A co-ordinating meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement Parliamentary Network (NAMPA) took place on the margins of the 153^rd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in the town of Arusha of the United Republic of Tanzania on 8 October.

 The meeting went under the presidency of Speaker of the Milli Majlis and Chairperson of the NAMPA Sahiba Gafarova.

Speaker Sahiba Gafarova stated in her introductory address following the adoption of the meeting’s agenda that the co-ordinating meetings held in parallel to the IPU Assemblies matter for joint activities and making the most of this platform. According to her, those meetings enable constructive dialogue amongst the Member Parliament, which further strengthens cooperation amongst the Member States’ Parliaments.

She mentioned the 5^th NAMPA conference, been held alongside the 152^nd IPU Assembly in Türkiye’s city of Istanbul in April this year. It was observed that the five conferences held until now confirm the intent and steady interest in the NAMPA whereas the Member Parliamentarians’ active participation in the Network’s operation demonstrate a firm confidence in the potential of international co-operation to contribute to the cause of peace, justice and sustainable development. It was remarked in this connection that the NAMPA reflects the common vision and the universally-shared commitment to strengthening parliamentary co-operation and solidarity for the achievement of those common goals.

Speaker Sahiba Gafarova said that the Parliamentary Network continues expanding its scope and strengthening its international role. She stressed that as Chairperson she considers it a task of the first order to promote the role and work of the organisation during her abroad visits, bilateral meetings and participation in international conferences. She informed the assembled of the measures taken to this end.

Saying that development of institutional dialogue and strengthening of the co-operation with other organisations remained the top priorities of the Parliamentary Network, Speaker Sahiba Gafarova mentioned the current observer status of the NAMPA in 6 organisations as well as that 8 organisations were given the observer status in the Network itself. Also, the conclusion of memoranda of understanding with partner organisations broadens the Network’s involvement in international co-operation. The Parliamentary Network has concluded 10 such memoranda to date, which further strengthens its institutional partnerships and international coverage.

Remarking that she talked about those results not as the achievements of one chairmanship or any one parliament but, rather, as the outcome of joint efforts, Speaker Sahiba Gafarova said that all that was possible thanks to the valuable inputs of the Member Parliament, which share ideas, seek solutions and work together in the spirit of mutual respect and solidarity.

Speaker Sahiba Gafarova mentioned the 5 conferences held in Baku, Manama, Geneva, Toshkent and Istanbul in 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026, respectively, since the moment of the Network’s establishment in Madrid in November 2021. She commented on the significance of the decisions that had been made at the past conferences, remarking then that each conference had been important in terms of the institutional development of the Parliamentary Network.

The institutionalisation process of the Non-Aligned Movement Parliamentary Network was discussed then in accordance with the agenda of the meeting.

Speaker of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis of Uzbekistan Tanzila Narbayeva, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of Venezuela Grecia Colmenares, Deputy Speaker of the Council of Councillors of Morocco Lahcen Haddad, Chairman of the Committee of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of Belarus Sergei Aleinik, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National Assembly of Pakistan Syed Hafeezuddin, Chairman of the Committee on International Relations of the House of Representatives of Egypt Sameh Shoukry, Chairman of the Committee of the Parliament of Tanzania Dama Ndumbaro and others spoke about the items under discussion.

The Press and Public Relations Department
The Milli Majlis