TASHKENT, Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan National News Agency (UzA) Director-General Abdisait Kuchimov said the 150th General Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) is a watershed moment in the history of world parliamentarians and will draw global attention.
Kuchimov told Anadolu that the meeting is of great importance not only for Uzbekistan and the Central Asian region but also for the global parliamentary community.
He said approximately 2,000 delegates from 181 countries and more than 25 international and parliamentary organizations are expected to attend the four-day event that began on Saturday, where topics such as human rights, gender equality, poverty reduction, the rule of law, scientific and technological development, and youth support are discussed.
Tashkent hosts Inter-Parliamentary Union’s General Assembly for 1st time
Kuchimov said the general assembly is also to address enhancing inter-parliamentary cooperation and strengthening peace and democracy worldwide.
“In today’s complex and rapidly changing world, ensuring social justice, equality, and sustainable development has become a crucial task for every state and society. In this regard, the 150th General Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, which will be held in Tashkent for the first time in Central Asia, is an important political and strategic event for Uzbekistan,” he said.
He stressed that the IPU, founded in 1889, is one of the most influential international legislative bodies and that holding such a jubilee event in Uzbekistan would provide an opportunity to present the results of stable reforms carried out within the framework of Uzbekistan’s 2030 Strategy and other national development strategies to the international community.
He noted that Uzbekistan has already hosted, and will continue to host, international meetings at the leaders’ level this year, emphasizing the increasing role of the Central Asian country in international diplomacy.
He said: “2025 will be a turning point in the international political arena, especially for Central Asia and Uzbekistan.”
He said that the EU-Central Asia Summit and the Samarkand International Climate Forum were held in Samarkand during the presidency of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and that the second Gulf Cooperation Council-Central Asia leaders’ summit would be held in Samarkand next month. He also mentioned that the seventh Consultative Meeting of Central Asian Heads of State would be held in Tashkent this fall.
Kuchimov highlighted that, under the leadership of President Mirziyoyev, legal and democratic reforms have turned the country’s parliament into an active participant in socio-economic development and foreign policy, adding that the hosting of the IPU’s 150th General Assembly in Tashkent is a reflection of this.
’Roadmap for the activities of parliaments in the 21st century’
Kuchimov said the agenda of the general assembly would include current issues such as peace and security, human rights, climate change, the effects of armed conflicts, and cooperation with the United Nations. He also noted that political initiatives supporting a two-state solution to the Palestinian issue and peace efforts would be discussed.
He said participants would have the opportunity to share best practices to strengthen the role of parliaments in solving global issues and emphasized that the meeting would create a productive platform for effective dialogue and important decisions.
He added that the documents adopted at the IPU’s 150th General Assembly would serve as a “roadmap” for the activities of parliaments in the 21st century.
