Angola: 147th Ipu General Assembly Starts in Luanda

22 October 2023
Angola Press Agency (Luanda)

Luanda — The 147th General Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) kicks off Monday in Angolan capital, Luanda, with the focus on promotion of peace and democracy.

Several delegations from around the world are in Luanda to take part in the event to run from October 23 to 27, which will be an opportunity for parliamentarians to outline the paths for peace and democracy for their countries.

The meeting, whose technical work has been underway since Sunday with the first meeting of different bodies such as the Gender Partnership Group, the Commission on Human Rights of Parliamentarians, the IPU Forum of Women Parliamentarians and the SADC Geopolitical Group, has a wide agenda and debates on international issues.

Through the three IPU Standing Committees, participants will analyse issues such as "Partnerships for climate action", with the aim of promoting access to affordable green energy and ensuring innovation, responsibility and equity (Standing Committee on Sustainable Development) and to prepare for the parliamentary meeting of the United Nations Commission on Climate Change (COP28) to take place in the United Arab Emirates.

The Standing Committee for Democracy and Human Rights will discuss the "trafficking in orphanages" and the role of parliaments in reducing the damage.

The Permanent Committee on the United Nations Issues will hold debate sessions regarding the presence of the UN in the field for the support of national development, in the case of Angola, and to take gender equality to the UN General Assembly.

It will also debate on the United Nations Security Council reform for a strong multilateral regime.

Premiere of the UIP Anthem

The event is expected to gather more than a thousand MPs from across the world and Speakers of 179 parliaments. Angola will have the privilege of premiering the IPU anthem to be sung by the Kaposoka symphony orchestra (a genuinely Angolan children's musical project).

Election of the new IPU chairperson

Parliamentarians will elect the 31st Chairman of the organization to replace the Portuguese MP Duarte Pacheco.

Adji Diarra Mergane Kanouté (Senegal), Catherine Gotani Hara (Malawi), Tulia Ackson (Tanzania) and Marwa Abdibashir Hagi (Somalia) are running for a three-year term at the helm of the organization.

This is the first time in the organization's history that an election will be held with only female candidates and all from the African continent.

In 2021, Duarte Pacheco replaced Mexican Gabriela Cuevas Barron, at the end of her three-year term. Over the last 25 years, the post has been held by parliamentarians from countries such as Egypt, Spain, India, Chile, Italy, Namibia, Morocco, Bangladesh and Mexico.

Regarding the accession of the Bahamas

Members of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) will be able to decide on the integration of the Bahamas as the organization's 180th member parliament.

The Assembly, whose work will be led by the Angolan parliament Speaker Carolina Cerqueira, the host country, is expected to adopt several resolutions, with the highlight on the "Trafficking in orphanages: the role of parliaments in harm reduction".

The second Global Parliamentary Summit on Countering Terrorism and Preventing Violent Extremism is to be discussed Wednesday with special emphasis on the deteriorating security situation in Africa, in the Sahel region.

Angola has been a member of the IPU since 1986 and is the second Portuguese-speaking country to organise an event of this magnitude, after Brazil, which held it 60 years ago.

Founded in 1889 on the initiative of Englishman William Randal Cremer and Frenchman Frédéric Passy, the IPU is one of the oldest political organizations in the world and currently has more than 46,000 members from 179 national parliaments, whose aim is to promote peace and democracy.

It 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 organizing 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. DC/VM/MRA/AMP

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