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Doha, Qatar: The Deputy Speaker of the Shura Council H E Dr. Hamda bint Hassan Al Sulaiti, who is also Member of the Executive Committee of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and Vice President of the Committee representing the Arab Group within the Union, affirmed that the State of Qatar’s hosting of the 298th session of the IPU Executive Committee comes within its firm approach, under the leadership of the Amir HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani to support multilateral work, enhance international dialogue, and consolidate the role of parliamentary institutions as effective partners in achieving peace, supporting development, and addressing shared challenges at the regional and international levels.
In her opening address at the meeting held today in Doha, Her Excellency commended the pivotal role played by the Inter-Parliamentary Union, particularly the Executive Committee, in steering the Union’s work, developing its mechanisms, and enhancing its effectiveness in a manner that responds to the aspirations of national parliaments and keeps pace with the rapid transformations taking place in the world.
For her part, President of the IPU, HE Dr. Tulia Ackson nd Chair of the Executive Committee, said that the committee serves as an advisory body that submits its recommendations to the Union’s governing bodies, in addition to being an institutional platform for discussion and in-depth analysis of various issues related to the work of the IPU.
In a similar address during the opening session, Her Excellency expressed her sincere thanks to the State of Qatar for hosting the meeting, voicing her anticipation of meaningful contributions from the committee members to enrich its work. She noted that these members, as representatives of the world’s parliamentarians, reflect the voice and aspirations of peoples, which places upon them a collective responsibility to contribute to enhancing the well-being of human societies and to draw on their expertise and diverse perspectives. She called on them to put forward whatever proposals and ideas they deem appropriate to develop the performance of the Inter-Parliamentary Union and strengthen its role.
The State of Qatar’s hosting of this meeting reaffirmed its steadfast approach to supporting joint international action and consolidating the role of parliamentary institutions, particularly the Inter-Parliamentary Union and its committees, in guiding international parliamentary work, contributing to addressing regional and global challenges, and promoting peace and development, based on its vision grounded in dialogue and constructive cooperation.
On the sidelines of the meeting, members of the Executive Committee visited the Shura Council building, where they met with a number of Their Excellencies members of the Council. They also toured an exhibition featuring a collection of artifacts and documents that chronicle the Council’s journey since its establishment and highlight key milestones in its development and institutional role.
Over the course of two days, the meeting will discuss a range of topics on its agenda, foremost among them an assessment of the implementation of the Union’s current strategy, consideration of the general directions of the upcoming five-year strategy, and several organizational and parliamentary issues related to enhancing the Union’s role and the effectiveness of its mechanisms.
The participants will also continue deliberations on amendments to the statutes and a review of the rules governing the voting mechanism on the emergency item at the General Assembly, in a manner that contributes to developing the Union’s working mechanisms and expanding its international impact as a global platform that promotes human rights, peace, and sustainable development. (QNA)
