Rabat — The Parliamentary Assembly of the Union for the Mediterranean (PA-UfM) held a round table on Thursday by videoconference on "Migration challenges and ways to bolster cooperation between the two shores of the Mediterranean to effectively overcome existing obstacles".
The round table was attended by Chairperson of the House of Representatives' Committee on Foreign Affairs, National Defense, Islamic Affairs, Migration and Moroccan Expatriates Salma Benaziz and Chairperson of the PA-UfM Committee for the Promotion of Quality of Life, Exchanges between Civil Societies and Culture, member of the Istiqlal parliamentary group at the House of Councillors Mohamed Zidouh, according to a parliamentary press release.
On this occasion, Benaziz highlighted the pioneering Moroccan experience in terms of migration, stressing that Morocco was one of the first countries to have adopted a genuine policy of solidarity to welcome migrants, within a framework of respect for their human rights and dignity.
She also pointed out that the issue of migration raises a number of obstacles, including those linked to the humanitarian aspect, integration, foreign policy, governance, as well as economic, cultural and social challenges.
Benaziz further emphasized the need to strengthen regional and international cooperation to resolve crises arising from migration, in order to guarantee security and stability in the Mediterranean region, and to promote dialogue and consultation between countries on both shores of the Mediterranean in finding lasting solutions to migration issues. She then called for establishing a Mediterranean migration governance framework and adopting an approach based on justice, rights and solidarity.
For his part, Zidouh reviewed the efforts made by the Kingdom to enshrine security and stability in the Sahel and Sahara region, highlighting, in this regard, the Royal Atlantic Initiative which grants African countries access to the Atlantic Ocean, as well as development-oriented investments on the continent.
He then stressed the importance of improving local economic opportunities, bolstering education and vocational training, as well as promoting coordination between countries to control borders, combating irregular migration, implementing integration programs for migrants and encouraging targeted international investment. Zidouh further added that reducing irregular migration requires raising awareness on the risks associated with this phenomenon, tackling the effects of climate change and promoting coordination between governments, international partners and local players.
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Participants at the round table made a number of recommendations, notably prioritizing security and stability, working towards lasting solutions to regional conflicts, achieving economic growth in Africa, addressing migration issues from a human rights perspective, and reinforcing cooperation and exchange of experience between countries north and south of the Mediterranean, while encouraging investment and creating employment opportunities. ary Islands.
