On April 7, the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, delivered a speech at the opening ceremony of the 150th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union.

The summit is being attended by over 2,000 delegates from nearly 140 countries worldwide.

The Assembly of the Union, which brings together 181 national parliaments and 15 regional associations, is being held for the first time in the Central Asian region.

At the beginning of his address, the President of Uzbekistan emphasized that in recent years, conflicts, environmental and technological disasters, economic crises, “trade wars”, as well as threats of terrorism and extremism, have been intensifying in various parts of the world.

“In such an extremely complex environment, the current moment demands that parliaments take a more active role in preserving peace and ensuring social development and justice in the world”, the President emphasized.

It is worth noting that, at the initiative of Uzbekistan, this Assembly is being held under the theme “Parliamentary Action for Social Progress and Justice”.

According to international organizations, global GDP has increased 4.5 times over the past 30 years. However, the incomes of low-income populations have remained virtually unchanged. If this trend continues, by 2030, 575 million people around the world will be living in poverty, and 84 million children will be deprived of access to education.

It was emphasized that further expansion of multifaceted cooperation among representative bodies in this area would make a valuable contribution to overall development.

As the President noted, the Uzbekistan 2030 Strategy identifies the development of the parliamentary institution as a key priority. In recent years, more than 20 laws have been enacted to enhance the legislative branch’s role in society and the state.

The number of powers of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis has been increased from 5 to 12, and those of the Senate – from 14 to 18. Several powers previously held by the President have been transferred to the legislative branch.

Today, women hold 38% of the seats in Uzbekistan’s parliament. In 2021, youth parliaments were launched for the first time under the chambers of the Oliy Majlis.

Uzbekistan is advancing several internationally significant initiatives in the parliamentary sphere. Notably, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution entitled “Enhancing the role of parliaments in accelerating the achievement of the sustainable development goals”.

Representatives of Uzbekistan actively participate in the work of the Asian Parliamentary Assembly, the Inter-Parliamentary Forum of Central Asian States, the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, the CIS Inter-Parliamentary Assembly, and other multilateral platforms.

The Head of state outlined the priorities for inter-parliamentary cooperation.

It was noted that conflicts in various regions pose a serious threat to both global and regional peace and security. The President emphasized that Uzbekistan firmly supports the resolution of all disputes exclusively through diplomacy and peaceful negotiations.

In addressing such issues, it is essential to be guided by universally recognized norms of international law, as well as the United Nations Charter and its resolutions.

In this context, Uzbekistan views the UN as the only universal and unparalleled international organization.

The President of Uzbekistan emphasized that climate change must remain a key focus of global attention. He underscored the importance of fully meeting commitments under the Paris Agreement and achieving carbon neutrality targets.

The firm establishment of women’s rights was identified as one of the fundamental conditions for societal development. Today, the global share of women in parliaments has increased from 11.3 percent in 1995 to 27.2 percent this year.

In recent years, Uzbekistan, in collaboration with UN institutions and the Inter-Parliamentary Union, has successfully hosted the Asian Women’s Forum and the Summit of Women Speakers of Parliament.

Hope was expressed for the support of the United Nations General Assembly resolution “Expanding the socio-economic, political, legal, and cultural-humanitarian activities of Asian women”, an initiative proposed by Uzbekistan.

The President of Uzbekistan particularly emphasized the importance of empowering young people to participate fully in all areas of public life. In this context, he emphasized the importance of actively engaging youth in the work of national parliaments and the Inter-Parliamentary Union.

A proposal was made to establish a Global Platform of Youth Parliaments within the framework of the Inter-Parliamentary Union and to hold its inaugural forum in Uzbekistan.

Another key priority is cooperation in ensuring every individual’s right to social protection and access to quality services based on international standards.

The President of Uzbekistan invited forum participants to take an active part in the upcoming International Conference on Poverty Reduction, scheduled to take place in Uzbekistan in September this year.

The Head of state noted that the realities of today demand the strengthening of systematic cooperation in artificial intelligence. In this regard, a proposal was made to develop a legal framework on the ethics of AI use aimed at ensuring the effective regulation of the sector.

In conclusion, it was emphasized that all the proposals and initiatives presented fully align with the goals of the Inter-Parliamentary Union’s Strategy.

The President of Uzbekistan wished all participants of the anniversary Assembly a successful summit and productive discussions.

UzA