23-27 October 2023, Luanda, Angola – The Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM) participated and contributed to the 147th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), hosted by the National Assembly of Angola, in Luanda.
Some 700 parliamentarians from 130 countries were present, including delegations from countries at war or in conflict situations.
PAM was represented by Hon. Deborah Bergamini, Member of the Italian Delegation to PAM.
At the beginning of her intervention, during the General Debate entitled “Parliamentary action for peace, justice and strong institutions (SDG 16)”, Hon. Bergamini dedicated a thought to both Israeli and Palestinian innocent civilians, victims of the new cycle of violence in the Middle East.
Today, the role of parliamentarians is of enormous importance to promote and keep alive the highest degree of cooperation and dialogue at the regional and international level, beyond any conflicts and divisions that are emerging among States.
It is the time for the international community to come together around protecting civilians and finding lasting solutions to the unending series of death and destruction, not only in the Middle East, but also in Ukraine, as the result of the Russian brutal aggression, or due to the lack of security and rule of law in the Sahel.
In addition, the renewed global instability puts emphasis on the necessity for parliamentary institutions to develop legal frameworks that enable governments to prevent and address new and emerging security threats, namely the regulation of the activities in the cyberspace, among others, terrorist financing, misinformation, propaganda and the spread of fake news.
At the conclusion of the 147th Assembly, participants adopted the “Luanda Declaration on Parliamentary action for peace, justice and strong institutions”. The Declaration highlights the critical role that good governance plays as a mean to achieving sustainable development.
It calls for parliamentarians to “strengthen trust and ensure the more active participation of citizens in institutions at all levels, beginning with our own parliaments, where women and youth, as well as the poor and other disadvantaged groups, deserve to be more equitably represented”.
Finally, Hon.Tulia Ackson, Speaker of the National Assembly of Tanzania, was elected as the 31st President of the IPU. //