COPENHAGEN, 22 June 2012 – Two weeks after Rio+20, the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, parliamentarians from the world's largest regional security organization, the OSCE, will vote on a resolution that aims to strengthen global food security.

Guglielmo Picchi (Italy) has introduced a resolution calling on the 56 nations of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe to share their expertise in reclaiming water resources to support the overarching objective of feeding a growing world population.

The resolution to be debated at the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly's Annual Session 5-9 July in Monaco also calls on participating States to open lines of communication between development actors to encourage parliaments, governments, and civil society stakeholders to share their knowledge in the fields of water treatment and water reclamation.

"The global nature of climate change demands that we find regional solutions to the challenges water scarcity and overpopulation," said Picchi. "Sharing expertise is crucial to ensuring greater food security and achieving Millennium Development Goal 1, which aims to cut in half the number of people suffering from hunger and living on less than a dollar a day."

The resolution calls on OSCE participating States to engage partners through projects, educational seminars, and technology transfers. Picchi's measure also underlines the efforts of the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities towards accomplishing the Millennium Development Goals.

The resolution is co-sponsored by 48 parliamentarians from 24 countries.

Parliamentarians from across 56 participating OSCE countries will vote on the resolution and declaration in Monaco. Resolutions adopted at the Annual Session along with the Monaco Declaration help to shape OSCE and national policy. The Annual Session, including committee debates and votes, are open to the press and public.

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly is comprised of 320 parliamentarians from 55 countries spanning, Europe, Central Asia and North America. The Assembly provides a forum for parliamentary diplomacy, monitors elections, and strengthens international cooperation to uphold commitments on political, security, economic, environmental and human rights issues.

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