IPC Secretary General signs MOU at 12th Plenary Session of TURKPA in Ankara, Turkey

The Secretary General of the International Parliamentarians Congress (IPC), Senator Sitara Ayaz, attended the 12th Plenary Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of Turkic States (TURKPA) in Ankara, Turkey. During her visit, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was also signed between the Secretary Generals of IPC and TURKPA. The 12th Plenary Session of TURKPA was a significant gathering of parliamentary delegations from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Turkey. The session aimed to enhance cooperation and promote inter-parliamentary dialogue between the member countries. IPC’s presence at the meeting was a testament to the IPC’s commitment to strengthening ties with regional organizations and promoting peace, stability, and prosperity in the region. In addition to attending the plenary session, Senator Sitara Ayaz had a productive meeting with TURKPA Secretary General Mr. Mehmat Surreye. The two leaders discussed several areas of cooperation between the IPC and TURKPA, including trade, investment, cultural exchange, and parliamentary diplomacy, followed by the signing of MOU between organizations. The signing of the MOU was a significant step towards deepening the relationship between the two organizations. Speaking on the occasion, SG IPC Senator Sitara Ayaz shared that she is delighted to have attended the 12th Plenary Session of TURKPA and to have signed the MOU. This MOU will enable us to work together more closely to address common challenges and promote regional cooperation. IPC looks forward to working with TURKPA in the future to build a more peaceful, prosperous, and interconnected region. The Secretary General of TURKPA, Mr. Mehmat Surreye, also expressed his satisfaction at the signing of the MOU, marking it a significant step toward collaborating closely with the IPC on issues of mutual interest. IPC is confident that this partnership will lead to tangible results that benefit the parliamentarians globally and contribute to regional development.

Road Safety Conference for Parliamentarians

8th – 9th FEBRUARY 2023: The first day of the Road Safety Conference for Parliamentarians, A Global Perspective – Pakistan 2023 was inaugurated by the President of Pakistan Dr. Arif Alvia, today. The conference is being held with the collaboration of Pakistan Parlimaan (A project of GIZ). IPC is honored to bring together international parliamentarians from 9 countries and international organizations to address the pressing issue of road safety, in Islamabad- Pakistan.The conference aims to raise awareness about the need for effective road safety measures and to promote collaboration between nations to reduce road accidents and fatalities. The theme of the conference is “Capacity Building for Effective Legislative Framework on Road Safety.”“Road safety is not just a national concern, but a global challenge that requires cooperation and coordination among nations,” said the President of Pakistan in his opening address. “We must work together to implement effective road safety policies and measures that protect the lives of road users and prevent road accidents.”The parliamentarians from Chad, Uganda, Jorden, Spain, Guinea, Libya and Algeria addressed the conference, shared their experiences and perspectives on road safety issues in their respective countries, and engaged in discussions with experts and stakeholders from around the world.Secretary General Special Envoy on Road Safety Mr. Jean Tod and Director General World Health Organization Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus also addressed the conference via video link.Opening session feature keynote speeches and panel discussions on five pillars of road safety, including the latest research and innovations in road safety, best practices and lessons learned from around the world, and the role of international organizations and governments in promoting road safety.The conference is expected to result in a number of important outcomes, including the adoption of a declaration on road safety, the establishment of a network of parliamentarians committed to promoting road safety, and the identification of priority areas for future cooperation and action.“The International Conference on Road Safety is an important platform for sharing knowledge and expertise and for fostering international cooperation on road safety,” said by the Secretary General IPC Senator Sitara Ayaz“We are confident that the conference will lead to tangible results that will help improve road safety and save lives.” The second day of the Road Safety Conference for Parliamentarians was held on 9th February 2023 at Islamabad Serena Hotel and concluded with a closing ceremony.In the day-2 session, the participants were divided into three sessions, discussing the five pillars of Road safety and came up with recommendations to take further actions and control road hazards. The recommendations came out from various parliamentarians based on their respective country’s road safety measures.Based on the recommendations from the conference, the Secretary General Senator Sitara Ayaz presented the Islamabad Declaration, as a unanimous document that outlines the key steps that need to be taken to improve road safety in Pakistan. The Declaration serves as a call to action for all stakeholders to work together to address this critical issue.The closing session was concluded by a speech from Federal Finance Minister Mr. Ishaq Dar, who appreciated the role of IPC and Mustehkum Parliamen (EU funded project, implemented by GIZ) in organizing the conference. He emphasized the importance of working together to address road safety issues and expressed his commitment to the cause.The conference was a success and provided a platform for parliamentarians, experts, and stakeholders to collaborate and share their thoughts and experiences on road safety. The Islamabad Declaration will serve as a guide for future road safety initiatives and will be a critical tool in our efforts to improve road safety in Pakistan and all around the world.IPC and Mustehkum Parlimaan would like to express their gratitude to all participants for their active participation and valuable contributions. We are committed to continuing our efforts to promote road safety worldwide and look forward to the implementation of the recommendations from the conference. Picture Gallery

International Parliamentarians Congress (IPC) Honored to Receive Observer Status by Asian Parliamentary Assembly (APA)

Antalya, Turkiye – The International Parliamentarians Congress (IPC) is honored to announce that it has been granted observer status by the Asian Parliamentary Assembly (APA) during its 13th Plenary session held recently in Antalya, Turkiye. According to Rule 7 of the Rules of Procedure of the APA, observer status has been granted to the IPC, which allows the IPC delegation to attend the sessions of the 14th APA Plenary as Observers, based on Article 6 of its Charter. “This is a significant achievement for the IPC and a testament to our commitment to promoting parliamentary democracy and cooperation in the Asian region,” said IPC Secretary General, Senator Sitara Ayaz. “We look forward to contributing to the work of the APA and strengthening our relationship with the parliamentary community in Asia.” The observer status allows the IPC to participate in the meetings and activities of the APA, but will not have the right to vote or propose resolutions. The International Parliamentarians Congress is an international organization that brings together parliamentarians from around the world to promote democracy, human rights, and sustainable development. The organization is committed to working with other parliamentary organizations and intergovernmental bodies to strengthen the role of parliamentarians in promoting global peace and prosperity. The Asian Parliamentary Assembly is a regional inter-parliamentary organization that brings together parliamentarians from across Asia to promote cooperation and understanding among the nations of the region. The APA is committed to working with other regional and international organizations to promote peace, stability, and sustainable development in Asia. For more information about the International Parliamentarians Congress, please visit our website at ipcongress.org or follow @ipcongress_ on Twitter.

A two-Member delegation of the International Parliamentarians, Congress (IPC) attended the 44th Conference and 78th Session of the Executive Committee of the African Parliamentary Union (APU) at Victoria Falls-Zimbabwe

In October 2021, International Parliamentarians Congress (IPC) received “Observer Status” in the 76th Session of the Executive Committee of the African Parliamentary Union (APU) by the Chairperson of APU in Djibouti. IPC and APU are continuously working towards developing and strengthening bilateral and multilateral relations among the various countries and spreading harmony and security in the African region through the platform of APU and IPC. In the same context, IPC received an invitation to the 44th Conference of Speakers of National Parliamentary Assemblies and the 78th Session of Executive meeting of APU held in Victoria Falls – Zimbabwe on 9th -10th November 2022. The two-member delegation, headed by the Secretary General IPC Senator Sitara Ayaz and also Assistant Secretary General IPC Mr. Ijlal Ali Khan assured the presence of IPC as an observer organization in the meeting and significantly attended it. The meeting discussed the important agendas including conflict, terrorism, and the issues caused by the conflicts, affecting the lives of people. IPC’s agenda of working towards peace and harmony would engage the African world to work collectively in achieving the mutual objective of stability, Sovereignty, and integration among nation-states. The delegation was honoured to meet several Speakers of Parliaments, and its Parliamentarians and engaged them over the IPC role, its aims, and future engagements on common objectives. The letters to all the member state’s speakers were also shared for further correspondence and strengthening of bilateral relations. This meeting played a very profound role in the future endeavours of IPC as 64 Parliamentarians from 13 countries became IPC members, reaching 170 + members from 47 Countries.

A delegation of the international parliamentarians’ Congress (IPC) participated in the 5th General Assembly meeting of the Association World Election Body (A-WEB)

The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) and the Secretariat of the A-WEB invited the IPC Secretariat to the 5th General Assembly Meeting of A-WEB and the International Conference on “Safeguarding Election Management Bodies in the Age of Global Democratic Recession”, that took place in Cape Town, South Africa from 19th to 21st October 2022. Manager Coordination and Procurement IPC Mr. Fayaz Thaheem, attended the meeting to experience and have profound participation in the General Assembly as well as in the international conference. At the event, Mr. Fayaz Thaheem met Electoral Commissioners of various countries and briefed them about the role of IPC. Similarly, he also shared the letters, written by Secretary General IPC Senator Sitara Ayaz to the commissioners to form bilateral relations and work with IPC in unison under the capacity of thematic areas. The participation from IPC was greatly acknowledged by the A WEB. IPC also shared the Global Election Directory with the newly elected Chairperson of A WEB and also with the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) and shared IPC’s experience in observing the election missions globally. After this participation, IPC has further enhanced its relationship with countries and its election commissions to seek guidance for IPC’s future activities to implement them in a more experienced way.

The President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), Mr. Duarte Pacheco visited the International Parliamentarians Congress (IPC) Secretariat in Islamabad and also became its member

IPU President Mr. Duarte Pacheco visited IPC Secretariat in Islamabad on 13th September 2022, during his three-day visit to Pakistan. He was accompanied by Senator Faisal Saleem Rehman. Advisor to President IPC Mr. NoumanKhan and Secretary General IPC Senator Sitara Ayaz warmly welcomed him at IPC Secretariat. The meeting initiated with a comprehensive briefing about IPC to Mr. President, explaining the role of IPC and its journey of three years. Mr. Duarte appreciated the work of IPC in strengthening the role of individual parliamentarians towards development and promoting harmony. He shared his interest to work together for the mutual goal of spreading peace and democracy around the world and thus became a member of IPC by signing a membership form. The meeting was concluded by presenting the souvenirs to Mr. Duarte as a token of thanks for visiting IPC and becoming its member. IPC welcomes President IPU Mr. Duarte Pacheco as its honorable member and looks forward to strengthening cordial relations and working together on mutual goals

International Parliamentarians Congress (IPC) Organizes A Meeting On Climate Change

Climate change is a serious risk to lives and threatens to undo decades of development efforts. The adverse effects of climate change are already evident, natural disasters are more frequent and more devastating making developing countries more vulnerable. Climate change is a global phenomenon, its negative impacts are more severely felt by everyone around the world. International Parliamentarians Congress is extensively working on Climate change and feel the need to highlight this issue specifically focusing on Water scarcity due to climate change. Therefore, a meeting was organized by IPC highlighting the topic “Climate Change and its implication on Water Scarcity” today. The objective of the meeting was to share and discuss the issue of climate change in detail focusing on the South Asia and South East Asia region and identifying ways to highlight the Water scarcity issue among the Parliamentarians of their respective countries. During the meeting, the Speakers including Chief Executive of Civil Society Coalition for Climate Change Ms. Ayesha Khan and Director of Riphah Institute of Public Policy Dr. Rashid Aftab talked about the global impact of Climate Change and the implementation of action to adapt to and mitigate the impact of climate change, and global warming. The meeting was attended by the Ambassadors from Azerbaijan, Nepal, Indonesia, China, Morocco, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Palestine, and Sri Lanka, and representation from some prominent organizations including the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, GIZ, National Disaster Management Authority, Civil Society Coalition for Climate Change, Institute of Regional Studies, and various Parliamentarians also showed their presence. The meeting was honored by the presence of the Federal Minister of the Ministry of States and Frontier Region (SAFFRON) as a Chief Guest who shared his views on the current Global issue of Climate Change and the role of Parliamentarians to mitigate it. He emphasizes on strengthening the bilateral relation with various countries to tackle the issue. Today, Pakistan is facing the consequences and we do not want it to reach out to other countries. Keeping in view the goals of IPC, the outcome of the meeting will be taking forward to consolidate it and further organize Global Conference on water Scarcity to reach out to global Parliamentarians and stakeholders. The meeting was concluded with the distribution of souvenirs and giveaways to all dignitaries as a token of thanks for their kind participation. https://ipcongress.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/IPC-LQ.mp4

A two-member delegation from IPC attending the First Non-Aligned Movement Parliamentary Network conference held in Baku, Azerbaijan

A delegation from IPC was invited by the Chairman of Milli Majlis of Azerbaijan/Vice President of International Parliamentarians Congress IPC Ms. Sahiba Gafarova to participate in the first Baku conference of the Non-Aligned Movement Parliamentary Network, which began on Thursday in Baku, Azerbaijan, with the participation of several Speakers of Parliament from NAM member states. The IPC delegation included Secretary General Senator Sitara Ayaz and Assistant Secretary General Ijlal Ali Khan, headed by Senator Sitara Ayaz went on a three-day visit to Azerbaijan-Baku. On day 1, at the opening session of the Baku Conference, IPC delegation met with various Parliamentarians and international organizations. They shared the role of IPC and the importance of working mutually on the goal of the NAM Parliamentary Network together which is “Boosting the role of national parliaments in promoting global peace and sustainable development”. Day 2 of the BAKU Conference started with the speeches of multiple Parliamentarians sharing their experience of the conference and the specific role to work toward sustainable development. NAM Parliamentary Network gave an opportunity to Senator Sitara Ayaz Secretary General IPC to share her views thus she stated, “International parliamentary conferences play an essential role in highlighting global issues and curbing global challenges”. The networks like NAM also play a major role in attaining cooperation across borders and spreading sustainable development. IPC is keen to join hands with NAM Parliamentary Network to attain peace and bring developmental progression around the world. She added that IPC and NAM have mutual goals to resolve the global issue and work towards bringing peace and enhancing global interaction. IPC’s participation in the conference is a vital step to promoting peace, prosperity, and development and eliminating global challenges with the support of Member states and their parliamentarians and collectively achieving sustainable development globally. As a result of the participation, IPC received a membership growth and 30 Parliamentarians from different countries become members of IPC. The NAM Parliamentary Network was established on the sidelines of the 143rd General Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, held in Madrid. It aims to provide a framework for cooperation between the parliaments of NAM member states, with the participation of several other international organizations.

A memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed between the International Committee of Red Cross and the International Parliamentarians Congress

The head of the delegation of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Ms. Dragana Kojic along with her other officials, including Mr. Jamal Khan, Deputy Head of delegation ICRC & Legal Advisor ICRC Mr. Usman Khan visited the International Parliamentarians Congress (IPC) to officially sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with International Parliamentarians Congress (IPC), as per decided in the preceding meeting held at IPC secretariat in the month of February. The MOU is signed by Senator Sitara Ayaz, Secretary-General of IPC, and Ms. Dragana Kojic, Head of the Delegation of ICRC. The agreement devoted both organizations to working together in the areas of humanitarian diplomacy and Law, food security, health, and Climate Change. Moreover, both organizations are keen to bring together the Global Parliamentarians to highlight the other major social issues and organize conferences, and capacity-building sessions for various groups. This association between IPC and ICRC will promote eminent cooperation in the field of conflict resolution, humanitarian law, and societal norms and will strengthen the bilateral relations to work for the progressive world with equality and equity.

The Presidential Elections of Colombia 2022 first-round observed by the International Parliamentarians Congress

After receiving accreditation from the electoral Congress of Colombia mainly known as Consejo Nacional Electoral Colombiano, CNE on May 14th, 2022, IPC set an election observation mission to be sent to Colombia to observe Presidential Elections 2022 first round. Assistant Secretary General Ijlal Ali khan, visited Colombia for three days to carry out EOM. During his visit, he met the official of the CNE, visited the Electoral Council, and mark his observations for the report. Moreover, he observed that the voter turns out for Presidential Election was average, considering it a standard turnout, shared by the CNE Official. Moreover, the report on the Election Observation Mission of Colombian Presidential Elections 2022 has in its initial phase and soon will be shared with the government of Colombia for approval.