Articles

CPA Update January to June 2015

26th Commonwealth Parliamentary Seminar in Dhaka, Bangladesh

The Chairperson of the CPA opens the Seminar.

The 26th Commonwealth Parliamentary Seminar was held in Dhaka, Bangladesh from 17 to 22 May 2015 and was attended by the Chairperson of the CPA Executive Committee, Hon. Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury MP.

Immediate action called for Anwar Ibrahim and Malaysian opposition MPs

 
Geneva, 2nd July 2015
 
An IPU human rights delegation to Malaysia has called for the jailed former opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim to receive prompt medical attention as and when required after visiting him in prison this week.
 

IPU e-Bulletin No. 6, 30th June 2015

World Speakers to focus on democracy, peace and development - Preparations for the Fourth World Conference of Speakers of Parliament, taking place at UN Headquarters in New York from 31 August-2 September, are being finalized with a focus on placing democracy at the service of peace and sustainable development. The Conference Preparatory Committee, comprising some 25 Speakers, members of the IPU Executive Committee and the representative of the UN Secretary General, met in Geneva in June to agree to the agenda, format and main documents of the Conference.

Parliamentarians vote to increase External Loans

On Thursday, 25th June, 2015 an Order was read for resuming the debate of 24th June, 2015 where the Minister of Finance moved a motion and proposed that, in terms of Section 3 of the Loans and Guarantees (Authorization) Act, Chapter 366 of the Laws of Zambia, the House authorize the Minister of Finance to increase, by Statutory Instrument, the amount outstanding at any given time on External Loans from thirty-five billion kwacha to sixty billion kwacha.
The housed subsequently divided and voted as follows
AYES              -    74
NOES              -    41

IPU human rights mission to Malaysia includes Anwar Ibrahim prison visit

Geneva, 29 June 2015
 
An IPU human rights delegation today (29 June) has begun a three-day mission to Malaysia which includes a prison visit to jailed former opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim.
 
A three-member IPU team from the Organization’s Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians will assess the conditions in which Anwar is being held amid concerns that the 67-year-old is in increasingly frail health. A meeting will also be held with his wife and daughter.   
 

Ministerial Statements

The following Ministerial Statements have been presented before the House:

Ministerial Statement by the Minister of Foreign Affairs - Impact of Xenophobic Violence

Ministerial Statement by the Minister of Health

Ministerial Statement by the Minister of Local Government and Housing - CDF Disbursement

Ms Moono Lubezhi, MP elected as CPA Zambia Branch Representative

Namwala Member of Parliament, Ms Moono Lubezhi, has been elected as the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Zambia Branch Representative.  Ms Lubezhi was unanimously elected at the CPA Zambia Branch Executive Committee meeting held at Parliament Buildings on Thursday, 25th June 2015.

National Assembly of Zambia receives Support from China

The National Assembly of Zambia recently received office equipment from the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China as a friendly gesture. The equipment was officially handed over to the National Assembly, by the Chinese Ambassador to Zambia H.E. Mr. Yang Youming at a special handover ceremony held at Parliament Buildings, on Monday 22nd June, 2015.

A Solidarity trip in Somalia

A delegation of twelve persons, among which parliamentarians, members of civil and youth organisations and officials from the Ministry of Gender and Human Rights including the Minister of Gender and Human Rights H.E. Sahra Ali Samantar, participated in a Solidarity trip to Adado, in the central Galguduud region of Somalia, on 6 June 2015.

Attack on Afghan Parliament an assault on democracy

IPU has strongly condemned a violent assault on the Afghan Parliament by suspected Taliban militants on the day MPs were due to consider the appointment of a new Defence Minister. Read more.

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