The Second Conference of the Non-Aligned Movement Parliamentary Network took place in Manama, the Kingdom of Bahrain, with more than 300 participants from around 60 delegations, including Speakers and Deputy Speakers of their respective national parliaments, as well as 8 inter-parliamentary organizations.

 

The participants of the Second Conference were welcomed by Ms. Sahiba Gafarova, Speaker of the Milli Majlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Chairperson of the Non-Aligned Movement Parliamentary Network. Before proceeding to the items on the agenda participants observed a minute of silence in tribute to the victims of the earthquake in Türkiye and Syria.

 

Ms. Sahiba Gafarova recalled that the initiation of the NAM Parliamentary Network based on the decision of the Heads of States and Governments at the NAM Summit Meeting in Baku in October 2019 is one of the substantial outcomes of the efforts made by Azerbaijan, current Chairing State of the NAM. Chairperson stated that in line with the initiative of H.E. Mr. Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and incumbent Chair of the Non-Aligned Movement, the NAM Parliamentary Network was established on the sidelines of the 143rd IPU Assembly in November 2021 in Madrid. Ms. Gafarova underlined that the First Conference of the Parliamentary Network held in Baku in June 2022 and attended by more than 400 delegates from over 40 parliaments, as well as 8 inter-parliamentary organizations became a crucial milestone in the development of the organization. During the Baku Conference the Statute on Working Modalities of the Non-Aligned Movement Parliamentary Network and the Baku Declaration were adopted, and the official logo and flag were approved. The Conference also elected the Chairperson and three Vice-Chairpersons of the Parliamentary Network for the three-year tenures.

 

In the opening speech, Ms. Sahiba Gafarova stated that during the period after the First Conference she had taken part in several inter-parliamentary platforms, including the G20 Parliamentary Speakers' Summit and the Summit Meeting of the NAM Contact Group against COVID-19. Chairperson underlined that in her speeches she paid significant attention to promoting the Network's ideas and purposes. The advancement of the values and principles of the Non-Aligned Movement through strengthening solidarity and cooperation and developing institutional dialogue with other organizations were the highest priority as well.