Distinguished Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen,
To begin with, I feel so honoured and privileged to be in this wonderful capital and largest city of Switzerland on behalf of my delegation. It is a great pleasure for me to address the 148th IPU Assembly meeting today and I wish to thank the honorable Chairpersons and Speakers, the honorable members of the IPU, and the organizers of this event for their tremendous efforts for the success of this prestigious event. Today's IPU assembly provides a timely platform for furthering cooperation among democracies.
Let me elaborate on my speech on the topic of Parliamentary Diplomacy. We all know that one of the fundamental principles of parliamentary diplomacy lies in the belief that dialogue and cooperation among parliamentarians can contribute to the resolution of conflicts, the promotion of human rights, and the advancement of shared values. Parliamentary diplomacy acts as a bridge between governments and citizens, ensuring that the concerns and perspectives of the people are taken into account in the formulation of foreign policies.
In recent times, parliamentary diplomacy has gained prominence as a tool for conflict prevention and resolution. By facilitating dialogue and understanding between nations at the legislative level, parliamentary diplomats contribute to creating an environment conducive to peaceful coexistence. This can be particularly valuable in regions marked by historical tensions or ongoing conflicts.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Parliamentary diplomacy includes parliamentary bilateral diplomacy, parliamentary multilateral diplomacy, Friendship Groups, International Conferences, Permanent delegations of Parliament to international organisations including international parliamentary organisations, visits of parliamentary delegations and promotion of democracy by Parliaments and Parliamentarians. Parliamentary diplomacy is an important perspective and alternative form of diplomacy. Even if not widely studied yet, Parliamentary diplomacy has developed lately by the increasing role of Parliaments and their enrollment in foreign affairs and issues related to international relations.
Moving away from the general situation, now I would like to draw your attention to the experience of the Parliament of Sri Lanka.
The Inter Parliamentary union is one of the largest networks in the world with both national and sub-national parliaments and is focused on countries that have some linkage to the system of parliament. Sri Lanka joined Inter-Parliamentary Union on 9th Feb 1949. Since then Sri Lanka actively participated in IPU assemblies and we had the opportunity to host several seminars and workshops of IPU in the past.
Meaningful opportunities exist for parliamentarians to participate in foreign policy through the parliamentary securitize process. Since the government is directly accountable to Parliament, Ministers who are responsible for foreign policy, as well as their officials, can be called upon to address important issues relating to treaties.
Further, Sectoral Oversight Committee on International Relations and Consultative Committee on Ministry of Foreign Affairs have wide mandates to inquire into all aspects of foreign policy, to examine legislation referred to them as well as the expenditure estimates of departments and agencies that are implementing foreign policy. Sectoral Oversight Committee on International Relations has wide mandates to inquire into all aspects of foreign policy, to examine legislation referred to them as well as the expenditure estimates of departments and agencies that are implementing foreign policy.
More direct and specific roles for Parliament in respect of national emergencies are set out in legislation. Other statutes concerned with national security and other emergencies require parliamentary oversight.
Moreover, the parliamentarization of international relations can be identified as a result of democratization. Be it through ‘Friendship Groups Association’s occasional visits, regular meetings or simply by participating in different regional and international parliamentary meetings or conferences. Sri Lanka has been a member of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) since gaining independence in 1948. As an active member of the CPA, the Sri Lanka Branch has hosted Annual Conferences in 1974, 1995 and 2012. Parliament of Sri Lanka is a founding member of the Association of SAARC Speakers and Parliamentarians. Parliament of Sri Lanka has formed Friendship Associations with around 57 countries.
With regard to institutional diplomacy, the Speaker of a parliament participate in bilateral and multi-lateral meetings with other Speakers to learn about key issues, to discuss the impact of such issues and try to promote solutions to these issues. There are networks of parliaments that promote such meetings. Parliamentarians collaborate internationally in many ways with their colleagues from other parliaments. This is done through international organizations that are designed for meetings and gatherings of parliamentary assemblies.
Ladies and Gentleman,
Collaboration is also carried out by bilateral and multilateral parliamentary groups associations as well as various exchange programmes for staff and young professionals on the working level of the parliament. Parliamentarians have opportunities to act for peace, friendship among people, democracy, the rule of law, and human rights including at international level as well as national level. I would like to mention here, Open Parliament Initiatives were introduced in 2019 to bring the Parliament closer to the people more effectively. Open Parliament initiatives are expected to address the widening gap between the parliament and the citizens and enhance interaction with the people. Particularly, the Parliament has conducted several outreach programmes, workshops, and short courses on parliamentary practice and proceedings to educate university students, schools and local government members and officials on parliamentary practice and proceedings through the Department of Communication.
In recent times, parliamentary diplomacy has gained prominence as a tool for conflict prevention and resolution. By facilitating dialogue and understanding between nations at the legislative level, parliamentary diplomats contribute to creating an environment conducive to peaceful coexistence. This can be particularly valuable in regions marked by historical tensions or ongoing conflicts.
In conclusion, Parliamentary diplomacy stands as a beacon of hope in a world often marred by discord and strife. By emphasizing dialogue, cooperation, and inclusivity, it has the potential to build bridges and promote understanding among nations. As we navigate the complexities of the 21st century, let us recognize the vital role that parliamentary diplomacy in creating a more just, peaceful and interconnected world.
Thank you!
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