Ms. Sahiba Gafarova, Chairperson of the Non-Aligned Movement Parliamentary Network addressed the 16th Plenary Session of the Asian Parliamentary Assembly

On 26 January, Ms. Sahiba Gafarova, Speaker of the Milli Majlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Chairperson of the Non-Aligned Movement Parliamentary Network delivered a speech at the 16th Plenary Session of the Asian Parliamentary Assembly (APA), held in Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain.

In her address, Ms. Sahiba Gafarova emphasized that, at a time when the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the APA is being marked this year, the Assembly has already evolved into an important multilateral institution for constructive dialogue and solidarity.

Providing information on the work carried out over the past two years, Speaker Sahiba Gafarova noted that the membership of the organization expanded during Azerbaijan’s presidency. Thus, at the 15th Plenary Session held in Baku last year, the Consultative Council of the Sultanate of Oman became a full member of the APA, while the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus was granted observer status. In addition, the number of international organizations with observer status in the APA was increased, and the Association of Secretaries General of Arab Parliaments was also granted the relevant status.

Ms. Sahiba Gafarova underlined that special attention was paid to institutional development issues during Azerbaijan’s presidency, noting that meetings of the Bureau were resumed and held within the framework of the meetings of the Standing Committees. It was stated that this, in turn, enables a more prompt consideration and discussion of issues on the organization’s agenda. At the same time, it was emphasized that considerable attention was given to the establishment of new mechanisms to strengthen the Assembly’s activities, including the initiative put forward by Azerbaijan to establish a Commission on Women. It was also noted that, during Azerbaijan’s presidency, consensus was reached on the decision regarding the formation of the APA’s budget, which is of significant importance in terms of expanding the Assembly’s capacities.

It was reported that extensive work had been carried out to improve the APA’s coordination mechanisms, and that under Azerbaijan’s chairmanship four coordination meetings of the organization were held within the framework of the Inter-Parliamentary Union. These meetings proved effective in strengthening cooperation and coordination on international issues of common interest.

The Speaker of the Milli Majlis stressed that special attention was also paid, during Azerbaijan’s presidency, to enhancing the role of the APA in parliamentary diplomacy and increasing its standing at the international level. She noted that the development of cooperation between the APA and other inter-parliamentary organizations is considered an effective means of achieving this goal. In particular, productive relations have been established between the APA and the Parliamentary Network of the Non-Aligned Movement, currently chaired by Azerbaijan, and the APA delegation regularly participates in the Network’s activities.

The Speaker noted that, against the backdrop of current challenges and conflicts worldwide, the promotion of intercultural and inter-civilizational dialogue is no longer a choice but a necessity. Achieving global peace and prosperity, first and foremost, requires building trust and mutual understanding among peoples. In this regard, the Asian region, with its rich heritage, possesses great potential. The region’s diversity should be perceived not as a dividing line between our countries, but as a value that brings us closer together and enriches our dialogue.

In her address, the Speaker of the Parliament also highlighted the significance of major event that the region will host in 2026 — the 13th session of the World Urban Forum, to be held in Baku in May this year — noting that sustainable urban development is closely linked to the global development agenda. She invited all APA member states to actively participate in this Forum.

The presidency of the APA was officially handed over to the Council of Representatives of the Kingdom of Bahrain.