Objective 5 2020

The Fifth World Conference of Speakers of Parliament was split into two stages, with the virtual segment taking place in August 2020, to be followed by an in-person or hybrid conference in Vienna in 2021. This global parliamentary event, held in a virtual format for the first time, brought together more than 500 delegates, including some 115 parliamentary speakers and more than 300 MPs. One third of these MPs were women. Eleven observer delegations were able to follow the proceedings.

The Conference discussed a range of topics including parliamentary diplomacy; the nexus of the health, climate and  economic crises; sustainable development; youth participation in politics; gender equality; parliaments and democracy; human mobility; counter-terrorism; and science and technology. Parliamentary speakers, public personalities and  distinguished experts all contributed to discussions, which concluded with the Declaration on parliamentary leadership for effective multilateralism that delivers peace and sustainable development for the people and planet.

The Declaration lays the ground for more parliamentary cooperation to tackle the world’s challenges. And in September, the IPU President shared key messages from the Speakers’ Conference at an IPU-hosted event on multilateralism. The event, which took place in the lead-up to the UN75 Summit, discussed how the UN and the IPU could better collaborate on COVID-19, climate change, arms spending and inequality. 

The IPU President then communicated the Speakers’ Declaration by video to the UN General Assembly at the UN75 Summit itself. The IPU also circulated the Declaration among UN Member States. 

In November, at an extraordinary session of the IPU’s Governing Council, the new IPU President, Mr. Duarte Pacheco, was  elected and a number of important decisions were taken, including on human rights and on the IPU’s 2021 work programme and budget.

Special procedural rules were adopted to govern the virtual meeting and the session was particularly well attended. Some 145 national parliaments participated, equal to more than 80 per cent of the total IPU membership. Almost half the delegations  were led by a presiding or deputy presiding officer. Of the 458 participating MPs, some 40 per cent were women and 26 per cent were young MPs.

Despite the challenges of technology and multiple time zones, the election of the IPU President was conducted in a smooth, inclusive and accountable manner.

After the success of the Governing Council, including the remote presidential election, several regional parliaments contacted the IPU for advice and information. We expect to share our technical experience of virtual meetings in the coming months.

The IPU and the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie (APF) also held several working sessions during the year, following the APF’s accession to IPU associate member status in 2019. The meetings helped prepare the IPU for affiliation with a similar status at the APF in January 2021.

The IPU’s annual reporting exercise with its members highlighted numerous examples of good practice and follow-up actions from IPU resolutions and other decisions. Of the 41 Member Parliaments reviewed in 2020, responses were received from 20 of the selected parliaments, as well as 16 voluntary responses.

Examples of follow-up actions to IPU decisions include:

– Benin ratified the Arms Trade Treaty and its National Assembly participated in capacity-building programmes on implementation

– Costa Rica ratified the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons

– Gambia established a Standing Committee on Human Rights and Constitutional Matters

– The Federated States of Micronesia agreed a Congressional Resolution “Declaring the goal of the Congress… to have the country reach universal health coverage by 2030”

– The Parliamentary Committee on Economic Affairs and Climate of the Netherlands consulted with youth groups on climate change

– In Norway, the parliamentary speaker partnered with youth organizations to discuss how youth can participate in social debates

– In Pakistan, the Senate signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the IPU to provide technical assistance to
the Senate Secretariat, Senate Committees and Members on legislative drafting

A record number of parliamentary staff took part in the 2020 French-language virtual seminar for parliamentary staff, including
representatives from the IPU’s associate members and permanent observers.