Chair of the PA BiH Delegation in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union for the Mediterranean, Milan Petković, is participating in the Forum and Summit of the Presidents of the PA UfM in Cairo

Member of the House of Representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina (PA BiH) and Chair of the PA BiH Delegation in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union for the Mediterranean (PA UfM) Milan Petković will participate in the Forum and Summit of the presidents of the PA UfM, which, under the Egyptian Chairship of this multilateral parliamentary organization, is being held in Cairo (Arab Republic of Egypt).

The focus of this year's Forum and Summit is on the promotion of economic cooperation between the two shores of the Mediterranean and the revitalization of the Barcelona Process, which 30 years ago gave rise to the Union for the Mediterranean, an organization that brings together all member states of the European Union, 11 countries of the Middle East and North Africa, as well as Monaco and three Balkan and Mediterranean countries - Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania and Montenegro.

Chair of the Delegation of PA BiH to PA UfM Milan Petković addressed the participants of the Forum and Summit as part of the discussion at the Committee for Political Affairs, Security and Human Rights of PA UfM dedicated to peace and stability in the Mediterranean region.

Emphasizing that peace is not only the absence of conflict, but also requires an economic perspective, social security, and ecological sustainability, Petković spoke about the humanitarian and security crisis as the biggest challenges in the Mediterranean region.

"Every year, thousands of people embark on a journey across the Mediterranean. They are fleeing conflict, poverty, climate change. For many of them, it is a journey of hope. But for too many of them, it is a journey that ends tragically," warned Petković and added that, on the other hand, the countries where migrants arrive face a whole range of difficulties - insecurity, insufficient accommodation capacity, public polarization, high costs and difficulties in integration.

According to Petković, the obligation of PA UfM member states is to first help the countries from which the migrants come.

"We must help economies that are stumbling under the burden of conflict, corruption and lack of investment, agriculture that is suffering from drought, as well as infrastructure that is collapsing due to climate change, poverty and political instability," said Petković and added that people stay in their countries when they have the conditions to stay.

Evaluating the stability of the Mediterranean as a strategic necessity, Petković said that it will be difficult to preserve the stability of Europe if a stable Mediterranean is not built. In this regard, he pointed out that it is necessary to strengthen institutions, encourage political dialogue and strengthen mechanisms that prevent the escalation of existing tensions.

According to Petković, every armed conflict in the Mediterranean region has consequences that spill over borders. "That is why it is our responsibility to support all processes that lead to de-escalation and peaceful settlement of disputes, based on international law and respect for sovereignty," said Petković at the end of his speech.

During the PA UfM Forum and Summit, the participants will also discuss building a positive agenda for the Euro-Mediterranean region with an emphasis on economic cooperation within the new Pact for the Mediterranean. It is expected that the event in Cairo will end with the adoption of the joint declaration of the Forum and the PAUfM Summit. (end)