Parliament yesterday voted unanimously for Fiji to rejoin the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU). The motion was moved by Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama and seconded by Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed Khaiyum.

In moving the motion, The PM said – “We do so with the express purpose of strengthening our democracy by fostering relations with other parliaments around the world. And to improve our own ability to serve the Fijian people through the exchange of information, training, and our attendance at conferences and workshops organised by the IPU and its global membership.”

He said the IPU was the international organisation of parliaments established in 1889 to encourage dialogue between our institutions, to work for peace and co-operation and to strengthen the principle of representative democracy. According to the Prime Minister, it works in close co-operation with the United Nations – whose objectives it shares – as well as inter-governmental and non-governmental organisations on every continent.

The IPU, he adds, is an important way in which all of the elected representatives of the Fijian people can have dialogue with citizen’s representatives of other nations. “To exchange ideas. To learn from each other. And to improve our ability to serve the people we represent.”

There are currently 166 members and 10 associate members of the IPU stretching across the globe

Now that Parliament has reconvened after the general election last September, he said the Government proposed to rejoin the organisation to begin rebuilding and strengthening the old ties they once shared with MPs around the world. “To reengage with them for the benefit of Fijian MPs and to foster closer relations with our counterparts elsewhere.”

As Prime Minister, he said he was very pleased to lend his support to the idea and to introduce this motion into the Parliament. “Anything that strengthens our democracy and our ability to serve the Fijian people deserves our support.”

He said the IPU had a specific commitment to gender equality. “To empower women around the world. And to encourage more women to pursue parliamentary careers and give women a genuine voice in the formulation of national policies.”

Belonging to the IPU, he concludes, provides the following benefits; the exchange of ideas; turning those ideas into action for the benefit of the people we represent as MPs; and promoting human rights and strengthening democratic institutions.

These, he said were all principles that were at the heart of Fiji’s own Constitution and the foundations on which this Parliament existed.

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