Theme: Trade and Sustainable Development

The IPU Assembly was attended by some 740 MPs among 1400 delegates with over 100 Speakers and Deputy Speakers attending.

150th IPU Assembly delivers vital outcomes for UK delegation in Tashkent

BGIPU Chair, Fabian Hamilton MP, said attending the 150th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Tashkent was both an honour and a humbling reminder of the essential role parliamentarians play in shaping the world’s response to our shared challenges. In his first time leading the UK delegation, Mr Hamilton MP said he was very […]

Secretary General, Martin Chungong, President of the Senate of Uzbekistan, Tanzila Narbayeva and IPU President Tulia Ackson at the 150th IPU Assembly in Tahskent © IPU

Parliamentarians champion social development and justice at Tashkent Assembly

The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) has successfully concluded its 150th Assembly in Tashkent, hosted by the Parliament of Uzbekistan. This landmark Assembly gathered nearly 1400 delegates, including some 740 members of parliament from approximately 130 countries. The presence of over 100 Speakers and Deputy Speakers of Parliament underscored the increasing recognition of parliamentary diplomacy as a vital complement […]

Tashkent City Congress Centre

Milestone 150th IPU Assembly to take place in Uzbekistan in early April

The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) will hold its 150th Assembly in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, from 5 to 9 April 2025, hosted by the Parliament of Uzbekistan. The overall theme Parliamentary action for social development and justice will cover topics such as eradicating poverty, promoting decent work, fostering social inclusion, and increasing the participation of marginalized groups in decision-making. Key […]

Delegation pictured with the Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs.

Delegation to Indonesia discuss need for collaboration on defence and increasing trade

A BGIPU cross party delegation visit to Indonesia took place during the February recess between 15 and 21 February with representatives from both Houses of Parliament. As delegation leader I was joined by John Slinger MP, Chris Webb MP, Graham Stuart MP, Baroness Northover, Lord Rennard and Joe Perry from the BGIPU secretariat. The key […]

Delegation pictured with the President of the Assemblee Nationale, SEM Adama Bictogo.

Delegation to Côte d’Ivoire discuss development and the need for closer ties

I am delighted to have led a recent British Group Inter-Parliamentary Union visit to Côte d’Ivoire in February, especially in light of the upcoming Presidential election in October 2025. Alongside my fellow delegates Baroness Blackstone, Jeremy Corbyn MP, Marsha De Cordova MP, Baroness Hooper and Kate Osamor MP, we were able to gain a fantastic […]

Senate of Chile, Committee on Future Challenges, Science, Technology and Innovation

Anticipating tomorrow: How expert insights enhance parliamentary foresight

Parliament can strengthen its capacity to design forward-looking national strategies and foster foresight-based governance by collaborating with external experts to leverage collective intelligence. This approach allows parliament to overcome its internal resource limitations and anticipate future challenges by integrating external knowledge and expertise to create innovative solutions. For this reason, many parliaments actively engage with […]

Foresight Centre of the Estonian Parliament

Future-focused research: IPU explores Parliamentary innovations across the globe

The United Nations Development Programme defines Parliamentary Committees for the Future, which exist under various names, as “parliamentary bodies responsible for issues related to anticipating and prospecting the future in the context of parliamentary activity”. The first such committee was established by the Parliament of Finland in 1993, pioneering a parliamentary approach to addressing long-term national strategies […]

United Nations Trustee Council Chamber ©kaspersalto

IPU Parliamentary Hearing at the United Nations to focus on the SDGs

Scaling up action for the Sustainable Development Goals: Finance, Institutions, and Politics, will be the theme of the 2025 Parliamentary Hearing, a joint initiative of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the President of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). IPU President Tulia Ackson and UNGA President Philemon Yang will host some 300 participants, including parliamentarians, Speakers of Parliament, […]

New IPU toolkit to empower parliaments to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals

The IPU has published a new toolkit to encourage parliaments and policymakers worldwide to integrate the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into their functions and legislative efforts in a comprehensive manner. The toolkit, SDG-informed legislative scrutiny, helps parliaments to translate the SDGs into national laws, to hold governments accountable for the implementation of the goals and to align budgets with […]