In my capacity as Co-Chair of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM) Panel on Trade and Investment, I would like to share with you the approach adopted by our Assembly to facilitate the dissemination of data, official information and practices among our members.

As you know, PAM has an extensive network of partnerships with institutions such as the World Bank (WB), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the World Health Organizaton (WHO), and OECD, as well as a dedicated network of academic and research institutions, which includes economists, medical doctors, as well as sociologists and political analysts.

Since the onset of the pandemic, PAM has considered useful a role of direct bridge for its members to interface with the relevant international institutions in order to disseminate accurate data and recommendations, in terms of the policies and strategies emanating from WHO; the urgent socio-economic measures to assist the most vulnerable groups of our societies, in particular those who were suddenly unemployed, migrants stranded in foreign countries; special measures to contain domestic violence; and very clear recommendations to avoid food shortage and ensure that global trade supply chains continue to function normally. We also dealt with two specific issues, such as containment of fake news and reassessing, with the help relevant national institutions, the threat represented by terrorism.

I wish to provide you with two practical examples. Last week, we took action on two specific issues: the first being the plea by our members from the Western Balkans and the MENA region towards the EU not to block the export and supply of urgently needed medical supplies to their countries. Secondly, following an ad hoc bilateral consultation with WHO, we collected from all our members the specific questions they had concerning the recommendations by WHO. This on issues which might appear ordinary, but which require specific knowledge by our MPs for them to engage with knowledge in national discussions with their governments, and be better prepared to evaluate the measures proposed by their executive powers. The questions range from the management of the transition from Phase 1 to Phase 2 of the crisis; the proper use of protective masks by the population at large; the most appropriate approach to the resumption of school activities, especially at this moment, when we witness a conflict of colliding interests between on one side our national scientific committees urging governments not to rush into Phase 2, and on the other side governments, regional authorities and businesses, who make pressure for the resumption of economic activities without further delay. This is of course a very serious dilemma and our MPs took advantage of this open channel with WHO to ask those questions, which they considered more urgent to prepare for national debate.

PAM will continue in the coming weeks to interact with its Member States and partners with this virtual instruments. Finally, as it is the case for this important virtual briefing today, at PAM we continue to work among ourselves and with our partners to ensure the continuation of our key activities, as needed. Recently, we issued a statement to support the UN Secretary General call for a Global Ceasefire, and have also published document praising and promoting the fast-track facility financial support from the WB and IMF for Covid-19, and we invite both institutions to continue support PAM, as our parliamentarians appreciate your guidance and practical examples in these difficult times.