145th IPU participants called for an end to the Russia-Ukraine conflict and immediate return to peace.
The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) has sent a strong message to world leaders to take action on the current Russia- Ukraine crisis which contradicts the United Nations principles of democracy and peace
The IPU President MP Duarte Pacheco (Portuguese) thanked President Paul Kagame for his presence and the government’s support to the IPU cause and multilateralism especially hosting the event two years after it was postponed due the COVID-19 pandemic.
Pacheco said that while the IPU is meeting once again this time was a special moment to touch base on key global issues that need immediate attention to address, especially the Russia Ukraine crisis.
Other issues he highlighted was climate change and coup d’états especially in Africa resulting in more people suffering, more poverty, more inequality, living worse than before- thus a need for action.
“We need to do something now. Not tomorrow, today. It is not possible to waste more time. People, that we represent, never forget it. They are tired of speech, people wish for action and we need to act now. We need to understand the feelings of the people, otherwise, we are not doing our job,” Pacheco said at the opening of the assembly this October 11, 2022.
Russia Ukraine crisis:
Pacheco said that in the last few months, human lives have continued to be violated- in Afghanistan, Iran Myanmar and the IPU Human rights committee has received more the 700 cases (of abuse) from 43 countries- a number never seen before on top of killings on Mozambique, migration movements and yet global inflation threatens more poverty and more inequalities.
“And finally, War conflicts, without forgetting the war in Yemen that subsists and causes the suffering of so many people. But especially the war in Ukraine which has an attached global impact and may be transformed in a global conflict,” Pacheco noted.
“It is not possible to accept the invasion of Ukraine by the Russian federation, it is impossible to accept and impossible to justify the illegal annexation of territory of Ukraine by Russia Federation,” Pacheco stated saying that this is because it’s against the international law, and the use of nuclear weapon is something impossible to accept too.
IPU Secretary General, Dr. Martin Chungong said the IPU assembly should apply itself to addressing the devastating consequences on the global community following the COVID pandemic and war in Ukraine and not move away from emerging crises in the world and in Africa today.
Chungong lamented coups in Africa and condoned the violence and military coups in Africa saying the IPU is challenged to take appropriate action to drive democracy for everyone and should devise dynamic ways of solving these issues to bring lasting peace.
He proposed a partnership with indigenous institutions in Africa to address chronic issues of insecurities and instability which he said was seriously hampering democracy on the continent and by extension the wellbeing of all.
Chungong said that his dream was for Kigali IPU to be remembered as the place where the global IPU resolved and committed unequivocally to complement traditional diplomacy in all efforts to bring peace to the troubled world today.
The IPU taskforce to find a solution on the Russia-Ukraine crisis is expected to present their findings to which the Kigali IPU assembly, and provoke debate and shading light on the way forward towards upholding the UN principle of democracy, peace and security abuilding.
