Parliamentary delegation headed by Oleksandr Korniienko started working at the IPU in Bahrain

The Ukrainian parliamentary delegation headed by the First Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Oleksandr Korniienko has started working on the sidelines of the 146th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), which will take place in Bahrain from 11 to 15 March.

The programme of the visit includes bilateral meetings with delegations from all five continents. In particular, Ukrainian parliamentarians will participate in the election to three senior positions in the Human Rights and Democracy, UN and Young Parliamentarians’ Forum Committees.

It is also planned to hold a representative event organised by our delegation with the involvement of the international Halo Trust Foundation dedicated to demining. The Ukrainian delegation has submitted a number of amendments and a draft resolution that draw attention to Ukraine and condemn all crimes committed by the russian Federation.

On Friday, 10 March, delegates from the Ukrainian Parliament held three bilateral meetings with the delegations of Liechtenstein, Malta and Australia.

The First Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Oleksandr Korniienko said that Ukrainian parliamentarians briefed each delegation on the current situation in Ukraine and discussed with their colleagues important issues for Ukraine and the world as a whole, such as the missile attacks on Ukrainian cities and the consequences, responsibility for the crimes committed and stopping the aggressor.

“We thank Liechtenstein for its support at all levels. All help is important to us. We must join forces and remove the country from the UN. We were glad to meet again with our colleagues from Malta. The Ukrainian people feel supported. We had a substantive conversation about our joint actions and further sanctions pressure on the enemy. Australia demonstrates full solidarity with our country. We discussed the possibility of increasing military assistance and providing new weapons. In addition, we will strengthen our cooperation in the framework of work with the Global South,” the First Deputy Speaker outlined the results of the meetings.

The Ukrainian delegation also called on its colleagues to recognise the Holodomor of 1932-1933 as genocide of the Ukrainian people and to join those parliaments that have already adopted the relevant decision. In addition, the meetings focused on Ukraine’s European integration process and responsibility for the crimes committed by russia.

 The head of the delegation, Oleksandr Korniienko, spoke at a meeting of the 12+ geopolitical group, where he highlighted the main results that Ukraine wants to achieve in its fight against the aggressor.

“We know what results we want to achieve. Ukraine’s victory. Accountability for crimes. Justice,” said the First Vice-Speaker of the Ukrainian Parliament.

In addition, two members of the Ukrainian Parliament were elected to senior positions in the Inter-Parliamentary Union. In particular, Olha Rudenko will head the Forum of Young Parliamentarians, and Aliona Shkrum will head the Committee on United Nations Affairs.

Finally, Olha Rudenko said that there is a so-called leadership of international organisations (LIO): “Every leadership of the IPU Committee is a member of the LIO. We have to do everything to exclude the russian federation and win the war it has started. We have to change international organisations, which can only be done by being in leadership with leadership.”

The delegation includes members of the Ukrainian Parliament: the Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Policy and Interparliamentary Cooperation Oleksandr Merezhko, the member of the Committee on Environmental Policy and Nature Management Lesia Vasylenko, the member of the Committee on Finance, Taxation and Customs Policy Aliona Shkrum, the member of the Committee on Foreign Policy and Interparliamentary Cooperation Olha Rudenko, member of the Committee on Agrarian and Land Policy Artur Herasymov, the Head of the Subcommittee on Anti-Corruption Policy in the Field of Digital Innovations and Public Data of the Committee on Anti-Corruption Policy Oleksii Zhmerenetskyi and the Member of the Committee on Humanitarian and Information Policy Oleksandr Sanchenko.

For reference. The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) is a global organisation of national parliaments. It was founded more than 133 years ago as the world’s first multilateral political organisation to promote cooperation and dialogue among all nations.

Today, the IPU is made up of 178 national parliaments and 14 regional parliamentary bodies. It promotes democracy and helps parliaments become stronger, younger, more gender-balanced and more representative.

During the 146th IPU Assembly in Bahrain, hundreds of parliamentarians from around the world are expected to take part in the discussion on the theme “Promoting peaceful coexistence and inclusive societies: combating intolerance”.

During the Assembly, the IPU will offer opportunities to share best practices for promoting inclusion and supporting peaceful coexistence as a precondition for sustainable, cohesive and democratic societies.