Luanda — Angolan Head of State, João Lourenço, on Monday in Luanda defended the commitment to multilateral diplomacy in all its dimensions and the strengthening of institutions that are responsible for preventing conflicts and guaranteeing universal peace and security.
At the opening of the 147th General Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), under the slogan "Parliamentary Action for Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions", he recalled that the factors of instability, which have already been identified, will only be overcome if this type of diplomacy is prioritised.
He explained that parliamentary diplomacy is an undeniable force in international relations, and the most pressing issues affecting humanity have also been addressed by parliamentarians, both bilaterally and multilaterally.
Lourenço said that the meeting is taking place at a time when the peoples of the world in general are clamouring for more peace, justice and for institutions that are increasingly inclusive, decisive and more active in building the global purposes of the international community.
In his speech to more than a thousand parliamentarians, João Lourenço hoped that the action to be carried out during the five-day debate, in addition to generating deep reflection, would contribute to the creation and strengthening of mechanisms to promote peace and social justice.
He recalled that topics on international security, the engagement of parliamentarians in dialogue, legislation, oversight, the role of parliaments in promoting a culture of transparency, anti-corruption and the engagement of citizens to restore trust in national and international institutions will be debated.
"This assembly will also include reflections on sustainable development, where we will debate issues such as partnerships for climate action, promoting access to affordable green energy and ensuring innovation, global food security, as well as the contribution of parliamentarians to the United Nations (UN) conference on climate change COP 28, which will take place at the end of this year," he said.
To the Angolan statesman, the central themes of the conference are of great importance for supporting the growth of developing countries, since they need to agree on the need to preserve international peace and security, sustainable development and the promotion of human rights.
He also emphasised the parallel meetings sessions that will be held on gender equality and the necessary reforms in the UN Security Council and the main international financial institutions.
João Lourenço called for an end to the conflict in Sudan, Ukraine and the Middle East, with an urgent need to silence the weapons and give way to diplomacy, in order to save the lives of civilians, children, women and the elderly and avoid a human catastrophe.
On the conflict between Israel and Palestine, the Angolan Head of State hoped that diplomatic efforts would be successful in ensuring that humanitarian law is respected, that hospitals, refugee camps and residential areas are spared, and that people are not denied the most basic rights of citizens even in a war situation, such as access to water, food and medical care.
"Only the effective creation of the State of Palestine will put a definitive end to this cycle of hatred and violence that the world has watched helplessly for decades and which has already caused the blood of Palestinian and Israeli citizens to spill," he emphasised.
He stressed that only diplomacy can bring peace, not cannons.
Founded in 1889 on the initiative of Englishman William Randal Cremer and Frenchman Frédéric Passy, the IPU is one of the oldest political organisations in the world and currently has more than 46,000 members from 179 national parliaments, promoting peace and democracy.
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The event is a centre for dialogue and parliamentary diplomacy between legislators representing all political systems and the main political ideologies at global level, providing a unique platform for observing political opinions and trends around the world.
The IPU is the UN's main parliamentary interlocutor and brings the voice of parliaments to the decision-making processes of the United Nations, regularly presenting its resolutions to the General Assembly, making statements, participating in debates and organising parliamentary meetings on the main issues of the UN agenda.
In recognition of this important role, in 2002 the United Nations granted it permanent observer status.
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