Region: Asia-Pacific

IPU Secretary General Martin Chungong with the Speaker of the Azgayin Zhoghov (National Assembly of Armenia), Mr. Alen Simonyan, and the Speaker of the Milli Mejlis (National Assembly of Azerbaijan), Ms. Sahiba Gafarova. © IPU

Armenia and Azerbaijan Speakers pursue parliamentary dialogue as pathway to lasting peace

The IPU hosted another round of high-level parliamentary talks between Armenia and Azerbaijan this week during the 151st IPU Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland. On 21 October 2025, IPU Secretary General Martin Chungong welcomed the Speaker of the Azgayin Zhoghov (National Assembly of Armenia), Mr. Alen Simonyan, and the Speaker of the Milli Mejlis (National Assembly […]

Australian House of Representatives

IPU looks at how the Australian Parliament is transforming its workplace culture

Parliament House is not only the heart of Australia’s parliamentary democracy, it is also the most high-profile workplace in the country. So when accounts of sexual assault, harassment and bullying in the Parliament emerged in 2020, there was no doubt that changes needed to be made. The accounts led to a national conversation about workplace […]

The IPU Secretary General signs agreements with Mongolia and Zambia.

IPU strengthens global parliamentary ties with new cooperation agreements

On the sidelines of the 15th Summit of Women Speakers of Parliament and the Sixth World Conference of Speakers of Parliament held last week in Geneva, the Secretary General of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), Martin Chungong, signed a series of Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with the Parliaments of Zambia, Chad and Mongolia, reinforcing the IPU’s […]

The conference was attended by 102 Speakers and more than 120 Parliaments were represented

World Conference of Speakers of Parliament calls for renewed global unity amid rising crises

Parliamentary leaders from some 120 countries gathered at the United Nations Office at Geneva for the Sixth World Conference of Speakers of Parliament, a summit convened every five years by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in partnership with the United Nations (UN). The Conference, regarded as the world’s top parliamentary forum, was held from 29 to 31 July 2025. […]

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan presented the distinguished “Dustlik” (Order of Friendship) to Martin Chungong, IPU Secretary General, during the 150th IPU Assembly @IPU

President of Uzbekistan honours IPU Secretary General Martin Chungong

In a significant diplomatic gesture, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan presented the distinguished “Dustlik” (Order of Friendship) to Martin Chungong, IPU Secretary General, during the 150th IPU Assembly, held in Tashkent from 5 to 9 April 2025. The award, which is the highest to be awarded to a foreigner, recognizes Martin Chungong’s exceptional role in deepening […]