IPU 147 towards action for peace

SGGP 10/25/2023 05:34

The 147th session of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU 147) opened on October 23 in Luanda, Angola and will last until October 27, with the message "Parliamentary action for peace, justice and strong institutions".

IPU 147 opens in Luanda Bay, Angola

Putting people first

In his opening remarks, Angolan President João Lourenço praised the role of the IPU. Angola welcomed the event as a way to contribute to addressing global issues of peace, social justice and promoting exchanges between people and nations. The Inter-Parliamentary Union will “constitute an important mechanism for intervention and advocacy on key issues of global concern, through the exercise of parliamentary diplomacy within the United Nations system and its Member States.”

More than 1,000 parliamentarians from around the world are attending, including delegations from countries in conflict. In his keynote address, the Angolan President stressed that from Luanda, people around the world “will hear the voices of parliamentarians around the world calling for an end to conflicts in Sudan, Ukraine and the Middle East”. It is urgent to silence the guns and give way to diplomacy, so that the lives of civilians, children, women and the elderly can be saved and a humanitarian catastrophe can be avoided.

According to Swiss media, current issues will be on the agenda such as the conflict in Gaza, children displaced by the conflict in Ukraine, the Global Pandemic Agreement...

Founded in 1889 with headquarters in Switzerland, the IPU is one of the world's oldest multilateral organizations, bringing together 178 member parliaments and 14 regional parliamentary organizations.

Global Health

IPU 147 is expected to adopt resolutions on the urgent item and the thematic item put forward by the Standing Committee on Democracy and Human Rights entitled “Orphan Trafficking: The Role of Parliaments in Reducing Harm”. As a key platform for parliamentary work, the IPU Assembly provides an invaluable opportunity to promote cooperation and shape global health policies.

At this year's conference, the World Health Organization (WHO) will also host two key events focusing on two key priorities that have huge implications for the future of global health.

The first is the workshop “Decoding the Evolution of the Pandemic Treaty” (held on October 26). The aim of this workshop is to provide a comprehensive understanding of the elements, scope, potential impacts and key benefits of the pandemic treaty being negotiated, which, according to Mr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of WHO, will be a historic agreement, marking a strong change in the approach to global health security after Covid-19.

The second priority is to present the “WHO’s forthcoming strategy and financing”. During this event, WHO will present an overview of the 14th General Programme of Work and its associated financing. Attendees will gain valuable insights into how investing in health can pave the way for a safer, more resilient and more inclusive world, as envisioned in the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

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