Next Summit of Speakers will meet in Antalya on March 7, 2020.
Next Summit of Speakers will meet in Antalya on March 7, 2020.
The Speakers of Parliament of each member country of the PA-UfM gather annually for the Summit of Speakers. Under the European Parliament Presidency, the 6th Summit of Speakers met in Strasbourg on February 13th, 2019. The focus of the Summit was on migration and refugees in the Euro-Mediterranean region.
During the debate, the President of the European Parliament Antonio Tajani, the European Commissioner for Migration, Internal Affairs and Citizenship Dimitris Avramopoulos, and the Secretary General of the Union for the Mediterranean Nasser Kamel took the floor.
The need to better manage the migration phenomenon by promoting greater cooperation between the countries of the northern and southern shores of the Mediterranean (that are also heavily affected by migratory pressure) was reiterated. The need was also stressed to review reception and assistance policies and to ensure the protection of the rights of migrant and refugee women and children. The fight against human trafficking, rescue at sea and support for the countries of origin and transit of migrants were also highlighted. The situation in Libya was evoked, where the IOM and UNHCR are also involved, and in Africa, where the EU should deploy greater economic efforts.
The Summit concluded with the approval of a final declaration.