Month: February 2022

A woman clears debris at a damaged residential building at Koshytsa Street, a suburb of the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, hit by a military shell on February 25, 2022 during Russia's invasion of Ukraine (Photo by Daniel LEAL / AFP)

Statement on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine by the IPU Executive Committee

Statement – We stand with the people of Ukraine. We express solidarity with our parliamentary brothers and sisters from the Verkhovna Rada, the Ukrainian parliament, a fully-fledged Member of the IPU since 1999. We, the members of the IPU Executive Committee, condemn in the strongest possible terms the Russian Federation’s invasion of Ukraine. It must stop […]

SERGEY BOBOK / AFP

IPU President & Secretary General’s Statement on developments in Ukraine

We strongly condemn the Russian President’s decision to recognise the independence of the separatist regions Donetsk and Luhansk in eastern Ukraine. This is a violation of internationally recognized borders and constitutes a breach in the territorial sovereignty of Ukraine, a fully-fledged IPU Member since 1999.   We urge all parties to refrain from any use […]

The UK Parliament was represented at the hearing by the BGIPU Chair, Harriett Baldwin MP, BGIPU Treasurer and IPU Co-Rapporteur for COP26, Alex Sobel MP and member of the House of Commons International Development Committee, Richard Bacon MP. 

IPU & UN General Assembly re-convenes annual hearing of MPs pushing for inclusive recovery

The United Nations has co-hosted its largest in-person gathering since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, with hundreds of parliamentarians from around the world attending the 2022 Parliamentary Hearing, a joint initiative of the IPU and the President of the General Assembly, on 17 and 18 February. Around 200 MPs, Speakers, advisers and related officials […]

Elections in Kenya

A forward look at Elections in 2022 as the IPU picks the ones to watch

2022 is set to be a dynamic year for voting worldwide. Several elections could reshape the parliamentary makeup in many countries. According to Parline, the IPU’s open data platform on parliaments, in 2022 there will be 31 elections for the direct selection of parliamentarians in every region of the globe. Each result will have a lasting impact […]

BGIPU hosted a roundtable discussion chaired by Tim Loughton MP with Dr Ewelina Ochab from the International Bar Association's Human Rights Institute and Alkan Akad from Amnesty International speaking about human rights in China against the backdrop of the Beijing Olympics,

UK Members concerned China human rights being “sports-washed” by Beijing Olympics

On 9 February, BGIPU hosted a roundtable discussion on human rights in China against the backdrop of the Beijing Olympics, with particular focus on the Uyghur crisis. The meeting was chaired by Tim Loughton MP and heard from Dr Ewelina Ochab from the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute and Alkan Akad from Amnesty International […]

The Ambassador explained that the UK intends to support Tunisia’s political reform to maintain and build on the gains won in 2011. Political freedom and democracy remain key political priorities for the UK.

Timely update on Tunisia from UK Ambassador for interested MPs/Peers

On 3 February, BGIPU hosted a virtual briefing with the British Ambassador to Tunisia, HMA Helen Winterton. Damien Moore MP, member of the BGIPU Executive Committee and Chair of the Tunisia APPG, hosted the briefing. Tunisia was initially hailed as a democratic success after the Arab Spring in 2011. However, years of political wrangling revealed […]

The delegation was led by Mr Hubert Julien-Laferrière, a National Assembly Member, and he was accompanied by two senators, Mr Didier Marie and Mr Louis Jean de Nicolay pictured here with Tim Loughton MP during a tour of UK Parliament.

After 2 years, BGIPU’s bilateral visits resume welcoming a delegation from France

On 1-2 February 2022, BGIPU hosted a delegation of three parliamentarians from France. The visit had the purpose of enhancing parliamentary relations between the two founding countries of the IPU. It was the first inward delegation BGIPU has hosted in Parliament since the pandemic, and it was significant that the first visit was our closet neighbour […]

SERGEY BOBOK / AFP

IPU statement in respect of current developments on borders of Ukraine

We, the IPU President and the IPU Secretary General, call for renewed dialogue between the Russian Federation and Ukraine to ease tensions in the region. We call for respect of internationally (UN) recognized borders and territorial integrity and sovereignty of all States. The IPU was founded by parliamentarians who believed in the power of dialogue […]