Speaker takes part in IPU roundtable

HE the Speaker of Shura Council Ahmed bin Abdullah bin Zaid al-Mahmoud participated in the roundtable and its sub-sessions for the speakers of parliaments participating in the 141st General Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and its related meetings.
The Speakers’ Dialogue comes as a follow-up to the first dialogue held in Doha in April, a platform for high-level political dialogue, focusing on scientific means to strengthen governance and the role of parliaments, and provides an important contribution to the World Conference of Speakers of Parliaments in 2020.
Participants discussed best practices and proposed innovative solutions to key issues such as development and the economy, in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, which are a blueprint for achieving a better and more sustainable future for all by addressing the global challenges they face, including those related to poverty, inequality, climate and environmental degradation.
Also, Speakers of Parliaments discussed security and human rights, stressing that a strong rule of law protects and promotes human rights and helps reduce violent crime by providing legitimate means and measures to resolve complaints. They added that the plan for achieving sustainable development also requires respect for human rights, as respecting it prevents conflicts.
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Earlier, activities of the 130th anniversary of the IPU kicked off with the participation of HE the Speaker Ahmed bin Abdullah bin Zaid al-Mahmoud and his accompanying delegation.
In her opening remarks, IPU President Gabriela Cuevas referred to the activities organised by the IPU to celebrate its 130th anniversary, including the five-way meeting in which Qatar participated with an official delegation headed by the Speaker on June 30 at the IPU headquarters in Geneva.
For his part, IPU Secretary-General Martin Chungong spoke about the various initiatives taken by some members of the agency to celebrate the anniversary.