received 472,552 484,945
Operating Expenses
1 Staff 370,365 313,587 2 Services 36,025 125,971 3 Operational Costs 149,071 108,563
Total Operating Expenses 555,461 548,121
Operating Deficit (82,909) (63,176)
Accumulated Deficit at Beginning of Year (20,892) 17,594 Operating Deficit (82,909) (63,176) Interest Earned 454 2,350 Other Contributions received re 2005/6 - 22,340
Accumulated Deficit at End of year (103,347) (20,892)
Note: Income only reflects Contributions actually Received during the period Contributions received in 2008 include some relating to 2007
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Financial Position as at 31st December 2009
PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY OF THE MEDITERRANEAN Statement of Financial Position at 31 December 2009 in Euros
2009 2008
EUR EUR
ASSETS
Bank balances 26,776 63,088
Accounts Receivable
Goverment of Malta – Claim for refund of Conference Expenses 14,500 -
TOTAL ASSETS 41,276 63,088
LIABILITIES AND RESERVES
Accounts Payable and Accrued Payables 134,623 68,980
Advance from IPU 10,000 15,000
TOTAL Liabilities 144,623 83,980
Accumulated Deficit (103,347) (20,892)
TOTAL LIABILITIES and RESERVES 41,276 63,088
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2009 Cash-flow Statement
PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY OF THE MEDITERRANEAN Statement of Cashflows for the year ended 31 December 2009 in Euros
2009 2008
EUR EUR
Opening Cash Balance 63,088 99,754
Cash provided by (used in) Operations Operating (Deficit)/Surplus (82,909) (63,176) plus non-cash expenditures Changes in Receivables (14,500) - Changes in Payables 65,643 6,820
Total cash from Operations 31,322 43,398
Cash provided by the Working Capital Fund Other Contributions - 22,340 Interest 454 2,350
Total cash from Working Capital Fund 454 24,690
Cash used in Financing Activities
Loan from (Repayment to) 5,000 5,000
Total cash from Financing 5,000 5,000
Cash used in Investing Activities Other Assets - -
Total cash used in investments - -
Closing Cash Balance 26,776 63,088
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ANNEX 1
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ANNEX 2
The Malta Declaration of the Commitment by Parliamentarians to COP 15 and Beyond
Unanimously adopted at the International Roundtable of Parliamentarians on Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation
St. Julians, Malta, 24 November 2009
1. Why we parliamentarians, representatives of the people, are engaged.
Because:
a. Our core responsibility includes oversight of the executive and formulation of legislations, as well as appropriation of the budget.
b. We are the bridge between the executive and the people and we also have the responsibility to ensure the implementation of decisions taken.
c. We are the elected representatives of people, we have to secure that their aspirations, views and knowledge form part of the overall decision-making processes.
d. We are in close and constant contact with our people, and we know how to raise their awareness to threats to their livelihoods and to explain how to prevent that these threats do not materialize.
e. We have opportunities and responsibilities in leading our citizens through crises and uncertainties using innovative ideas to overcome the challenge of climate change through the application of disaster risk reduction as a tool for climate change adaptation.
2. What we are concerned about.
a. The universal threat to the welfare and aspirations of humanity, as a result of climate change, makes it incumbent upon us as leaders to ensure awareness creation and responsible and immediate action by all stakeholders of society, in conformity with the fundamental principles of human rights.
19 b. The frequency and scale of disasters obliges us to promote the coordination between governments, parliaments, civil society, private sector, academia, local communities and the general populace to commit to immediate action to share our collective experiences and knowledge, and implement all the decisions of COP 15 to reduce the threat to our welfare and existence.
3. Therefore, we call upon all parliamentarians to collectively: a. Proactively invite their governments to demonstrate the utmost political will to ensure the positive outcome of COP 15. b. Exercise our responsibility in national oversight over the implementation of COP 15 decisions. c. Encourage all parliamentarians, as role models, to combat corruption, to embrace transparency and accountability at all levels of handling disaster-related and climate adaptation funding, with strict adherence to the code of conduct, national quality standards and international best practices. d. Recognize the importance of building a culture of prevention by using education as a good example of how long-term investment benefits socio-economic development and thus prevention. e. Recognize that measures for climate change adaptation will contribute not only to the prevention of problems resulting from increasingly scarce resources, which may lead to conflicts and local displacements, specially related to water and land, but will also represent an opportunity to create employment and sustain development. f. To use all the available instruments of their legislative bodies, including gender mainstreaming, to ensure disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation measures are integrated in national planning and budget processes.
4. We also call upon: a. All the Parties to the COP 15 Conference to ensure immediate action to finalize a legally- binding agreement, with progressive and accessible financing mechanisms adequate for reaching the goals of disaster risk reduction, coupled with accessible appropriate technology, to ensure availability based on region-specific vulnerabilities. b. The private sector, civil society and other relevant stakeholders to use their influence to ensure the implementation of COP 15 decisions and achieving and realizing their national goals. c. The private sector to set aside no less than 10% of corporate social responsibility funding for the specific use for disaster risk management and climate change adaptation programmes and projects.
Our commitment is to consistently represent the true voice of the people
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ANNEX 3
Work Plan & Calendar 2009
TENTATIVE DATES ACTIVITY REMARKS
30 January Reflection Group on Terrorism Turkish Parliament, Istanbul 20-21 February 2nd Meeting of the Special Task Parliament of Cyprus, Force (STF) on Environment and Limassol/Lemesos Climate Change
1st Meeting of the STF on Disaster Management
12-14 March 9th Bureau meeting Italian Parliament, Rome
2nd Meeting of the STF on Audience with His Holiness the Dialogue among Cultures and Pope Benedict XVI Religions Visit to Assisi 2nd Meeting of the STF on Migration in the Mediterranean
2nd Meeting of the STF on Gender and Equality Issues 21 March Celebration of the Each PAM National Parliament “Mediterranean Day” to organize a symbolic event on this occasion 1-2 April 2nd Meeting of the Ad Hoc Egypt, Cairo Committee on Energy
1st Meeting of the STF on Small and Medium-Sized Industries/Maritime Trade
1st Meeting of the STF on Organized Crime 18-21 May Visit to the Middle East Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria 24-26 June 4th Meeting of the Standing Portuguese Parliament, Lisbon Committees 29 September – 1st October PAM Bureau meeting NY, DC (USA) and follow-up of May Middle East mission 23-24 October 11th PAM Bureau Turkish Parliament, Istanbul
4th Plenary Session of the Assembly 25 October 1st Meeting of the Secretaries Turkish Parliament, Istanbul General of the Member Assemblies of PAM 23-24 November Coordination Meeting of Malta parliamentary regional assemblies on Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change adaptation
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ANNEX 4
OVERVIEW OF PAM OUTREACH ACTIVITIES IN 2009
- 23 January – Dr. Sergio Piazzi, Secretary General – United Nations Headquarters, New York: Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean Juridical Status Agreement presented to the United Nations. - 30 January – Dr. Sergio Piazzi and Mrs. Céline Cervi, Assembly Affairs Officer – Turkish Parliament, Istanbul: 1st meeting of the Reflection Group on Terrorism. - 20-21 February – Dr. Sergio Piazzi and Mrs. Céline Cervi – Parliament of Cyprus, Limassol: 1st Meeting of the Special Task Force (STF) on Disaster Management. 2nd Meeting of the STF on Environment and Climate Change. - 27 February – Dr. Sergio Piazzi, Mrs. Céline Cervi and Mr. Martin Micallef, Senior Communications Officer – PAM Headquarters, Malta: Bilateral meeting with H.E. Bernard Kouchner, Minister of Foreign and Europeans Affairs of France. - 3-5 March – Hon. Jesmond Mugliett and Mr. Aziz Belaouda – Strasbourg: 16th Plenary Session of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities. - 9 March – Dr.Sergio Piazzi – University “Federico II”, Naples: Dr. Piazzi opens the Academic Year with a lesson entitled “From the Faculty of Political Sciences to the Europe of International Relationships”. - 11 March – PAM Bureau – Holy See: General Audience with His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI - 12 March – PAM delegates – Holy See: Audience with the Vatican Secretary of State, His Eminence Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone. - 12-13 March - Dr.Sergio Piazzi, Mrs. Céline Cervi, Mr. Martin Micallef and Mr. Aziz Belaouda - Italian Parliament, Rome: 2nd Meeting of the STF on Dialogue among Cultures and Religions. 2nd Meeting of the STF on Migration in the Mediterranean. 2nd Meeting of the STF on Gender and Equality Issues. 9th Bureau meeting.
Mr. Martin Micallef releases an interview to Italian Public Broadcaster - RAI International, in Rome. - 14 March - PAM delegates visit Assisi: Meetings with Mr. Claudio Ricci, Mayor of Assisi, Monsignor Domenico Sorrentino, Bishop of Assisi, and Father Giuseppe Piemontese, Custodian of the Sacred Convent of St. Francis.
- March: Celebration of the 1st Mediterranean Day (Shared Values-Shared Aspirations) 19 March: Students from the “Istituto Superiore Francesco Saverio Nitti” of Naples visit PAM Headquarters. - 20 March: “Shared Values – Shared Aspirations” colloquy organized by the Speaker of the Maltese Parliament, Dr. Louis Galea, held at Parliament and attended by members of the diplomatic, academic and political communities. Speakers: H.E. Dr. Louis Galea (Speaker of the House of Representatives of Malta), Dr. Sergio Piazzi , Hon. Jesmond Mugliett (Head of the Maltese Delegation to PAM and Vice President of the 1st Standing Committee), Hon. Justyne Caruana and Hon. George Vella (Chair of the Ad Hoc Committee on the Middle-East) - 21 March: Open Day at PAM Headquarters, Palazzo Spinola, including Visit by the Mayor of St. Julians, Mr.Peter Bonello - 23 March: Roundtable held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Malta on security and stability in the Mediterranean attended by students from the Mediterranean Academy of Diplomatic Studies (MEDAC), GF Abela Junior College (pre-university college) and De La Salle College, as well as staff from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and PAM. Speakers: Hon. Tonio Borg (Minister of Foreign Affairs and Deputy Prime Minister of Malta), Dr .Sergio Piazzi, Mr. Martin Micallef and Dr. Stephen Calleya (MEDAC Director)
Activities in other member countries in connection with the 1st Mediterranean Day Croatia - The City of Dubrovnik and the Croatian Camellia Society in Zagreb co-organized a photo exhibition entitled „Mediterranean Day - Camellia Day’, which was inaugurated on Mediterranean Day. The occasion was also marked by an address at the opening of the exhibition by Hon. Dubravka Suica, Head of the Croatian Delegation to PAM and Mayor of Dubrovnik, as well as the presentation of a book called „The Flora of the Adriatic Coastline and Islands‟, and
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the showing of a short animated film in French, „L‟homme qui plantait des arbres‟ (A Man who Planted Trees).
Cyprus - The Acting President of the House of Representatives, Hon. Christos Pourgoundes, delivered an address on 19 March during the Plenary Session of the Parliament to mark the occasion.
France - PAM President, Hon. Rudy Salles, issued a statement on the Mediterranean Day and planted an olive tree in honour of the celebration. The President of the French National Assembly, Hon. Bernard Accoyer, and members of both French Chambers, gathered to present, at the entrance of the Palais-Bourbon, from 20 to 27 March, extracts from the Charter of the Mediterranean illustrated with pictures symbolizing the Mediterranean civilization.
Greece - Inaugurated Mediterranean Day at a parliamentary session and issued a statement from the President of the Hellenic Parliament, Dr. Dimitrious Sioufas, to all Presidents and Speakers of PAM Member Parliaments.
Monaco - The Monegasque National Council issued a press release and a statement by Hon. Fabrice Notari, Head of the Delegation to PAM, on 21 March.
Morocco - A meeting was organized at the House of Councilors on 21 March to celebrate the Mediterranean Day, which was attended by Members of the delegation to PAM, including Hon. Mohamed Titna Alaoui, Head of the Delegation to PAM, and a communique was also issued.
Portugal - The Portuguese Parliament held a conference on 24 March entitled „Shared Values-Shared Aspirations’
Romania - The Chamber of Deputies issued a statement on the Mediterranean Day which was adopted by its Committee for Foreign Policy in a meeting held on 11 March.
Turkey - The Turkish Parliament organized an event to commemorate the Mediterranean Day to which other PAM delegates had been invited. Due to local general elections, the proposed initiative was cancelled.
Dr. Piazzi releases press interviews in Malta to In-Nazzjon and The Times, and radio-television interviews to PBS, NET Television and Educational TV
- 1-2 April – Dr.Sergio Piazzi and Mrs. Céline Cervi – Egyptian Parliament, Cairo: 1st Meeting of the STF on Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises. 1st Meeting of the STF on Organized Crime. 2nd Meeting of the Ad Hoc Committee on Energy.
- 2 April – Dr. Sergio Piazzi and Mrs. Céline Cervi – Headquarters of the League of Arab States, Cairo: Meeting with the Secretary General of the League of Arab States, Dr. Amr M. Moussa. - 5 April – Hon. Rudy Salles (PAM President) and Dr. Sergio Piazzi - National Assembly of Qatar, Doha: Courtesy visit to H.E. Mr. Mohamed Bin Mubarak Al-Khulaifi, President of the Advisory Council of Qatar. - 7 April – Hon. Rudy Salles – Dubai, United Arab Emirates: President Rudy Salles addresses the opening ceremony of the 6th Annual Dubai International Humanitarian Aid and Development Conference (DIHAD). - 5-10 April – Hon. Elissavet Papadimitriou – Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: Hon. Papadimitriou addresses the 120th Plenary Session of the Inter-Parliamentary Union. - 14 April – Mrs. Céline Cervi – PAM Headquarters, St. Julians, Malta: Meeting with Madame Michèle Gendreau-Massaloux, Rector, who is on President Nicolas Sarkozy’s team for the Union for the Mediterranean. Presentation of PAM and of the PAM activities within the 3rd Standing Committee. - 15 April – Mrs. Céline Cervi – Old University of Malta: Meeting organised by the French Embassy entitled, « Identité méditerranéenne et Francophonie – Pour une dialogique sur la communication internationale » – 4th Annual Meeting of the Editors in Chief of the Synergies journals and 10th Anniversary of the creation of GERFLINT. - 22 April - San Anton Place, residence of the President of Malta: Meeting between Mr. Ban Ki-moon, Secretary General of the UN, and Dr.Sergio Piazzi. - 29 April: MEDAC students visit PAM Headquarters - 2 May – Dr. Sergio Piazzi and H.E. Mohamed Titna Alaoui Idrissi, Vice-President of PAM – Fez:
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Preparation of the activities of the 3rd Standing Committee for 2010 with Dr. Abdelhak Azzouzi, President of the Moroccan Interdisciplinary Center for Strategic and International Studies (CMIESI). - 6-7 May – Hon.George Vella – Nicosia, Cyprus: Hon. Vella addresses the United Nations International Meeting in Support of Israeli-Palestinian Peace. - 7 May “World Day of Orphans from AIDS” - Cav. Martin Micallef and Ms. Courtney White, Research and Communications Scholar - Valletta, Malta: Roundtable Discussion with Countess Albina du Boisrouvray entitled “World Day of Orphans from AIDS”, organised by the French Embassy and FXB (Association François-Xavier Bagnoud). Meeting attended by the French Ambassador in Malta H.E. Daniel Rondeau, Mr. Alexiei Dingli, Mayor of Valletta, Father Martin Micallef, Director of Dar tal-Providenza, Mr. Martin Micallef, PAM Senior Information Officer, Mr. Ahmed Burge, Manager, Marsa Open Center, Ms. Maria Pisani, International Organization for Migration (Malta office), Mr. Serge Borg, Cultural Advisor (French Embassy), Ms. Claire Bodonyi, Political Advisor (French Embassy), Ms. Courtney White, Research and Communications Scholar - 10 May – Hon. Rudy Salles – Damascus: Hon. Salles meets with H.E. Mahmoud Al-Abrache, Speaker of the Parliament of Syria. - 12 May – Dr. Sergio Piazzi releases interview to Malta Business Weekly - 18-21 May – Mission by a PAM Bureau delegation to the Middle East (Cairo, Gaza, OPT, Jerusalem, Amman) - Participants : Hon. Rudy Salles (France), PAM President, Hon. Mohamed Abou El-Enein (Egypt), Hon. Elsa Papadimitriou (Greece), Hon. Suleiman Ghneimat (Jordan), Hon. George Vella (Malta), Hon. Tayseer Quba‟a (Palestine), Hon. Askin Asan (Turkey), Dr. Sergio Piazzi, Mr. Aziz Belaouda and Ms. Kalliopi Mermigki (Assistant to Hon. Papadimitriou)
Meetings were held with:
18 May Dr. Ahmed Fathy Sorour – Speaker of the People‟s Assembly of Egypt Hon. Ahmed Aboul Gheit - Minister of Foreign Affairs of Egypt Mr. Ahmed Ben Helli - Deputy-Secretary General of the League of Arab States 19 May Mrs. Karen AbuZayd – Commissioner General of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East Hon. Abulhadi Majali - Speaker of the House of Representatives of Jordan and EMPA President 20 May Hon. Riyad Al-Maliki - Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Palestinian National Authority Hon. Abdullah Abdullah – Member of the Palestinian Legislative Council Hon. Hanane Ashrawi – Member of the Palestinian Legislative Council Hon. Samir Abdullah - Minister of Planning of the Palestinian National Authority Mr. Robert. Serry - UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Mr. Reuven Rivlin - President of the Knesset 21 May Hon. Naser Judeh - Minister of Foreign Affairs of Jordan Hon. Saleem Al Zanoon - Speaker of the Palestinian National Council
- 21-24 May – Hon. Rudy Salles – Bucharest: Hon. Sonia Sanfona, Rapporteur on Dialogue of Cultures and Civilisations, attends the UNESCO Forum on Higher Education in the Europe Region. - 26 May – Briefing to the diplomatic corps and local media, PAM Headquarters, Malta: Presentation of the PAM Bureau delegation’s mission to the Middle East by Hon. George Vella and address by Dr. Sergio Piazzi. - 27-29 May – Hon. Rudy Salles and Dr. Sergio Piazzi – Fez: Fez Forum on “the Union for the Mediterranean: achievements and future perspectives” - 30 May – 1st International Competition for Journalists of the Mediterranean – Bari, Italy : PAM sponsored the activity organized by Terra del Mediterraneo and awarded a prize to Mr. Francesco De Leo, which was presented by Hon. Francesco Amoruso, Vice President of PAM. - 2-4 June – Dr. Sergio Piazzi – Geneva: Consultations with the IPU on administrative cooperation. Consultations with the UN on: 1) PAM support to the UN on the issue of the Middle East 2) Disaster relief
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3) Administrative arrangements - 4 June – Hon. Rudy Salles – Paris: Hon. Salles attends the 56th Plenary Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Western European Union. - 10-13 June – Hon. Askin Asan, Head of the Turkish Delegation to PAM – Bucharest: Hon. Asan addresses the 33rd PABSEC General Assembly. - 11 June – Dr. Sergio Piazzi, Mr. Martin Micallef – PAM Headquarters, Malta: H.E. Karl Andreas Freiherr von Stenglin, German Ambassador to Malta, pays a courtesy call to the PAM Secretariat. - 14-15 June – Hon. Claudio Azzolini, Honorary Member of PAM – Naples, Italy: Hon. Azzolini addresses the Parliamentary Assembly of NATO’s Mediterranean and Middle East Special Group. - 16-18 June – Dr. Sergio Piazzi – Geneva: Dr. Piazzi addresses the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) meeting with Parliamentarians at the 2nd Session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction – “How to make Disaster Risk Reduction a Tool for Climate Change Adaptation” - 23-25 June – Dr.Sergio Piazzi, Mrs. Céline Cervi, Mr. Martin Micallef and Mr. Aziz Belaouda – Portuguese Parliament, Lisbon: 4th meeting of the Standing Committees. - 26 August – Malta, PAM Headquarters: Courtesy visit of the Secretary of Foreign Affairs at the General People’s Congress of Libya, Mr. Suleiman Al Shahoumi. - 1 September – Dr. Piazzi – Paris, UNESCO Headquarters: Dr. Piazzi discusses PAM-UNESCO cooperation on environmental issues and on the establishement of a UNESCO Parliamentary Forum in the Mediterranean. - 3-4 September – Dr. Sergio Piazzi, Geneva: Dr. Piazzi adresses the World Climate Conference-3 - 9 September – Hon. Mugliett, Dr. Piazzi - Valletta, Malta: Hon. Mugliett addresses the MEUSAC Seminar on "Managing Climate Change: Global, EU and Maltese Perspectives". - 29 September – 2 October - PAM Bureau visit to New York and Washington. Participants: President Hon. Rudy Salles, Hon. Abou El-Enein, Sen. Amoruso, Hon. Fedala, Hon. Ghneimat, Hon. Mugliett, Dr. Piazzi Meetings held:
- 29 September - New York, United Nations Headquarters: - Sir John Holmes, Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs. - Amb. Paul Badji, Permanent Representative of Senegal to the UN and Chairman of the UN Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People.
- 30 September - New York – United Nations Headquarters: - H.E. Ban Ki-moon, UN Secretary General - Mr. B. Lynn Pascoe, Under-Secretary General for Political Affairs - Mr. Janos Pasztor, Director of the UN Secretary General's Climate Change Support Team - Mr. Alain Le Roy, Under-Secretary General for Peacekeeping Operations
- 1 October - Washington, DC - United States Congress: - Senator Benjamin Cardin, Member of the Foreign Relations Committee, Chairman of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (U.S. Helsinki Commission) and Vice President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe - Congressman Robert Wexler, Member of the Foreign Relations Committee, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Europe, Member of the Subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia - Congressman Darrell Issa, Ranking Member of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee (on a temporary leave of absence from the House Energy & Commerce Committee)
- 2 October – Washinghton, DC - Washington Institute for Near East Policy (WINEP): - Mr. David Makovsky, Senior Fellow and Director of the Project on the Middle East Peace Project - 2 October, Washington, DC - US Department of State: 25
- Ms. Maura Connelly, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern Affairs - Ms. Margaret Nardi, Director of Maghreb Affairs - Ms. Nicole Shampaine, Director of Egypt and Levant Affairs
- 2 October Washington, DC - The White House - National Security Council - Mr. Prem Kumar, Director for Israeli, Palestinian, Egyptian and Jordanian Affairs
- 7-23 October – Valletta, Malta/Tunis, Tunisia/Tripoli, Libya/Limassol, Cyprus/Beirut, Lebanon (see list of participants): Ulysse 2009 - Under the aegis of the PAM Fez Programme and with the French Embassy to Malta, the French frigate Le Cassard undertakes a cruise calling on several Mediterranean ports in order to promote and foster intercultural dialogue among the people of the region - President Salles addressed the participants on 8 October - 14 October – Malta, PAM Headquarters: Visit of H.E. Mr. Amr Moussa, Secretary General of the League of Arab States Meeting between H.E Amb. Amr Moussa and Dr. Piazzi and exchange of the Obsever Status between the two organizations. - 23 October – Istanbul, Turkey: 11th Bureau meeting. - 23-24 October –Istanbul: 4th Plenary Session of PAM. - 25 October – Istanbul: 1st meeting of the Secretaries General of the PAM member Parliaments. - 13 November – Hon. Mitsopoulos – Nicosia, Cyprus: Hon. Mitsopoulos addresses the 8th General Assembly of MEDREG - 23-24 November – Malta: PAM / UNISDR International Roundtable of Parliamentarians on Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation. - 25 November – Dr. Sergio Piazzi – Paris, UNESCO Headquarters: Dr. Piazzi discussed the establishment of a UNESCO Parliamentary Forum in the Mediterranean and signed a financial agreement with UNESCO. - 2 December – President Hon. Rudy Salles, Dr. Sergio Piazzi – Paris: President Hon. Rudy Salles addressed the Assembly of the Western European Union’s 57th Plenary Session. - 14-18 December – President Hon. Salles, Hon. Abou El Enein, Hon. Amoruso, Hon. Ghneimat, Hon. Merenditi, Dr. Piazzi, Copenhagen: Dr. Piazzi, on behalf of PAM President, addressed the COP 15 on Climate Change Plenary Session on 18 December. - 16 December - Amb. George Saliba – New York: Amb. Saliba attends the 64th Session of the UN General Assembly, on the occasion of the granting of the Observer Status to the PAM.
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ANNEX 5 Work Plan & Calendar 2010 (changes may be effected due to prevailing circumstances )
TENTATIVE DATES ACTIVITY REMARKS 12-13 February 2010 Joint international UN/PAM Malta Parliamentary meeting on the Middle East Peace Process (1st Standing Committee) 21 March 2010 Celebration of the Each PAM National “Mediterranean Day” Parliament to organize a symbolic event. 15-16 April 2010 Special Task Force (STF) on Parliament of Slovenia intercultural and inter-religious Dialogue Ljubljana (3rd Standing Committee)
STF on Migrations in the Mediterranean (3rd Standing Committee)
STF on Gender (3rd Standing Committee)
Seminar on Education (The role of Universities in support of PAM EMUNI University Portorož activities) (3rd Standing Committee) Wednesday 28 April Conference on “Cultures at the heart of Nice - France Mediterranean relations” organized by the Institute for International and Strategic Studies (IRIS), Paris 29 – 30 April 2010 12th Bureau Meeting Nice-France
STF on Organised Crime (1st Standing Committee)
STF on Root causes of Terrorism (1st Standing Committee)
Environment and Climate Change (update on Post-Copenhagen) (2nd Standing Committee)
Special Rapporteur on Water (2nd Standing Committee)
Special Rapporteur on Energy (2nd Standing Committee) 27-28 May 2010 Meeting to establish a Panel on External Lisbon - Portugal Trade & Investments (2nd Standing Committee) 24-27 June 2010 13th Bureau meeting Parliament of Serbia Belgrade 5th Meeting of the Standing Committees End of October 2010 14th Bureau Meeting Parliament of Morocco & Geopolitical groups
5th PAM Plenary Session Rabat
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NOTES
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NOTES
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