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Month: February 2016

Mongolia visit highlights increasing engagement with UK

22/02/2016 to 26/02/2016

BGIPU hosted a parliamentary delegation from the State Great Hural of Mongolia, led by former Prime Minister, HE Mr Amarjargal Rinchinnyam from 22 to 26 February 2016. The visit served to highlight increasing engagement between the UK and Mongolia across a wide scope of activity including growing trade and investment links. The visitors participated in a series of bilateral events and meetings with counterparts in London, learning more about the work and perspectives of UK counterparts, before travelling to Cardiff for calls in the Welsh Assembly.

Asia-Pacific Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation Inward Delegations

Consolidating parliamentary democracy in Burma

13/02/2016 to 18/02/2016

Three British MPs write about their experiences in supporting the Inter-Parliamentary Union and UNDP induction programme for the new parliamentarians that have been elected to the Hluttaw in Burma. This parliamentary strengthening programme was intended to be complementary to the ongoing assistance provided by the UK Parliament to strengthen and support the consolidation of parliamentary democracy in Burma and was part of a broader programme of international assistance supporting democratic reform in the country.

Asia-Pacific Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation Outward Delegations

Challenges to European security: Parliamentary perspectives and responses

15/02/2016 to 17/02/2016

BGIPU and Wilton Park hosted an international seminar on challenges to European security from 15-17 February 2016, bringing together some 50 UK and international parliamentarians, government officials, NGO representatives, and academic experts. Parliamentarians from a wide range of European countries, engaged both with each other and experts with discussion focussed on key challenges facing European security; increasing migration, a Russia seeking to degrade European cohesion, and the continued need for robust parliamentary democracy.

Europe Peace & Security BGIPU Seminars & Events

Action on drugs was focus of IPU-UN parliamentary event

08/02/2016 to 09/02/2016

The world drug problem and how to address it was the focus of a major parliamentary hearing at the United Nations in New York on 8-9 February. The hearing, “The World Drug Problem: Taking Stock and Strengthening the Global Response”, reviewed the progress parliaments had made on the issue since a plan of action on illegal drugs was adopted by governments in 2009 in advance of UNGASS 2016 in April. The plan set 2019 as a target date for eliminating or significantly reducing supply, demand and associated criminal activity such as money laundering.

Global Issues Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation IPU Activities & Conferences

Ian Lucas MP and Nigel Evans MP at the 2016 UN Parliamentary Hearing

Evidence-based policy solutions to the world drug problem

08/02/2016 to 09/02/2016

Ian Lucas MP attended the UN Parliamentary Hearing entitled The World Drug Problem: Taking Stock and Strengthening the Global Response. The Hearing gave parliamentarians an opportunity for an evidence-based reflection on the ways the global community is addressing this complex problem in its many aspects – offering treatment and care to drug users, prosecuting drug offenders, fighting drug production and trafficking, regulating the medical use of opiates. The underlying question of the Hearing was whether the so-called “war on drugs”, which relies on a law-enforcement solution to the problem of illicit drugs, has worked as intended.

Global Issues Human Rights IPU Activities & Conferences