5 May 2011: The Joint Conference Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM) and the UN Trade and Productive Capacity Cluster was organized by the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) in cooperation with the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and PAM on 4-5 May 2011, in Geneva, Switzerland, to discuss, among other things, water and energy.

With a view to supporting the region’s recovery, long-term development and regional integration in the Mediterranean region, the meeting focused on the economic impact of the recent political developments in the region, challenges to regional integration, and the role of water and energy development in supporting trade expansion and sustainable development.

The Conference was attended by 105 participants, representing parliamentarians, regional support institutions, UN agencies and other international development organizations. During the session on energy and water, participants heard presentations on: energy access and security; energy infrastructure development; energy efficiency; optimizing water from an energy perspective; public-private partnerships; cooperation on transboundary waters; and food security.

Delegates then discussed energy policy and regulation in the Mediterranean, with a focus on renewables and policies for optimizing the use of water. The conclusions of the Conference will be submitted to the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership (EUROMED) Ministerial Meeting on Industry, scheduled to take place from 11-12 May 2011, in Malta. They will also form the basis for future work undertaken by the PAM Panel on External Trade and Investments in the Mediterranean, which will be discussed at PAM’s Standing Committees’ meeting to be held in Dubrovnik, Croatia, on 20 June 2011. [Conference Website, with Presentations]