the EU and three from the Mediterranean partner countries. For the first term of three years (extendible to another three) the Deputy Secretaries General were: Mr. Panagiotis Roumeliotis (Greece) – Energy Division; Prof. Ilan Chet (Israel) – Higher Education and Research Division; Mr. Lino Cardarelli (Italy) – Business Development Division; Amb. Celia Attard Pirotta (Malta) – Social and Civil Affairs Division; Dr. Rafiq Husseini (Palestine) – Water and Environment Division; Amb. Yigit Alpogan (Turkey) – Transport and Urban Development Division. In 2017, the secretariat of the UfM has a staff of 60 persons from more than 20 nationalities, including the permanent presence of senior officials seconded from the European Commission, the EIB, and CDC. Other organizations and euro-Mediterranean institutions Euro-Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly The Euro-Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly (EMPA) is not a new institution inside the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership framework. It was established in Naples on 3 December 2003 by the Euro-Mediterranean Ministers of Foreign Affairs and had its first plenary session in Athens on 22–23 March 2004. The EMPA gathers parliamentarians from the Euro-Mediterranean countries and has four permanent committees on the following issues: Political Affairs, Security and Human Rights Economic, Financial and Social Affairs and Education Promotion of the Quality of Life, Human Exchanges and Culture Women's Rights in the Euro-Mediterranean Countries The EMPA also has an ad hoc committee on Energy and Environment. Since the launch of the Union for the Mediterranean, the EMPA's role has been strengthened for it is considered the "legitimate parliamentary expression of the Union". It was absorbed in 2010 by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union of the Mediterranean (PA-UfM). Euro-Mediterranean Regional and Local Assembly At the Euro-Mediterranean Foreign Affairs Conference held in Marseilles in November 2008, the Ministers welcomed the EU Committee of the Regions proposal to establish a Euro-Mediterranean Assembly of Local and Regional Authorities (ARLEM in French). Its aim is to bridge between the local and regional representatives of the 43 countries with the Union for the Mediterranean and EU institutions. The EU participants are the members of the EU Committee of the Regions, as well as representatives from other EU institutions engaged with the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership. From the Mediterranean partner countries, the participants are representatives of regional and local authorities appointed by their national governments. The ARLEM was formally established and held its first plenary session in Barcelona on 31 January 2010. The ARLEM's co-presidency is held by the President of