Ms. Sahiba Gafarova, Chairperson of the of the Non-Aligned Movement Parliamentary Network, met with Mr. Duarte Pacheco, President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union

On September 8, Ms. Sahiba Gafarova, Speaker of the Milli Majlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Chairperson of the Non-Aligned Movement Parliamentary Network, met with Mr. Duarte Pacheco, President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), within the framework of her participation in the 14th Summit of Women Speakers of Parliament held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Ms. Sahiba Gafarova highly appreciated the IPU’s role in the development of inter-parliamentary relations and global parliamentary diplomacy.

Ms. Sahiba Gafarova emphasized that Azerbaijan, as the Chair of the Non-Aligned Movement, put forward a proposal to develop the parliamentary dimension of the Movement, and in 2021, the Non-Aligned Movement Parliamentary Network was established at the initiative of H.E. Mr. Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan. She thanked Mr. Duarte Pacheco for his participation in the Inaugural Meeting of the Parliamentary Network and for his video address during the first conference held in Baku.

The Chairperson of the Non-Aligned Movement Parliamentary Network recalled that on June 30-July 1 of 2022, the first conference of the organization was held in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, with the participation of parliamentary delegations from more than 40 countries and 8 international parliamentary organizations. Ms. Sahiba Gafarova underlined that the Baku Declaration adopted at the end of the conference reflected our general position and views and was of great significance in terms of the institutional development of the Non-Aligned Movement Parliamentary Network. She added that the Non-Aligned Movement Parliamentary Network was ready to contribute to common goals and work together with other parliamentary organizations, including the Inter-Parliamentary Union, to solve issues of common concern.

Mr. Duarte Pacheco, the President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, informed about the upcoming events and planned activities of the institution he was representing.

Mr. Duarte Pacheco expressed the importance of expanding parliamentary diplomacy and cooperation between legislative bodies in the modern age and highlighted the readiness to cooperate with the Non-Aligned Movement Parliamentary Network.

At the meeting, opinions were exchanged on a number of issues related to cooperation between the Inter-Parliamentary Union and the Non-Aligned Movement Parliamentary Network.