Global lawmakers find common ground at 153rd IPU Assembly in Arusha
Global lawmakers find common ground
The 153rd IPU Assembly was attended by close to 700 parliamentarians from over 130 countries, including 50 Speakers and 45 Deputy Speakers of Parliaments. The high-level participation underscored the importance of the Assembly as a global forum for parliamentary leadership and dialogue. Among the lawmakers present, 39.4% were women – a record at an IPU Assembly.
Against a backdrop of multiple conflicts in the world, the parliamentarians found consensus and common language through the expected adoption of the Arusha Communiqué and a series of resolutions addressing some of the most pressing challenges facing the people they represent worldwide.
Placing people at the centre
The Arusha Communiqué, entitled Enhancing good governance and empowering communities through inclusivity, trust and opportunities for all, reaffirms that parliamentary work must be grounded in people’s realities.
It emphasizes that the true test of good governance is how it improves people’s lives, including through equal opportunities for all. The Communiqué calls for laws, policies and budgets to be informed by evidence, including scientific and quantitative data, official statistics, local and community knowledge, and people’s real-life experiences.
It also stresses the importance of parliamentarians being present in, and accessible to, the communities they represent, particularly those living in remote areas or affected by crises.
Advancing disability inclusion
The Assembly is also expected to adopt a resolution on Inclusive social development for all: Parliamentary strategies to promote the rights and empowerment of persons with disabilities, which calls on parliaments to treat disability inclusion as a core issue of human rights, democratic representation and sustainable development.
The resolution urges governments to align national legislation with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, allocate dedicated resources and ensure the meaningful participation of persons with disabilities in decision-making, in line with the principle of “nothing about us, without us”.
Climate emergency on the agenda
The Assembly is expected to agree on a common position with an emergency-item request submitted by the delegation of Nepal on 5 October 2026, entitled Urgent parliamentary action to address climate-related disasters and strengthen resilience in the Himalayan region and other vulnerable regions.
The request highlights the need for parliaments to take urgent action to strengthen resilience in regions facing growing climate-related risks in the wake of catastrophic flash floods and landslides in Nepal in August 2026, which have left thousands dead and homeless. It calls for international solidarity and reinforces the critical importance of climate justice, welcoming recent international legal instruments that underline the principle of shared responsibility and accountability in this area.
Parliamentary diplomacy amid conflict
The Assembly brought together delegations from several countries affected by conflict, offering a rare platform for dialogue and parliamentary engagement at a time when relations between governments remain strained.
All of the IPU’s parliamentary bodies convened during the Assembly, including its four Standing Committees, the Forums of Women and Young Parliamentarians, the Committee on Middle East Questions and the Task Force for the peaceful resolution of the war in Ukraine.
The Assembly featured sessions on a wide range of issues, including military applications of artificial intelligence, oversight of extractive industries, mental health, AI and children’s rights, the future of work, healthy food in a changing climate, the protection of mountain and ocean ecosystems, the review of the Charter of the United Nations, and maritime security in times of conflict.
Human rights
The IPU Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians also adopted important decisions in respect of the caseload of parliamentarians around the world who are in danger – including from Argentina, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eritrea, Myanmar, Tunisia and Türkiye.
The 154th IPU Assembly will take place in Geneva, Switzerland, on 10–14 May 2027.
UK Delegation
The BGIPU delegation to the 153rd Assembly was led by the Speaker of the House of Commons of the UK Parliament, Rt Hon Sir Lindsay Hoyle MP, who was accompanied by IPU Executive Committee Member and BGIPU Treasurer, Rt Hon Karen Bradley DBE MP, Alex Sobel MP, Pam Cox MP, Catherine Fookes MP, Alicia Kearns MP, Chris Law MP and Iqbal Mohamed MP. In addition to conference commitments, the delegation undertook an extensive programme of bilateral meetings engaging with parliamentary counterparts from Oman, Japan, Hungary, Bahrain, Estonia, Canada, France, Qatar, Egypt, Republic of Korea, Ukraine and the as well as representatives of the Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH) of Myanmar.
The 153rd IPU Assembly was attended by close to 700 parliamentarians from over 130 countries, including 50 Speakers and 45 Deputy Speakers of Parliaments.
The UK delegation was led by the Speaker of the House of Commons, Rt Hon Sir Lindsay Hoyle MP
Alicia Kearns MP addressed the Assembly during the general debate in the Young MPs category
The delegation had an extensive program of bilateral meetings, pictured here with the Speaker of Oman
