Azerbaijan's APA chairmanship aims to boost capacity – speaker

BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 6.
One of the main objectives during Azerbaijan's chairmanship of the
Asian Parliamentary Assembly (APA) was to strengthen the assembly's
institutional capabilities and consolidate its role as a platform
for inter-parliamentary dialogue in Asia, Speaker
of the Azerbaijani Parliament Sahiba Gafarova said in her address
to the APA coordination meeting within the framework of the
153^rd Assembly of the IPU.

This was reported by the Press and Public Relations Department
of the Milli Majlis (Azerbaijani Parliament).

Gafarova noted that organizing the assembly's activities more
effectively was among the goals set when Azerbaijan assumed the APA
chairmanship in February 2024.

According to her, significant steps have been taken toward the
institutional development of the APA during Azerbaijan's
chairmanship, and the activities of the Assembly's Bureau have been
revitalized.

The speaker noted that four coordination meetings were organized
during Azerbaijan's chairmanship. These meetings facilitated the
exchange of views on international issues of mutual interest, the
coordination of positions, and the strengthening of the APA's ties
with the broader inter-parliamentary agenda. Gafarova emphasized
that developing cooperation between the APA and other parliamentary
organizations is also one of the priority areas during Azerbaijan's
chairmanship.

Regarding the importance of multilateral inter-parliamentary
cooperation, the speaker noted the necessity of strengthening the
role of parliaments in the adoption of global decisions and
fostering cooperation with regional parliamentary
organizations.

She highlighted the importance of inclusivity and the active
participation of women, youth, and underrepresented groups in
inter-parliamentary processes to ensure sustainable
development.

The speaker said that inter-parliamentary cooperation should
enable the expression of diverse positions on a single platform and
allow dialogue to continue despite differences of opinion.

According to her, effective cooperation should be built upon
mutual listening, consultation, respect for differing views, and
the identification of practical solutions.

At the conclusion of her speech, Gafarova said that the
experience gained within the framework of the APA over the past two
years has once again demonstrated the importance of cooperation
across diverse regions, cultures, and political views.