Theme: Peace & Security

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Capacity Building programme with Members of the Somali House of People

The BGIPU hosted a visit of Somali Parliamentarians to the UK for a capacity building and parliamentary strengthening programme. The 5 Members of the House of People met with Members, senior officials and clerks to learn about the functioning and procedures of the Westminster system. The visit formed part of the support offered by HMG to the Somali government and Parliament in establishing and strengthening the Somali parliamentary institution, since its re-establishment in August 2012.

John Mann MP, Lord Fowler, Baroness Meacher, H.E. Rodríguez Múnera

Current trends in Global Drug Policy Reform & the Organization of American States

To mark the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking on the 26th of June, and ahead of the international parliamentary seminar on Drug Policy Reform it will host inOctober, the British Group of the IPU, offered an evening lecture in which the Ambassador of Colombia presented the recent Organization of American States report on the Drug Problem in the Americas to Parliamentarians and Baroness Meacher and John Mann MP, UK Parliamentary envoys to the 43rd General Assembly of the OAS, discussed the role parliamentarians can play in addressing illicit drugs and related transnational crime issues.

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APPG Great Lakes visit to DR Congo and Rwanda

Lord McConnell led a delegation of UK Parliamentarians comprising Heather Wheeler MP, Ian Lucas MP, and Mark Pritchard MP, to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Rwanda from the 24-29 May 2013, to examine and report on the ongoing conflict resolution processes and stabilisation initiatives for Eastern DRC and long-term reforms for DRC as a whole, as well as the human rights situation and state of democratisation in DRC and Rwanda.

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Seizing the Opportunity: Enhancing UK engagement with Emerging Powers

BGIPU and the FCO co-hosted a roundtable discussion between parliamentarians and visiting UK Heads of Mission on 16 May under the chairmanship of FCO Minister, Hugo Swire MP. The discussion focused on efforts by the UK Government to strengthen bilateral relationships with key emerging powers in order to expand opportunities for the UK. There was detailed consideration of the important role parliamentarians could play in ensuring the UK was well-positioned to take better advantage of the opportunities such fast growing economies present.

The Delegation with Jackie Doyle Price MP and staff of Tilbury Power Station during a tour of the facility.JPG

MPs from Senegal urge greater UK engagement during visit to Westminster

A delegation from the National Assembly of the Republic of Senegal visited to the UK Parliament from 22-26 April 2013. At a time when international attention has been sharply focused on security challenges in West Africa, particularly Mali, Senegal’s positive example of stable parliamentary governance in the region was a key focus of discussions. In wide-ranging exchanges with UK counterparts, the delegation urged the UK to enhance its bilateral relations with Senegal and expand its engagement, more broadly, in West Africa.

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UK delegation plays leading role in 128th IPU Assembly deliberation

The 128th IPU Assembly in Quito, Ecuador from 22 to 27 March 2013 was attended by more than 1350 participants from over 118 parliaments. The UK delegation was prominent and active throughout the Assembly, including as a member of the Emergency Item Drafting Committee, as moderators of panel discussions, in detailed Committee work and in a range of targeted bilateral exchanges.

The mission, led by Lord Judd from the UK House of Lords met UN officials and PLC members to hear their views on security, human rights and the humanitarian situation in the Gaza strip.

Time for Talks is Now, Says IPU Middle East Committee

A delegation from IPU’s Committee on Middle East Questions says there is an urgent need for regular and inclusive dialogue between Israeli and Palestinian legislators to begin now. It would help ensure progress on peace negotiations by capitalizing on political developments in the region. The statement follows a recently concluded visit to the West Bank and Israel as the second part of a mission to the Middle East

The BGIPU sent two delegates to the Annual UN Parliamentary Assembly on Peacebuilding at UN Headquarters in New York , Craig Whittaker MP and Lord McConnell.

Parliamentary Hearing at the United Nations

‘A road less travelled: parliamentary approaches to conflict prevention, reconciliation and peace building’; By focusing on the role that Parliamentarians and Parliaments can play in conflict resolution and post-conflict reconstruction, the Conference dealt with an element of peacebuilding that receives too little attention in the normal course of events.

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President of Tunisia discusses democratic transition with UK Parliamentarians

The President of Tunisia, HE Dr Moncef Marzouki, visited Parliament on Monday 26 November to meet with UK Parliamentarians for a BGIPU-hosted discussion entitled “Perspectives on Tunisia’s Democratic transition”. With the President providing a brief opening statement but preferring to respond directly to questions from the floor, the event was highly interactive and provided a unique opportunity to engage with a pivotal figure in the evolution of political transition following the events of the Arab Spring in Tunisia and the wider region.