This was an excellent visit that really benefitted from the preparatory work undertaken before the visit. The briefing meetings with the Gender and Equalities Office and the meeting with representatives from NGOs attending the conference were particularly beneficial. Both meetings helped us to focus on key issues that would be discussed at the conference and […]
A delegation from the Majils Ash-Shura of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia led by the Speaker, H.E. Dr. Abdullah Bin Muhammad Bin Ibrahim Al-Sheikh, undertook an inter-parliamentary visit to the UK Parliament from 4-6 March 2013. Accompanying the Speaker were Shura Council Members, Hamza Bin Hussein Al-Sharif, Zuhair F. J. Al-Harthy, Saud Bin Abdulrahman Al-Shammari, Dr. Said Abdulla Al-Shaikh and Dr. Omar Bin Ibrahim Rajab and two of the recently appointed 30 women members of the Council, Thuraya Bint Ahmed Obeid and Dr. Nihad Mohammed Al-Jishi and parliamentary officials.
The Chairman of the British Group Inter-Parliamentary Union (BGIPU), Mr Robert Walter MP, welcomed the arrival of a delegation from the Majils Ash-Shura, the Parliament of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia led by the Speaker, H.E. Dr. Abdullah ibn Muhammad Al ash-Sheikh.
From tourism and tax reform to wealth distribution and from new global trading relationships to diversifying from agriculture, the BGIPU delegation, led by the Vice Chair of the BGIPU visited the Legislative Assemblies of Costa Rica and El Salvador to learn about both countries’ broader geopolitical priorities
Whoever one meets in politics in Costa Rica and El Salvador, the gloomy presence of the drugs trade will eventually emerge in discussion. Previously by-standers in the drugs wars, these two countries now have Mexican drug cartels who have relocated in order to avoid detection and invest their profits.
Fabian Hamilton hosted a visit of Icelandic Parliamentarians in Westminster to discuss Iceland’s economic future. The opportunity helped to bring Icelandic and British MPs even closer together.
On 30 January in the Liberian capital, Monrovia, Hugh Bayley MP joined senior parliamentary colleagues from Liberia, Bangladesh and Uganda in a roundtable discussion to convey to the post-2015 High Level Panel the IPU’s perspectives on the importance of democratic governance, particularly the role to be played by parliaments, in determining any future international development goals.
In addition to the primary role as a member of the IPU delegation to meet the UNSG’s High Level panel on post-2015 Global Development goals, Hugh Bayley MP also had the opportunity to have a number of other meetings during my visit to Liberia which provide valuable insight into the current situation in Liberia, including UK interests in the country.
Members of IPU’s Committee on Middle East Questions were in Gaza on 28 January in the first of a two-part mission to the region. The mission’s aim is to assess the socio-economic and political impact of the conflict and its repercussions on the workings of the Palestinian Legislative Council.
A special roundtable hosted by IPU in the Liberian capital, Monrovia, on 30th January attended by a UN-appointed high-level panel and MPs from around the world concluded that democracy and democratic governance should be at the heart of a new international development agenda.
