Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova had a meeting on 31 October with the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Czech Republic in our country Milan Sedláček.

They were discussing the political, economic and humanitarian aspects of the bilateral co-operation; they underscored the significance of mutual visits including those of the Heads of Parliament and trips between the Friendship Groups, for the progress of the bilateral relations. As she was stressing the big role of inter-parliamentary connections in the cause of promoting the inter-state relations, Speaker Sahiba Gafarova mentioned the special attention paid to broadening the co-operation with the Czech Parliament during the VI Convocation Milli Majlis. She said she was certain that this co-operation would be continued during the operating period of the VII Convocation Parliament as well, and emphasised the importance of strengthening the interaction between the legislatures’ Friendship Groups and specialist Committees. Our MPs’ joint work and mutual support in international organisations are tremendous, according to the Speaker of Parliament who highlighted the need to promote further the exchange of information in the inter-parliamentary relations in terms of spreading objective information.

Talking about the preparations for the upcoming 29^th session of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP29), due to take place in Azerbaijan next month, Speaker Sahiba Gafarova pointed at the unacceptability of the attempts to politicise the COP29, an event dedicated to a global issue that requires solidarity. The Speaker touched on the endeavours of the legislative assembly of Azerbaijan to ensure parliamentary contributions to the discussion about resolving such global challenges as the climate change, and said that the Milli Majlis was planning to hold a Parliamentary Meeting together with the Inter-Parliamentary Union on the sidelines of the COP29 so as to give the participating MPs an opportunity to exchange views on countering the climate change as well as to take a uniform stance.

Thanking for the sincere reception, Ambassador Milan Sedláček congratulated Speaker Sahiba Gafarova on her re-election as the Head of the VII Convocation Milli Majlis and wished her success in her forthcoming work. The guest expressed satisfaction with the co-operation between our countries in various areas including the interaction between the legislative assemblies, and said he was certain that these ties will continue. As he was conveying his congratulations on Azerbaijan’s hosting the COP29 then, the Ambassador remarked that Czechia would have a high level of representation of the event. He added that this event was going to contribute importantly to the strengthening of global co-operation on climate change matters.

The meeting had an exchange of opinions about other topics of shared interest as well.

The Press and Public Relations Department

The Milli Majlis