Through its programme of activities, the BGIPU seeks to engage Parliamentarians in key global issues and works to expand awareness and understanding of foreign relations and the contribution to be made by the UK Parliament to consolidate parliamentary democracy worldwide.
Here you can read the reports of our activities, including our Outward Delegations, IPU conferences and events and inward visits to Westminster.
You can search for specific reports by using keywords, themes, categories or date using the fields on the right.
The Annual Report of the BGIPU for 2015 has been published on 10 November in advance of the 13 January Annual General Meeting. The Annual Report highlights that in 2015 BGIPU has received delegations to the UK Parliament from five parliaments and sent delegations to six countries. There have also been shorter visits by overseas MPs from nine countries to Westminster, UK participation in IPU Assemblies in Hanoi and Geneva and support for major inter-parliamentary events including the 4th World Conference of Speakers of Parliament.
Members of the British Group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (BGIPU) welcomed a high ranking representative of the Government of Kosovo to the House of Commons on Wednesday 28 October. Petrit Selimi, Kosovo’s Deputy Foreign Minister, discussed the Kosovo government’s political priorities, including plans to develop its international status, over a working dinner with MPs and Peers in the House of Commons Dining Room as a guest of Nigel Evans MP, BGIPU Chair.
The world’s parliamentarians will meet in Geneva to examine the moral and economic imperative for fairer, smarter and more humane migration at IPU’s 133rd Assembly from 17-21 October. IPU Members will also adopt a resolution on democracy in the digital era and address other major issues including counter-terrorism, protecting cultural heritage and how to strengthen parliament’s oversight capacities. The 133rd Assembly will also convene the Meeting of Women Parliamentarians, IPU’s Forum of Young Parliamentarians, the Committee on Middle East Questions and the Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians.
The 133rd Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly was convened in Geneva, Switzerland from 17 to 21 October bringing together nearly 700 parliamentarians from 135 parliaments, with 47 Speakers and some 220 women MPs. With the Parliament of Fiji re-joining the IPU, the Assembly saw the total IPU membership increase to 167 member parliaments. The key theme of the General Debate at the 133rd Assembly was, “The moral and economic imperative for fairer, smarter and more humane migration” on the difficult challenges facing many governments in addressing the current refugee crisis in Europe stemming from developments in the Middle East and North Africa.
A six-member inter-parliamentary delegation led by Rt Hon Sir Simon Burns MP visited Mexico from 3-9 October 2015 to meet parliamentary counterparts in the Congress of the Union. The visit included wide-ranging exchanges with Mexican Senators, a meeting with party whips from the recently elected Chamber of Deputies, a visit to Puebla State for meetings with university students and the State Governor and a number of cultural and trade events associated with the joint UK/Mexico dual year being held throughout 2015.
Throughout the recent inter-parliamentary BGIPU visit to Mexico in October 2015, the issue of Human Rights was a prominent and constant theme. It is now one year since of the disappearance of the 43 students in Guererro and not far from our hotel the photographs of the murdered dark haired young men and women lined a central reservation of a main road in Mexico City. But we soon realised that this was only one, although a very well-known example, of human rights abuses in Mexico.
In early October 2015, a BGIPU delegation went to Angola for a five day working visit. The purpose of this visit was to learn more about the Angolan parliamentary system and to meet counterparts in the National Assemblies as well as members of the government from key ministries to discuss the challenges Angola is facing and how the UK and Angola can work more closely together. The delegation was led by Lord Steel and jincluded Pauline Latham OBE MP, John Mann MP, Baroness Hooper and Baroness Blackstone.
The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) has welcomed the adoption of a new sustainable development agenda for the world as a turning point in efforts to shape our future and commits to doing its utmost to help achieve success. The IPU recognises the set of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) formally adopted at a UN Summit at its Headquarters in New York (25-27 September), as ground-breaking commitments to eradicate extreme hunger and poverty within 15 years, reduce inequalities and secure both prosperity and the planet for future generations.
A UK delegation led by Bob Blackman MP visited Romania 21-25 September to meet parliamentary counterparts and explore mutual bilateral interests. The delegation included Lord Davies of Stamford, Lord Harrison of Chester, Stephen Pound MP, Graham Jones MP and Philip Hollobone MP. Members concluded that there is perhaps too little knowledge in the UK about Romania but ties between both countries look set to strengthen, not least due to shared energy and defence interests and Romania’s increasing enthusiasm for English.
The British Group hosted a visit from a Honduran parliamentary delegation, led by the President of the National Congress of Honduras, Mr Mauricio Oliva Herrera. UK counterparts were interested to hear the success of efforts in Honduras to address levels of violence and crime and provide more stable governance. The delegation called for increased UK trade and investment to enhance economic growth and new opportunities for youth. A visit to Northern Ireland provided an opportunity for Honduran MPs to reflect on Northern Ireland’s experiences and similar challenges they face in addressing conflict issues and advancing police reform.
