The Speaker of the Seychelles National Assembly, Roger Mancienne, and his delegation, including Member of the National Assembly for Grand Anse, Waven William, met with the President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), Duarte Pacheco, at the 145th IPU Assembly in Kigali, Rwanda, on October 12, according to a press statement.
"President Pacheco remarked on Seychelles' active participation in the Union and highlighted the importance of dialogue between nations describing the IPU as a good platform for that, where different perspectives are acknowledged, and compromises found," said the National Assembly statement.
Furthermore, Mancienne addressed the IPU Assembly on the theme of the debate 'Gender equality and gender-sensitive parliaments as drivers for a more resilient and peaceful world'. He recognised the importance of women in national progress and saluted the women of Seychelles who are active contributors and participants in the public service.
He noted that Seychelles has "much to do in encouraging women's participation in politics, with only about 24% of women holding seats in parliament."
The Speaker held talks with the Secretary General of the IPU, Martin Chungong, where the latter affirmed his commitment to ensuring that the IPU serves all its members in "an equitable manner specifically for the SIDS and their vulnerable status to climate change."
He highlighted IPU's goal of prioritising climate change as the real challenge to the global committee and that this could be done with more representation of SIDS in IPU's governing structures.
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Chungong said he believes that certain global issues cannot crowd the plight of SIDS and their issues.
Mancienne also expressed his support for the global attention on Ukraine, "hoping that this will increase the global commitment to peace and security."
He strongly agreed that "climate change is an issue that needs an increased element of follow-up from the IPU and the international community, describing it as an existential issue that will outlive all armed conflict if nothing is done."
Mancienne and William, who is also vice chairperson of the IPU's Sustainable Development Committee, attended a climate change workshop where Mancienne raised concerns on the increased sea-level rise.
Meanwhile, William reiterated the need to relook at the subject of financing the loss and damage as a result of climate change to vulnerable countries, "especially since the matter has been on the table for 31 years." He then co-chaired a debate called 'Reconnecting local communities with a local sustainable inclusive economy to achieve the targets of SDG 8'.
The Seychelles delegation also had meetings with the Pakistani and Georgian delegations on the sidelines of the IPU Assembly.
