The Mediterranean Committee conference of 2019 took place in Madrid, Spain from the 14^th to the 17^th of March, in the presence of youth leaders of the IUSY family. This year’s theme of the Committee is “Neo-liberalism and populism in the Mediterranean” and it was organized in partnership with Socialist Youth of Spain. The representatives of the member organizations had the chance to discuss important issues such as Neo-liberalism and populism in the Mediterranean Region, potential for conflict transformation in the Middle East, as well as Refugee and Migratory issues. The meeting was a chance for the member organizations to know better and discuss the different political, economic, and social situation in the Middle East.

Neo-liberalism and Populism in the region:

IUSY is dedicated to opposing the spread of neo-liberalism in the Mediterranean, especially using populist methods and claims. IUSY, as always, calls for the democratization of regimes in the area, based on socialist ideals, equality and justice.

Palestinian-Israeli Conflict:

IUSY Reaffirms the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, including the right to their independent State of Palestine on the June 1967 lines (with territorial exchanges) and East Jerusalem as its capital. It reaffirms its commitment, in accordance with international law, to bring a complete end to the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories that started in 1967, so as to achieve the two-state solution, as two sovereign democratic states, living in peace and harmony; and a just negotiated solution to the issue of the Palestinian refugees.

IUSY members reaffirm their commitment to:

1. Support the immediate recognition of the State of Palestine with East Jerusalem as its capital.
2. Reiterates its solidarity with the progressive forces in Israel and Palestine, Including Young Labor, Young Meretz, Young Fateh and Young PNI.
3. Support a greater international role through an international conference that will include various international actors in order to achieve a just and lasting peace based on International law for Israel and Palestine, including an end to the occupation.
4. Support a total end of settlement activities, the immediate cessation of the destruction of homes, the deportation of Palestinians, and incarcerations that are being made with no accordance with the international law.
5. Encourage a nonviolent approach at all levels by all parties, including against acts of terrorism aimed at civilians, and the cessation of all forms of violence against non-violent Palestinian resistance. Recognizes the right of the civil society to endorse nonviolent measures, insofar as such measures are not intended to delegitimize the State of Israel but to bring an end to the occupation.
6. Encourage equality between all Israeli citizens, Palestinians and Jews; and oppose discriminating laws, as the nationalism law of Israel.

Western Sahara:

The IUSY Mediterranean Committee Leadership Conference recalls all previous resolutions adopted by IUSY on Western Sahara, calling on the international community and the UN to expedite the resolution of this last conflict of decolonization in Africa in accordance with the relevant UN Resolutions, African Union’s decisions and UN’s doctrine on Decolonization; commending the two parties to the conflict, the Kingdom of Morocco and Polisario Front, for their participation to the Round Table organized by the UN in Geneva last December 5-6th 2018, and welcomes their participation to the coming Round Table that will be organized this 21st and 22nd March 2019 in Geneva.

The Committee is also concerned with the persistence of Moroccan violations of human rights in Western Sahara as reported in various international reports and concerned with Morocco and EU renewal of trade and fisheries agreements that violate the European Court of Justice’s rulings of 2016 and 2018.

The Committee urges all sister organizations and international partners to campaign for the boycott of products originating from occupied Western Sahara and condemn all national and multinational companies involved in the illegal plunder of the natural resources of this colony. It Further urges all sister organizations to directly pressure European Parliamentarians of their political groups requesting them to respect the rulings of the European Court of Justice on Western Sahara.

North-Africa:

IUSY Condemns the executions against youth in Egypt, and Support the project occurring in Tunisia for the freedom of movement, housing and work among the peoples of North Africa in order to reduce the suffering of the Saharawi people.

Lebanon-Israeli Conflict:

IUSY calls for support of international community to refer to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in order to find solutions to the ongoing conflict between the Lebanese Republic, Cyprus and Israel over the 9th Block. IUSY condemns any act that breaches international law and the Law of the Sea. Based on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea which obliges States to reach an agreement on disputed maritime areas through reinforcing the Law of the Sea’s mandate regarding the Exclusive Economic Zone, IUSY requests the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice, which will consider the recommendations made by the International Maritime Organization. This in order to maintain security and stability on Lebanese Southern borders and respecting the blue line demarcation during the process of oil and gas drilling that will be taking place in the Middle East.

Refugee and Migration Issues:

IUSY calls for an immediate opening of humanitarian corridors as legal and safe ways to access different European countries. IUSY calls the international funding agencies to support refugee hosting countries in the region especially Lebanon and Jordan.

Present in the Council:

• DYUEK, East Kurdistan
• DYUIK, Iranian Kurdistan
• GUPS, Palestine
• JSD, Tunisia
• PNI, Palestine
• PYO Lebanon
• UESARIO, Western Sahara
• UJSARIO, Western Sahara
• Young Meretz, Israel

* YL, Israel – did not sign the statement

IUSY Black Sea Area Committee gathered in Tbilisi, Georgia during 13-15 April. The topic of the meeting was decent work for young people!

Based on common past and present challenges almost all organisations and countries from the region face the same issues when it comes to youth, especially when it comes to youth unemployment, quality education and decent work rights. Lack of access to quality education, almost inexistent social protections and failures of welfare system represents the main challenges that the youth of the region faces.

But at the same time young people are not a homogeneous group. Their employment prospects vary according to sex, age, educational level, ethnicity, health status and disability, etc. In many countries, female youth un(der)employment rates are almost invariably higher than those for their male counterpart.

IUSY Black Sea Area Cooperation considers that following measures need to be taken to improve the situation of the youth in the region:

• To facilitate young people’s transition from educational institutions to formal economy and labour market;
• To provide quality and accessible education;
• To take into the consideration the needs of the youth in fragile situations;
• To regulate self-employment and shared economy in order to provide social protections for youth that are mostly self-employed in such kind of spheres;
• To create more sustainable and green jobs for youth.

IUSY Black Sea Area cooperation countries are standing in solidarity with each other when it comes up to the current political situations in the consecutive countries as we are remaining committed to the common values of human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality and rule of law;

Reiterating aspirations of all participants at the Black Sea Area Cooperation, member organisations stand for/in/with:

 Georgia:

 The right to work is enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and recognised in international human rights law though its inclusion in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, where the right to work emphasises economic, social and cultural developments. We are in solidarity with Georgian workers and support their struggle for decent working rights!

During their stay in Georgia, the IUSY Presidium delegation, has visited the region around the occupation territories (Shida Kartli). Members of the organisation together with state officials and GDYouth observed the brutal violations of international Human Rights, i.e. the right to work, the freedom of movement, etc.

While speaking to locals, the delegation received alarming information about kidnapping and illegal detentions of ethnic Georgians.

IUSY BSAC together with GDYouth holds the view that these breaches of international and national law should be addressed by international community.

Ukraine:

Unfortunately, Ukraine has also gone through many sufferings. It has been in a struggle for decades, encountering ups and downs, victories and falls. It’s been fighting for the right to exist and to have a bright future.

Discrimination and social inequality can be observed in education, where the so-called “modernisation” is taking place based on a similar scenario. We stand in solidarity with Ukrainian people and especially youth and children in their struggle for a more equal educational system.

Bulgaria:

We stand in solidarity with Bulgarian young socialists and social-democrats in their struggle against the right-wing government, who took the freedom of speech away from the people and let Bulgaria be the most corrupted and the poorest country in the European Union;

Armenia:

IUSY BSAC member organisations stand in support of AYF Armenia in their mission to establish social justice in Armenia.