IPU Secretary General Martin Chungong has recently concluded a mission to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Rwanda, as part of the IPU’s commitment to the peace process in the Great Lakes region. His visit aimed to encourage parliamentary diplomacy as a vital instrument for building trust, promoting regional stability and supporting cooperation […]
With global military expenditure rising to a record estimate of USD 2.7 trillion in 2024, a new Inter-Parliamentary Union(IPU) issue brief calls for parliaments to strengthen their scrutiny of defence spending in the interests of transparency, accountability and democracy. The IPU publication, Democratic checks, military balances: Parliamentary oversight in an era of rising military expenditure warns that […]
From 6-11 October, I was privileged to lead a cross-party group of UK Parliamentarians from both Houses to the Dominican Republic following a successful recent incoming delegation from the DR. Our delegation included Lord Randall, Kim Johnson MP, Pete Wishart MP, Alex Sobel MP and Darren Paffey MP and our visit was organised by the […]
The BGIPU delegation visit to Senegal took place from 5 to 10 October 2025. The delegation comprised Anneliese Dodds MP, Shaun Davies MP, Tan Dhesi MP, Marie Goldman MP, Brendan O’Hara MP and Lord Lemos and was supported by Dominique Rees and Chiara De Vita from BGIPU. A packed itinerary During the visit we met […]
Against the backdrop of the climate crisis, unsustainable debt burdens and growing inequality, parliamentary leaders from the world’s largest economies agreed today on bold actions to accelerate climate resilience, ensure fairer energy transitions and unlock sustainable development. Meeting in Cape Town under the leadership of the Parliament of South Africa and with the support of […]
On behalf of the global parliamentary community, we reiterate our grave concern over the unfolding humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. We are profoundly horrified by the immense suffering being inflicted upon the civilian population of Gaza, including famine, caused by the widespread destruction of civilian infrastructure and severe restrictions on humanitarian and other vital aid entering […]
The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) will convene its 151st Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland from 19-23 October 2025 under the theme: Upholding humanitarian norms and supporting humanitarian action in times of crisis. Against a backdrop of 120 ongoing conflicts and 310 million people in need of humanitarian assistance around the world – as documented by the International Committee […]
Close to three billion people were called to the polls last year in a record number of elections worldwide, demonstrating how widely democracy has spread in the last 100 years. However, democracy’s true value should be measured not only by the number of elections held but also by the extent to which the results produce […]
The IPU is following with concern the unrest in Nepal, especially the attacks on Parliament. The IPU and the wider global parliamentary community call for calm and urge an immediate end to the violence, which has led to a tragic loss of lives. Attacks on public institutions and private property, including the recent targeting of […]
On 12 August, the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) celebrated International Youth Day by organizing a webinar for members of parliament and international partners that would highlight new tools and initiatives aimed at empowering young parliamentarians. The focus was on enhancing gender equality through efforts that promoted youth empowerment in politics. The event emphasized peer learning, international […]
