Republic of Srpska Representative attended 7th plenary session of the ARLEM

Local politicians from across Europe and the Mediterranean meet in Nicosia, capital of the Republic of Cyprus, on 18-19 January attending seventh plenary session of the Euro-Mediterranean Regional and Local Assembly (ARLEM).

The plenary session provided an opportunity to discuss the ongoing revision of the European Neighbourhood Policy, the management of migration in Mediterranean region, with the follow-up of ARLEM's report on this issue, as well as the adoption of ARLEM's Action plan for 2016. An hour-long debate with mayors from Libya gave local political leaders – led by the Mayor of Tripoli, Abdelrauf Beitelmal – an opportunity to set out the challenges and needs of the country's communities as the United Nations continues its efforts to ensure that an agreement in mid-December to form a 'government of national unity' is implemented. A debate on migration featured speakers from three UN agencies – the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and UN Habitat – as well as presentations by two organisations, the European Training Foundation and Eurochambres, that are seeking to help refugees and migrants acquire skills suited to the labour market in their new homes. Improving skills and integrating migrants were two themes in a report that has been adopted by ARLEM. The author of the report, on 'Employment and territorial development in the Mediterranean region', is Ms Eleni Loukaidou (EPP/Cyprus).

The plenary discussed two thematic reports drawn up by the new ARLEM Commission for Sustainable Territorial Development, on employment and territorial development in the Mediterranean region (rapporteur: Ms Eleni Loukaidou, EPP/CY) and on a sustainable urban agenda in the Mediterranean region (rapporteur: Mr Fawzi Masad, Amman/JO).