Rabat: Arab Parliament President Calls for Greater Cooperation Between Arab, African and Latin American Countries

The President of the Arab Parliament, Adel ben Abderrahman Al-Assoumi, emphasized on Thursday in Rabat the importance of developing mechanisms for parliamentary cooperation between Arab, African, and Latin American countries to address common challenges. Speaking at the opening of the Parliamentary Conference on South-South Cooperation, organized by the Chamber of Councillors under the High Patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, Al-Assoumi affirmed the Arab Parliament’s determination to play an effective role in establishing institutional mechanisms designed to strengthen communication and dialogue between regional parliaments. In this context, he called for coordinating positions and narrowing views on issues requiring permanent dialogue to lay the foundations for solidarity, stability, and peace. Al-Assoumi stressed that the transformations the world is undergoing require greater solidarity among Southern countries to amplify their voices and safeguard their interests. He emphasized that economic integration represents an ideal entry point for strengthening political dialogue, given the similarities between the development, social, and economic models of Arab, African, and Latin American countries. He reiterated the Arab Parliament’s call for the launch of regional programs and projects aimed at achieving greater integration between Arab, African, and Latin American countries.  Al-Assoumi emphasized that regional cooperation is an urgent necessity to address common challenges, including the fight against poverty and unemployment, the achievement of sustainable development, the development of education and health, and the empowerment of women and young people, he said. The Parliamentary Conference on South-South Cooperation brings together over 260 participants from 40 countries, including 30 presidents of national parliaments and regional and continental parliamentary unions from Africa, the Arab world, Latin America, and the Caribbean. This two-day conference addresses “the role of national parliaments and regional and continental parliamentary unions in Africa, the Arab world, and Latin America in promoting strategic partnerships and achieving integration and joint development”. Organized on the initiative of the Chamber of Councillors in collaboration with the Association of Senates, Shuras, and Equivalent Councils of Africa and the Arab World and the South-South Dialogue Forum, this meeting is part of the Kingdom of Morocco’s leadership, under the enlightened guidance of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, in launching development and solidarity initiatives aimed at strengthening cooperation with the countries of the South.