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Activities: Outward Delegations

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Opportunities and challenges for Cabo Verde

The UK parliamentary delegation to Cabo Verde was given the opportunity to understand the political, economic (and some of the) sustainability opportunities and challenges facing the country.  It was clear that there was a desire to strengthen formal links with UK but the UK should be prepared to offer much more in terms of technical assistance and capacity support, not just an ever increasing number of tourists which creates good opportunities for growth, but also some risks.

AfricaInter-Parliamentary CooperationOutward Delegations
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Joint visit by BGIPU to Portugal and Cabo Verde

From 6-12 November 2016 BGIPU-Chair Nigel Evans MP led a delegation to both Portugal and Cabo Verde. While the 2 days spent in Lisbon focussed mostly on the future bilateral relationship between the UK and Portugal in the context of Brexit, the second part of the visit in Cabo Verde gave the delegation an opportunity to learn more about a small country off the West African coast that is mostly known as a tourist destination, but deserves more credit for its political stability and democratic credentials in an otherwise troubled region.

AfricaInter-Parliamentary CooperationOutward Delegations
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Dominican Republic keen to strengthen friendship with UK

From 6-11 November 2016, Gareth Johnson MP led a UK inter-parliamentary delegation to the Dominican Republic.  During the visit, the UK MPs and Peers were greatly impressed by the huge economic potential and charm of the country, albeit also hearing about challenges in managing relations with neighbouring Haiti, including in managing complex border issues.  In meetings with parliamentary counterparts, students and officials the delegation also discussed the future of bilateral trade post-Brexit.

AmericasInter-Parliamentary CooperationOutward Delegations
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Timely visit to Philippines highlights bilateral links

From 17-24 September 2016, a cross-party UK Parliamentary delegation visited the Philippines. This was a timely opportunity to enegage with the new government and finding out more about the priorities and plans of the new administration under President Duterte. The main areas of interest included the relationship between the Philippines and the UK following Brexit, trade opportunities, human rights and the proliferation of drugs in the Philippines.

Asia-PacificInter-Parliamentary CooperationOutward Delegations
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Uruguay making drug policy reform efforts

Uruguay’s policy of taking national control of all production and sale of cannabis is still in a very early phase of implementation, and it remains highly controversial politically.  Uruguay interlocutors confirmed to the UK Delegation which visited the country in September 2016 that the policy was an experiment and it would be monitored carefully.  It would be changed if necessary and other countries might improve upon it but Uruguay was keen to be seen as a leader in drug policy reform efforts. 

AmericasHuman RightsOutward Delegations
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Productive Uruguay visit beefs up bilateral relations

A five-member delegation of UK Parliamentarains visited Uruguay from 18-23 September led jointly by BGIPU Chair, Nigel Evans MP, and the Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons, the Rt Hon Lindsay Hoyle MP.  The visit provided opportunities to meet Uruguay counterparts and explore key trade and economics aspects of this long-standing bilateral relationship.  This was very timely in light of the UK’s recent decision to leave the EU and Uruguay’s desire to capitalise on this to see trade relations between both countries flourish for the future.      

AmericasInter-Parliamentary CooperationOutward Delegations
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Estonia visit reinforces its importance in future of Europe

This was the first BGIPU visit to Estonia in 20 years and the focus was the UK’s shared defence and security concerns with the country and how Estonia is developing into a model in terms of embracing new and innovative technologies. Key outcomes of the visit were that the UK can ill afford to neglect these small, but dynamic, EU countries which are so important to the future of Europe. In the immediate future, the UK can also do much to help support their forthcoming first EU Presidency and we should grasp that golden opportunity. 

EuropeInter-Parliamentary CooperationOutward Delegations
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British MPs visit Bolivia in support of closer relations

In early March 2016, a cross-party delegation visited La Paz, Bolivia. The delegation was led by Graham Stuart MP (Con), Chair of the Latin American APPG, Diana Johnson MP (Lab), Shadow Foreign Office Minister for Latin America, Mark Menzies MP (Con) and Nic Dakin MP (Labour), Shadow Minister for Schools. Supported by the UK Mission, the programme included meetings with counterparts, government representatives and civil society, as well as a visit to EU-funded projects in one of the legal coca growing regions.

AmericasInter-Parliamentary CooperationOutward Delegations
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Exchanges in France on EU referendum and migration

A cross-party delegation comprising Baroness Miller (LD), Baroness Janke (LD), John Nicolson MP (SNP) and Stuart Macdonald MP (SNP) visited Paris from 8 to 9 March to meet French counterparts in both Chambers on key issues in the UK-France relationship.  French interlocutors showed keen interest in discussing the mood in the UK in the lead-up to the EU membership referendum on 23 June.  There was also mutual appreciation of the vital importance of both countries working closely to address broader migration challenges. 

EuropeInter-Parliamentary CooperationOutward Delegations
Angela Smith MP in Action

Consolidating parliamentary democracy in Burma

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.

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Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation Human Rights Peace & Security Trade and Sustainable Development Political Empowerment

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