The 14^th Plenary Session of the Asian Parliamentary Assembly is taking place in Baku

The 14^th Plenary Session of the Asian Parliamentary Assembly (APA) ‘Fostering Regional Co-operation for Sustainable Development in Asia’ began in Baku on 22 February.

The event is attended by parliamentary delegations of approximately 40 countries including Speakers of Parliament of up to 10 states as well as leaders and delegates of several international inter-parliamentary organisations.

The National Anthem of the Republic of Azerbaijan was sounded at the opening of the Session.  

Then spoke Secretary General of the Asian Parliamentary Assembly Mohammad Reza Majidi. The Secretary General expressed gratitude to the Milli Majlis of Azerbaijan for the high-level arrangement of the Session and for hospitality. He said that the chairmanship of the Asian Parliamentary Assembly had gone from Türkiye to Azerbaijan for the next two years, and voiced a confidence in the success of the continued success of the future operations of the Asian Parliamentary Assembly under the Azerbaijani presidency.

Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye and Chairman-in-Office of the Asian Parliamentary Assembly Numan Kurtulmuş said he hoped that the 14^th Session of the APA would prove successful and would contribute to the on-going progress of solidarity amongst the Asian States. Difficult processes are unfolding around the world now; the items being added to the agenda of the Asian Parliamentary Assembly at such a time will promote a progress in a peaceful and stable environment. Mr Kurtulmuş also underscored the importance of acting jointly in the APA to ensure progress and upheaval in Asia.

Numan Kurtulmuş capped his speech by transferring the chairmanship of the Asian Parliamentary Assembly from Türkiye to Azerbaijan.

Speaking at the Session, Chair of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova underscored the successful Turkish chairmanship of the Assembly and said that what had been done over the past years was important for the progress of inter-parliamentary co-operation.

In her speech, the Speaker noted that today, along with humanitarian crises, conflicts, poverty and climate change, the Asian region is negatively affected by such pressing problems as discrimination, racism and the upsurge in xenophobia and Islamophobia. All these challenges can be solved, though not individually but, rather, only through collective, combined efforts. The same applies to peace, security, stability and sustainable development in our region, according to Sahiba Gafarova

Asia has much to offer in terms of co-operation, dialogue and solidarity, continued Speaker Sahiba Gafarova. From this perspective, the Asian Parliamentary Assembly represents an essential multilateral platform for pursuing these goals.

Azerbaijan regards the APA as a very important structure. The activity of the APA reflects our readiness to deepen the inter-parliamentary dialogue. Saying so, the Speaker of the Milli Majlis expressed her belief that the institutional development of the Organisation would further strengthen our co-operation. Turning to the progress of co-operation between APA and other inter-parliamentary entities then, Speaker Sahiba Gafarova noted that such progress would enable the Assembly to participate in the global parliamentary diplomacy effectively.

Mentioning the leadership of the Parliamentary Network of the Non-Aligned Movement by the Milli Mejlis, Sahiba Gafarova reminded the audience of the Network's obtaining observer status in the APA. The co-operation between these two structures will serve the development of parliamentary diplomacy.

Going further, the Speaker of the Milli Majlis said that Azerbaijan attached immense importance to furthering co-operation with the Asian States, bilaterally as well as multilaterally. Today, the major investments put in the transport infrastructure have made certain that Azerbaijan has become one of the transport and logistical hubs of Eurasia. The transport corridors East-West and North-South cross Azerbaijan. The infrastructure of Azerbaijan is available to all the Asian countries. Broadening co-operation in this field will doubtless promote a continued progress of economic and trading links amongst our countries.

Broaching then the climate change, a problem of universal concern, the Chair of the Milli Majlis remarked that a clean environment and green growth were the top priority areas on the sustainable development agenda of Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan joined the global initiative to treble global renewable energy potential by 2030. Our country was granted the right to host the COP29 with the unanimous support of the international community. That was a token of recognition of Azerbaijan’s commitment to supporting international efforts in the realm of climate change.

Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova also informed the audience of the current situation affecting peace and stability in the region. An extraordinary presidential election was conducted in our country in early February this year and Mr Ilham Aliyev won in it. That election is mainly important because it was for the first time that elections would cover the whole of the sovereign territory of Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan recovered her lands from the 30-year Armenian occupation and restored her territorial integrity in the 44-day Patriotic War of 2020. Mrs Gafarova added that the anti-terrorist measures taken in September last year had eliminated separatism from our lands and Azerbaijan had restored its sovereignty in all its own territories. The former IDP have begun to return to their homes. Their numbers will reach 140,000 by the end of 2026.

Azerbaijan, besides, is making great efforts to achieve peace and stability in the region. Azerbaijan’s offer to Armenia to normalise the relationship and to sign a peace treaty is based on the fundamental principles of international law. It is still possible to sign the peace treaty, even after longer than three years of political and military provocations on Armenia’s part.

The Speaker of the Milli Majlis focused the assembly’s attention on the bilateral meeting of the President of Azerbaijan and the PM of Armenia on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference several days ago. The arrangements secured to negotiate the peace treaty and to hold border delimitation meetings could be viewed as a positive step. Sahiba Gafarova expressed a hope that Armenia will abstain from provocations, bringing in third parties with vested interests, will discontinue the incessant claims against Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity – the claims expressed in Armenia’s Constitution and other legislative acts, and will continue direct bilateral negotiations about signing a peace treaty. The only path that leads to lasting peace and stability regionally lies through establishing relations with neighbours on the basis of international law’s norms and principles.

In conclusion of her speech Speaker Sahiba Gafarova said she trusted that the Asian Parliamentary Assembly will continue functioning as a platform upon which to foster co-operation and achieve common goals.

Speeches by the leaders of the national parliamentary delegations followed. The speakers were Chairman of the Council of Representatives of Bahrain Ahmed Al-Musallam, Chairman of the Council of Representatives of Iraq Mohsen Ali Akbar Al-Mandalawi, Chairman of the People’s Majlis of Maldives Mohamed Aslam, Chairman of the Parliament of Sri Lanka Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, Chairman of the Chamber of Representatives of Tajikistan’s Majlisi Oli Mahmadtoir Zokirzoda, Chairman of the National Assembly and House of Representatives of Thailand Wanmuhammadnur Matha, Chairman of the Shura Council of Oman Khalid Hilal Nasir Al Maawali and Chairman of the Arab Parliament Adel Bin Abdul Rahman Al-Asoomi.

The speakers emphasised the importance of developing comprehensive co-operation between the countries of the region, strengthening mutual trust between the sides, of joint efforts to establish peace in the region and in the world, and of combatting international terrorism, separatism and extremism.

Further, the event participants shared their opinions about strengthening regional and bilateral co-operation, efforts to achieve economic, social and cultural growth, expanding interaction in academics, technologies, education and culture, and about the importance of information exchange.

The session resumed after a hiatus.

The APA Permanent Committees for Economy and Sustainable Development, for Budget and Planning, for Social and Cultural Affairs, and for Political Affairs will hold their own meetings in the format of the Session.

The committee meetings will cover draft environmental resolutions, efforts to secure economic growth and eradicate poverty, the APA parliaments’ roles in supporting the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, climatic issues, promotion of cultural diversity and preservation of cultural heritage in Asia, fostering children’s and youth’s development for sustainable communities in Asia, and several other matters.

The Session is to be concluded with the adoption of the Baku Declaration and the Final Report of the APA 14^th Plenary Session.

The Press and Public Relations Department
The Milli Majlis