Month: November 2020

The meeting gave clear acknowledgement of the importance of maintaining valuable relationships between Parliamentarians and the diplomatic community.

MP/Peers convene Central Americas Roundtable with Ambassadors

On 30 November, BGIPU hosted a Central America Roundtable which was chaired by BGIPU Executive Committee Member and Chair of the APPG for Central America, Andrew Rosindell MP. Members received briefings from HE Rafael Ortiz Fábrega, Ambassador of Costa Rica; Ms Gabriela María Ramírez Lazo, Deputy Ambassador of El Salvador; Ms Olga Maria Pérez Tuna, […]

BGIPU hosted a virtual bilateral meeting between UK and Croatian Parliamentarians led by Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger MP, Vice-Chair of the BGIPU and on the Croatian side by Deputy Speaker of the Parliament, Mr Željko Reiner,

Constructive exchange for UK MPs/Peers with counterparts in Croatia Sabor

On 23 November 2020, BGIPU hosted a virtual bilateral meeting between UK and Croatian Parliamentarians. The meeting was moderated by Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger MP, Vice-Chair of the BGIPU, and he was joined on the UK side by Baroness Barker, Baroness Scott, Mr Chris Matheson MP, the Earl of Sandwich, Lord Randall, Mr Martin Vickers MP. […]

Young people debate some of the key barriers facing young women and girls. © UK House of Lords / Roger Harris

IPU works with UN on breaking gender barriers for young women parliamentarians

Twenty-five years after the Beijing Declaration to advance women’s rights, young women are still one of the most under-represented groups in political leadership positions. IPU figures show that only 2.2 per cent of MPs worldwide are under 30, of which women only make up a small proportion. On 18 November 2020, the IPU and the […]

BGIPU hosted a parliamentary briefing with Her Majesty’s Ambassador to Lebanon, HE Chris Rampling MBE requested by Rt Hon Sir John Hayes, Chair of the Lebanon APPG.

UK Ambassador to Lebanon briefs MPs/Peers on current developments in the country

On 17 November, BGIPU hosted a parliamentary briefing with Her Majesty’s Ambassador to Lebanon, HE Chris Rampling MBE. This meeting had been requested by Rt Hon Sir John Hayes, Chair of the Lebanon APPG. The event gave UK MPs and Peers the opportunity to hear first-hand updates on the political, economic and social situations in […]

On 16 November 2020, BGIPU convened a virtual bilateral meeting between UK and Israeli Parliamentarians.

Valuable exchange with Israeli counterparts on key developments and events

On 16 November 2020, BGIPU convened a virtual bilateral meeting between UK and Israeli Parliamentarians. The meeting was moderated by Harriett Baldwin MP, Chair of the British Group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union. In attendance from the UK side was: Dame Diana Johnson MP (vice-Chair of both BGIPU and Labour friends of Israel), Lord Sarfraz, Jonathan […]

On 9 November, BGIPU and the BBC World Service co-hosted a webinar on the ‘Rising Influence of China in Global Media, providing participants with an overview of the ways in which China has increased its influence on global broadcasting

Webinar with BBC World Service on Rising Influence of China in Global Media

On 9 November, BGIPU and the BBC World Service co-hosted a webinar on the ‘Rising Influence of China in Global Media’. The event provided participants with an overview of the ways in which China has increased its influence on global broadcasting through investment in television infrastructure, technology, journalist training programmes and its use of Western […]

JUNG YEON-JE © AFP

New parliamentary guide on disarmament for security & sustainable development.

Assuring our Common Future is a new guide for parliaments to support disarmament for security and sustainable development. The IPU contributed to the guide in partnership with the Geneva Centre for Security Policy, Parliamentarians for Global Action, Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament, Parliamentary Forum on Small Arms and Light Weapons and the World Future Council, […]

On 3 November 2020, BGIPU convened a virtual bilateral meeting between UK and Tunisian Parliamentarians. The discussion was moderated by BGIPU Executive Committee Member, Damien Moore MP, who is also the Trade Envoy to Tunisia and chairs the Tunisia APPG.

UK members hail bilateral relations in virtual exchange with Tunisian counterparts

On 3 November 2020, BGIPU convened a virtual bilateral meeting between UK and Tunisian Parliamentarians. The discussion was moderated by BGIPU Executive Committee Member, Damien Moore MP, who is also the Trade Envoy to Tunisia and chairs the Tunisia APPG in the UK Parliament. The meeting was attended by Afzal Khan MP, Baroness Hodgson, Baroness […]

In its most recent virtual session, the IPU Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians examined and made recommendations to the IPU Governing Council regarding the cases of some 300 MPs from 19 countries.

Opposition MPs suffer human rights violations against backdrop of elections

New allegations of human rights violations against parliamentarians in countries holding elections have recently been brought to the attention of the IPU. The cases involve opposition MPs whose basic rights to freedom of expression, assembly and movement have reportedly been severely curtailed in the context of elections, particularly in Venezuela, Côte d’Ivoire and Tanzania. In […]