Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1697809174898.pdf (Malta)
IT-TLETTAX-IL LEĠIŻLATURA P.L.

1497 Dokument imqiegħed fuq il-Mejda tal-Kamra tad-Deputati fis-Seduta Numru 101 tas-17 ta’ April 2018 mill-Deputy Speaker, l-Onor.

Claudette Buttigieg.

___________________________ Raymond Scicluna Skrivan tal-Kamra 138th Inter-Parliamentary Union General Assembly 24 - 28 March 2018 Geneva, Switzerland Hon Alex Muscat, MP Hon Mario Galea, MP REPORT FOR THE SPEAKER ON PARTICIPATION IN CONFERENCE OF A PARLIAMENTARY NATURE A,BROAD 1.
TITLE OF CONFERENCE: 138THJNTER-PARLIAMENTARYUNION GENERAL ASSEMBLY IN GENEVA, SWITZERLAND 2.DATE: 24- 28 MARCH 2018 3.

NAME OF MEMBERS: HON.

ALEXMUSCT (HEAD OF DELEGATION) HON.

MARIO GALEA 4.

SUBJECTS ON THE AGENDA/PROGRAMME: A copy of the programme and agenda of the 13 7 IPU General Assembly, and a copy of the agenda ~he '··.

Governing Council are attached as Doc.

A.

\ 5.
CONCLUSIONS OF THE MEETING: The declaration on "Strenghening the global regime for migrants and refugees: The need for evidence based policy solutions", the resolutions on "Sustianing Peace as a wevhicle for achiving sustianable development" and "Engaging the Private Sector in implementing SDGs, especially on renewable energy" and the emergency item on the "Consequences of the US declaration on Jerusalem and the rights of the Palestinian people in Jerusalem in the light of the UN Charter and resolutions" are attached as Doc.
B.

6.

INTERVENTION IS MADE BY THE MEMBERS: The Head of Delegation, Hon Alex Muscat, on behalf of the Maltese delegation, presented a report to the Governing Council on a specialised IPU meeting which was held in Malta on 16 and 17 November 2017, entitled "Promoting better regional cooperation towards smart and humane migration across the Mediterranean".

A copy of this is brief report is attached as Doc.

C. Hon.

Alex Muscat lb ({t/ (( Date ' I Hon.

Mario Galea Date 1. !


>· " " " .. Parliament of Malta 138th IPU General Assembly: March 24-28, 2018 Delegation: Hon Alex Muscat and Hon Mario Galea.

I ' ,, " " b " HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PARLIAMENT OF MALTA The delegation was composed of Hon Alex Muscat (Head of Delegation), Hon Mario Galea and Mr Andre' Vella.

The delegation arrived in Geneva on Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 March 2018.
The plenary sittings of the Assembly, the meetings of the Governing Council, the Executive Committee and the various Standing Committees sessions took place at the International Conference Centre Geneva (CICG).

The agenda of the Assembly and the Governing Council are attached with this report.

The conference commenced on Sunday 25 March 2018.

The Head of Delegation was scheduled to address the Governing Council and present a report on an IPU specialised meeting which was held in Malta.
The International Conference was entitled 'Promoting better regional cooperation toward smart and humane migration across the Mediterranean'.

Geopolitical groups were first established within the IPU at the beginning of the 1950s.

Initially, their purpose was to ensure fair geographical distribution of seats on the IPU's Executive Committee and other bodies.

However, over time, their role and responsibilities have evolved.
Today, there are six geopolitical groups; Malta is a member of the Twelve Plus group which is made up mostly of European nations, alongside other Western states including Canada, New Zealand and Australia.
The meetings of the Twelve Plus group were held: • Friday 23 March 2018 (3pm -7pm) • Monday 26 March 2018 (8am- 9am) • Tuesday 27 March 2018 (8am- 9am) • Wednesday 28 March 2018 (8am- 9am) The theme of the General Debate was "Strengthening the global regime for migrants and refugees: the need for evidence-based policy solutions".

Around the world, nearly 258 million people- or about 3.4 per cent of the total population - reside in countries not of their birth.
They include migrants, whether regular or irregular, in search of a better life, and refugees who have fled their countries because of persecution, conflict, natural disaster or other catastrophic events that jeopardize their safety and life.

Discussions about international migration at global level are not new.
In fact, the UN commissioned discussions about the subject and produced the "Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration" document, aimed to serve as a milestone in the history of the global migration dialogue.

It expresses the collective commitment to improve cooperation on international migration.

The Global Compact sets the common understanding, shared responsibilities and a unity of purpose regarding migration.
The emergency item chosen by the General Assembly was entitled "The consequences of the US declaration on Jerusalem and the rights of the Palestinian people in Jerusalem in the light of the UN Charter and resolutions", which was conjointly submitted by the delegations of Palestine, Kuwait, Bahrain and Turkey.

A drafting committee was chosen which comprised of various delegations from every geopolitical group.

On Tuesday 27 March 2018, the emergency item was approved by the Assembly.
A number of delegations expressed reservations on the resolution.

Although the Maltese delegation agreed with the general principle of the resolution, it expressed reservations on certain parts of the text.

The final text was eventually endorsed by the 138'h General Assembly by consensus.
During the final Governing Council session on Wednesday 28 March 2018, a number of elections were held including two members to the Committee on Middle East Questions (Agnes Makonda-Ridleyfrom Malawi and Marcela Guerra from Mexico), one member to the Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians (David Carter from New Zealand) and one member to the Committee to Promote Respect for International Humanitarian Law (Angel Ruperta Sinmaleza Sanchez from Ecaudor).
The outcomes of the General Assembly are attached with this report.
I •• " ,, .. GENERAL TIMETABLE OF THE 1381 h ASSEMBLY AND RELATED MEETINGS Geneva, 24 to 28 March 2018 A/138/C.1.rev.7 Annex 1 Wednesday, 21 March 2018 Ill 14:00- 18:00 Sub-Committee on Finance' Main meeting room, IPU Headquarters Thursday, 22 March 2018 Ill 10:00-13:00 15:00- 18:00 Friday, 23 March 2018 Ill 09.00- 10.00 Ill Ill Ill Ill 09.30 - 13.00 10.00-13.00 14.30- 16.30 14.30- 18.00 14.30- 19.00 Executive Committee* Main meeting room, IPU Headquarters Gender Partnership Group* Main meeting room, IPU Headquarters Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians* Salle Lausanne, CCV Annexe building, CICG Executive Committee* Main meeting room, IPU Headquarters Executive Committee* Main meeting room, IPU Headquarters Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians* Salle Lausanne, CCV Annexa building, CICG Beginning of Registration Lobby, CICG Ill 16.30-18.00 Working Group on Syria* Main meeting room, IPU Headquarters Saturday, 24 March 2018 Ill 09.00-10.00 Ill 1111 1111 Ill Ill - - - Ill Ill Ill Ill 1111 10.00-11.30 10.30-13.00 11.30-13.00 11.30-13.00 14.00- 15.00 14.30- 17.30 14.30- 17.30 14.30-18.00 15.00-18.00 15.30- 17.30 • closed meeting Bureau of Women Parliamentarians* Salle Geneve, CCV Annexe building, CICG Group of Facilitators for Cyprus* Salle Lausanne, CCV Annexe building, CICG Forum of Women Parliamentarians Room 2, level 0, CICG Break out Group of the Forum of Women Parliamentarians Salle Geneva, CCV Annexe building, CICG Meeting with the Chairpersons of the Geopolitical Groups* Room 18, level-1, CICG Meeting of Advisers and Secretaries to delegations Rooms 5 & 6, level 3, CICG Forum of Women Parliamentarians Room 2, level 0, CICG Advisory Group on Health (ENGLISH ONLY)' Room 15, level-1, CICG Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians' Salle Lausanne, CCV Annexa building, CICG Committee on Middle East Questions* Room 18, level-1, CICG Workshop on Refugee protection: Implementing the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework- What can parliaments do?
Salle Geneva, CCV Annexa building, CICG ! "
r· ,, " b ,, - 2 - A/138/C.1.rev.7 Annex 1 Sunday, 25 March 2018 Ill Ill IIIII IIIII Ill IIU 1111 - mn 08.00- 09.00 08.00- 09.00 09.00 -11:00 09.00- 11.00 09.30 -12.30 09.30- 13.00 11.00 -13.00 Ill 11.30-13.00 IIIII IIIII 1111 - - lUI Ill IIIII IIIII 14.30- 17.00 14.30-17.30 14.30-18.00 14.30- 18.30 17.00-18.30 18.30 Assembly Steering Committee' VIP Lounge, level 3, CICG Board of the Forum of Young Parliamentarians' Salle Geneve, CCV Annexe building, CICG Governing Council Room 1, level1, CICG Bureau of the Standing Committee on United Nations Affairs' Room 18, level-1, CICG Standing Committee on Peace and International Security Debate on the draft resolution on Sustaining peace as a vehicle for achieving sustainable development Room 2, level 0, CICG Standing Committee on Sustainable Development, Finance and Trade Debate and start of drafting in plenary on the draft resolution on Engaging the private sector in implementing the SDGs, especially on renewable energy Rooms 3 & 4, level 0, CICG Assembly: Start of the General Debate on Strengthening the global regime for migrants and refugees: the need for evidence-based policy solutions Room 1, level1, CICG Bureau of the Standing Committee on Democracy and Human Rights' Room 18, level -1, CICG Assembly: General Debate Room 1, level1, CICG Standing Committee on Peace and International Security Drafting in plenary of the resolution on Sustaining peace as a vehicle for achieving sustainable development Room 2, level 0, CICG Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians' Salle Lausanne, CCV Annexe building, CICG Forum of Young Parliamentarians of the IPU Rooms 3 & 4, level 0, CICG Assembly: Decision on the emergency item Room 1, !evel1, CICG Reception offered by Switzerland Events area, level1, CICG * closed meeting Monday, 26 March 2018 - 3- A/138/C.1.rev.
7 Annex 1 IIIII IIIII Ill WI u.u 09.00- 13.00 09.00- 10.30 10.30-13.00 09.00-11.00 09.30-12.30 09.30- 13.00 Ill 09.30 - 13.00 ASGP 11.00-12.30 Ill 12:45-14.15 Ill 14.30 -16.30 Assembly Debate on the emergency item, and Continuation of the General Debate Room 1, /eve/1, CICG Committee to Promote Respect for International Humanitarian Law* Salle Geneva, CCV Annexe building, CICG Standing Committee on Peace and International Security Completion of drafting in plenary of the resolution on Sustaining peace as a vehicle for achieving sustainable development Room 2, level 0, CICG Standing Committee on Democracy and Human Ri~hts Debate on the draft resolution to be adopted at the 139 h Assembly on Strengthening inter-parliamentary cooperation on migration and migration governance in view of the adoption of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration Rooms 3 & 4, level 0, CICG Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians* Salle Lausanne, CCV Annexa building, CICG ASGP Meeting Rooms 5 & 6, level 3, CICG Interactive session on Ensuring accountability and oversight for adolescent health Room 18, level-1, CICG Bureau of the Standing Committee on Peace and International Security* Room 18, level -1, CICG ASGP 14.30- 17.30 ASGP Meeting Rooms 5 & 6, level 3, CICG &I.LI 14.30- 18.30 Standing Committee on Sustainable Development, Finance and Trade Drafting in plenary of the resolution on Engaging the private sector in implementing the SDGs, especially on renewable energy Rooms 3 & 4, level 0, CICG IIIII IIIII Ill Ill 14.30- 18.30 14.30- 18.30 17.00-18.30 Assembly: Continuation of the General Debate Room 1, levelt, CICG Possible drafting committee on the emergency item* Salle Geneve, CCV Annexe building, CICG Committee on Middle East Questions* Room 18, level -1, CICG • closed meeting I ' •• • ' •• ,, " " -4- AI1381C.1.rev.7 Annex 1 Tuesday, 27 March 2018 Ill Ill 09.00- 10.00 09.00- 10.30 Gender Partnership Group' Salle Geneve, CCV Annexe building, CICG Bureau of the Standing Committee on Sustainable Development, Finance and Trade' Salle Lausanne, CCV Annexe building, CICG 09.00- 13.00 09.30- 11.30 Standing Committee on United Nations Affairs Debate on Preparations for the 2018 session of the UN High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) on sustainable development Room 2, level 0, CICG Standing Committee on Peace and International Security Adoption of the draft resolution on Sustaining peace as a vehicle for achieving sustainable development Rooms 3 & 4, level 0, CICG Ill 10.00-12.30 Executive Committee' Salle Geneve, CCV Annexe building, CICG ASGP 10.00-12.30 ASGP Meeting Rooms 5 & 6, level 3, CICG IIIII IIIII 1111 Ill Ill!
11.00-13.00 12.00-13.00 14.30-15.30 14.30- 16.00 Assembly: Continuation of the General Debate Room 1, level1, CICG Forum of Women Parliamentarians: Bureau elections Rooms 3 & 4, level 0, CICG Bureau of Women Parliamentarians' Room 18, level -1, CICG Standing Committee on Sustainable Development, Finance and Trade Adoption of the draft resolution on Engaging the private sector in implementing the SDGs, especially on renewable energy Room 2, level 0, CICG ASGP 14.30- 17.30 ASGP Meeting Rooms 5 & 6, level 3, CICG Ill IIIII IIIII 14.30-18.00 Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians' Salle Lausanne, CCV Annexe building, CICG 14.30-18.30 Assembly Adoption of the resolution on the emergency item, and Conclusion of the General Debate Room 1, level1, CICG Forum of Women Parliamentarians Rooms 3 & 4, level 0, CICG Standing Committee on Democracy and Human Rights Consideration of the proposal for a Debate on The role of parliaments in ending discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, and ensuring respect for the human rights of LGBT/ persons Room 2, level 0, CICG Interactive session with regional and other parliamentary assemblies and organizations on the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals Salle Geneve, CCV Annexe building, CICG 15.30-16.00 16.30-18.30 Ill 16.30- 18.30 * closed meeting - 5- A/138/C.1.rev.7 Annex 1 Wednesday, 28 March 2018 Ill IIIII IIIII 09.00- 11.00 Bureau of Women Parliamentarians* Salle Geneve, CCV Annexe building, CICG 09.30- 13.00 Governing Council Decisions on the human rights of MPs, and Reports of specialized meetings ASGP 10.00-12.30 Ill 14.30-16.30 Room 1, leve/1, CICG ASGP Meeting Rooms 5 & 6, level 3, CICG Workshop on The implementation of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons Salle Geneve, CCV Annexe building, CICG ASGP 14.30- 17.30 IIIII IIIII 14.30- ASGP Meeting Rooms 5 & 6, level 3, CICG Governing Council Room 1, level 1, CICG IIIII At the end of the Governing Council Assembly Adoption of resolutions Reports of the Standing Committees Outcome document of the General debate, and Closing sitting Room 1, level1, CICG Legend: Assembly I Governing Council Committees I Panel discussions IIIII IIIII lUI Other Assembly events, including In camera sessions Ill * closed meeting !'
i i ,, L " " .. 138th IPU ASSEMBLY AND RELATED MEETINGS Geneva, 24- 28.03.2018 Inter-Parliamentary Union For democracy.

For everyona.

Assembly N138/A.1.rev 3 February 2018 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.
Election of the President and Vice-Presidents of the 1381h Assembly Consideration of requests for the inclusion of an emergency item in the Assembly agenda General Debate on the theme Strengthening the global regime for migrants and refugees: the need for evidence-based policy solutions Sustaining peace as a vehicle for achieving sustainable development (Standing Committee on Peace and International Security) Engaging the private sector in implementing the SDGs, especially on renewable energy (Standing Committee on Sustainable Development, Finance and Trade) Reports of the Standing Committees Approval of the subject items for the Standing Committee on Peace and International Security and for the Standing Committee on Sustainable Development, Finance and Trade at the 140ih IPU Assembly and appointment of the Rapporteurs 8.
Amendments to the IPU Statutes and Rules ~· ,, I' •• Inter-Parliamentary Union For dmnocrncy.

For everyone.

Governing Council 138th IPU ASSEMBLY AND RELATED MEETINGS Geneva, 24-28.03.2018 CL/202/A.1 23 March 2018 .

.

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Revised provisional agenda At its sitting on Sunday, 25 March, the Governing Council will examine items 1 to 7.

•• 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.
Adoption ofthe agenda Approval ofthe summary records of the 201 '' session of the Governing Council (CL/201/SR.1 )" Proposals for the election of the President of the 1381 " Assembly Report of the President (a) On her activities since the 201" session of the Governing Council (CL/202/4(a)-R.1) (b) On the activities of the Executive Committee Annual report of the Secretary General on the activities of the IPU in 2017 Financial results for 2017 and financial situation (CL/202/6-R.1, 6-R.1-Add and R.2) Reports on recent IPU specialized meetings •• (a) Parliamentary Meeting on the occasion of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP23/CMP13) (CL/202/7(a)-R.1) International Conference on Promoting better regional cooperation toward smart and humane migration across the Mediterranean (CL/202/7(b)-R.1) Fourth Global Conference of Young Parliamentarians (CL/202/7(c)-R.1) Annual session of the Parliamentary Conference on WTO (CL/202/7(d)-R.1) Annual Parliamentary Hearing at the United Nations (CLI202/7(e)-R.1) Parliamentary Meeting on the occasion of the 62"' session of the Commission on the status of Women (CL/202/7(f)-R.1) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) Implementation of the IPU Strategy for 2017-2021 (CL/202/8-R.1) Cooperation with the United Nations system (CL/202/9-R.1.rev and P.1) 10.
Questions relating to IPU membership and the situation of certain parliaments Requests for affiliation and reaffiliation to the IPU Situation of certain parliaments (a) (b) (c) Observer status • The only documents distributed on 25 March are those relating to items 1 to 6. "

These documents are available only on the IPU website and will not be distributed in the meeting room.

fiiPU138 I •• " .. " - 2- CL/202/A.1 11.


Activities of committees and other bodies Forum of Women Parliamentarians Committee on Middle East Questions (a) (b) Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians (c) (d) Group of Facilitators for Cyprus (e) Committee to Promote Respect for International Humanitarian Law (f) (g) (h) Gender Partnership Group Advisory Group on Health Forum of Young Parliamentarians of the IPU 12.

139'" IPU Assembly (October 2018) 13.


Future Inter-Parliamentary meetings (CL/202/13-P.1) (a) (b) Statutory meetings Specialized meetings and other events 14.

Amendments to the IPU Statutes and Rules (CL/202/14-P.1.rev) 15.

Elections to the Executive Committee (cf.

Article 21 (k) of the Statutes and Rules 37, 38 and 39 of the Rules of the Governing Council) 16.
Miscellaneous ·I ~~-· • ~11~ ~ Inter-Parliamentary Union For democracy_ For everyone, 138th IPU ASSEMBLY AND RELATED MEETINGS Geneva, 24-28.03.2018 .

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Endorsed by the 138"' IPU Assembly (Geneva, 28 March 2018) At the end of a week-long debate on strengthening the global regime for migrants and refugees, and with the added input of survey responses (in Annex), of the outcome of the 2018 annual Parliamentary Hearing at the UN, entitled Towards a global compact for safe, orderly and regular migration: A parliamentary perspective, and of the insights gained from the interactive debate with the heads of the International Organization for Migration (I OM), the Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), we, parliamentarians from around the world, issue the following declaration.
Migration has been a feature of human civilization and interaction from time immemorial.

Properly managed, it contributes to greater human well-being and collective wealth.

It expands knowledge and strengthens the bonds of human solidarity.

Likewise, the flight of refugees from persecution and conflict is not new.
When refugees flee, those who provide them with the protection and assistance that they need contribute to the cause of humanity and should be supported in their efforts by the international community.

Over and beyond national differences, people everywhere aspire to the same things: a decent life, good health and education, a safe environment, strong democratic institutions and, above all, peace.
Yet today's global regime for migrants does not always harness the potential benefits of migration, nor does the international refugee regime do enough to ease the pressures on those who host large numbers of refugees.

Too often, both regimes fail to protect increasing numbers of migrants and refugees from discrimination, exploitation, or other kinds of abuse.

The human and economic costs of this failure are enormous and run counter to our common vision for a prosperous, sustainable, and peaceful world.
A large portion of refugee and migration policy today remains ad hoc, with countries devising their own solutions to a host of common problems.

We need a more coordinated system that brings countries together around practical solutions that work for all.
As this is one of the most important issues facing our countries, we welcome wholeheartedly the United Nations initiative to forge two Global Compacts- one for safe, orderly and regular migration, and another on refugees which governments will formally adopt later this year.
While acknowledging important legal distinctions between migrants and refugees, we see many commonalities between these two large groups in terms of their need for basic services and their fear of discrimination or unlawful persecution.
We affirm that all people on the move- voluntary and involuntary, regular and irregular, economic migrants, displaced people and refugees, regardless of their individual drivers to move to other countries- are entitled to the full enjoyment of their human rights pursuant to the relevant international treaties and covenants.

We should not condone discrimination against migrants or refugees based on culture, gender, race, ethnicity, religion or other differences.
We should support enhanced protection for the most vulnerable migrants and refugees, beginning with women, children and people with disabilities.

r •• ,, ,, i' - 2- Our challenge, as policy-makers and opinion leaders and as representatives of the people, is to reconcile our short-term national interests with this long-term world view that seeks to reap the benefits of human mobility in an orderly fashion.
We strongly believe that migration policies and the public debate about migrants and refugees must be more balanced and based on empirical evidence of what works and what does not.

We recognize that diversity makes our countries stronger, not weaker.

We condemn the worrying trend of holding foreigners responsible for home-grown problems not of their making.

We affirm our duty, as trustees of the common good, to avoid language that stokes the flames of xenophobia and racism.
Most importantly, we have a responsibility to work resolutely to address the root causes of refugee situations (including persecution and armed conflict) and the drivers of migration, be they economic, social or environmental.

Doing so will affirm the right to leave as well as the right to stay in one's home country.
In a world of extreme income and wealth inequality, climate change, and weakening democratic institutions, a sense of deep insecurity on the part of growing numbers of people is both a reason why people move and a prime cause of the negative response to migrants and refugees in many countries.

The response must be an all-encompassing one that seeks to support the well-being and prosperity of all people - citizens and non-citizens alike- everywhere.
We reiterate our pledge to work for the implementation of the UN-approved 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and attendant Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The SDGs provide a clear road map for inclusive and sustainable prosperity for all.
By empowering all countries economically and institutionally, and by strengthening the foundations of peace between and within countries, the SDGs will help to address the root causes of refugee movements and help to achieve a better balance between the benefits and the costs of migration, such as the benefit of remittances and the costs of brain drain to developing countries.
The implementation of the SDGs will also support a fairer sharing of the responsibility all countries have toward migrants and refugees.

Combined, all of these actions will allow people to move by choice, not through necessity, thus largely containing the potential disruption that can come from large, unpredictable movement of persons related to society-wide shocks.

At the same time, we recognize that the integration of migrants and refugees is not an event but a process requiring time and effort.
Unlike inanimate capital and goods that can move quickly across borders, people have emotional ties and personal needs.

We must be sensitive to this from the perspective both of host communities and of the migrants and refugees themselves by adopting proactive policies for social cohesion.

That said, we find that by and large integration is possible and is working as it should in the majority of our countries.
As the statistics clearly show, only a tiny fraction of migrants and refugees has ever posed a threat to national security.

While this is paramount to all of us, we commit to help dispel the misconceptions in the media and in the public discourse that migrants and refugees present a heightened risk.

At the same time, we commit to ensuring that border controls and admission procedures are designed to detect and filter out potential terrorists and elements of organized crime.
We recognize that putting up artificial obstacles to the migration of people will generate needless human suffering and social tensions.

The response to growing irregular migration is to generate more regular pathways for people to work and live in destination countries in mutually beneficial ways.

Not all migrants seek permanent residence.

Many of them can be accommodated through temporary arrangements and through policies that will facilitate their return to their home countries.
At the same time, countries of origin need to do more to allow their people to return.

The Global Compacts The Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration and the Global Compact on Refugees need to be mutually reinforcing, creating a comprehensive practical framework to manage all types of human mobility more effectively at national, regional and global levels.
They need to embed the key principle of shared responsibility between countries of origin and destination as well as between countries and the international community.
For the compacts to be effective, they must first articulate a clear definition of migrant as a distinct category from refugee, which will be particularly useful in targeting policy at mixed flows, emerging new categories such as people fleeing the consequences of climate change, or displaced people whose status as migrants or refugees is not always easy to determine.
The compacts need to reaffirm all relevant human rights treaties and conventions, including the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families and the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.

- 3- The compacts need to establish strong review mechanisms to hold governments to account for their commitments.
The role of parliaments as key stakeholders, particularly with regard to the implementation of both compacts, needs to be specifically acknowledged in the text.

As for the legal status of the compacts, as our survey shows, the possibility of a legally binding regime should not be discounted altogether.
Our debate demonstrated high support for the following specific provisions to be articulated in both compacts: More and better data on migrants and refugees must be generated and exchanged at all levels nationally and globally to inform public debate as well as relevant national policies; Partnerships with local authorities, civil society organizations and private enterprises that are first in line to respond to the flow of migrants and refugees should be encouraged; Birth registration of all children of migrants and refugees needs to be enforced to ensure their rights are protected; An international standard of practice for countries dealing with vulnerable migrants, including unaccompanied children, needs to be established; Human trafficking must be brought to an end through stronger bilateral and multilateral cooperation as well as stronger enforcement of existing laws; National security policies should not single out migrants and refugees, and should instead aim at a comprehensive approach to detect and prosecute criminal elements in our societies at large; Public services such as health and education, housing and food support, should be provided to all refugees and migrants, along with a firewall protecting them from law enforcement; Hate speech should be sanctioned and hate crimes clearly defined in the law, with law enforcement and social services departments provided with the tools to combat and punish such crimes; More support from the international community is needed to help countries cope with large inflows of migrants and refugees.
Migrants With regard specifically to regular and irregular migrants, we are supportive of the following provisions to be reflected in the Global Compact for Migration: Countries of origin, transit and destination need to cooperate more closely to facilitate the movement of migrant workers, including by facilitating the accreditation of academic and professional credentials, by allowing the portability of social security benefits, and by lowering the cost of remittances; Vulnerable groups such as women, children and people with disabilities should be given special protection in migration policies and in the law against exploitation and abuse; National migration policies need to include input from migrants themselves, ensuring that migrants are not passive subjects but active participants in the societies in which they live; National quotas of labour migrants can contribute to greater predictability of migration flows, although it remains up to each country to decide whether to establish a quota or not; Migrants should generally be granted the right to participate in political decision-making in their host countries only upon the obtainment of citizenship, though some provision for the participation of permanent residents should be considered.
Refugees With regard to the Global Compact on Refugees, we welcome the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework and its four key pillars to ease pressure on countries receiving large numbers of refugees, to provide for a dignified life for all refugees, to facilitate third-country resettlement, and to prepare for the return of refugees to their home countries when conditions so allow.
We further recommend that the following provisions should be reflected in the completed, final document: People fleeing conflict should enjoy legal protection as refugees under the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees; •• •• ,, .. -4- To the extent possible, countries should be incentivized to give long-term refugees permanent residence, while no refugee should be denied the right to return to the homeland; The freedom of movement of refugees in their host countries must be upheld in all circumstances; The return and resettlement of refugees requires their consent and needs to be carefully coordinated between host countries, countries of origin or third countries; The return of refugees to countries of origin can only take place when all fundamental freedoms and personal safety can be guaranteed; More funding for the accommodation of refugees in host countries should be channeled to developing countries where the vast majority of refugees live; All countries that have yet to join the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol should be encouraged to do so.
The way forward Along with governments and the United Nations, including in particular 10M and UNHCR, parliaments will have a key role to play in the implementation of the global compacts.

Our task as parliamentarians is to hold governments accountable for their commitments and to see to it that laws and budgets are consistent with those commitments.
To that end, we encourage the international community and the IPU, as our world organization, to continue to work closely with our parliaments, strengthening our institutional capacities to design relevant policies for migrants and refugees and to oversee such policies effectively.

More importantly, we commit to stimulating a debate on migrants and refugees that builds on people's strengths, their dreams and aspirations, regardless of their differences.
Where there are walls, we will work to build bridges; where there is fear, we will seek to restore hope.

Parliamentary Survey on Migrants and Refugees ********* To ensure maximum parliamentary input in the present Declaration that would go beyond the official statements made during the general debate of the 1381 h Assembly, all participating MPs were invited to respond to an online survey questionnaire prepared in cooperation with First Contact, a polling firm specializing in public policy.
The questionnaire was also made available to participants in the 2018 Parliamentary Hearing at the United Nations (22-23 February 2018) and in the Parliamentary Meeting at the UN Commission on the Status of Women (13 March).

Two hundred and thirty-nine (239) delegate surveys, representing 84 countries, were analysed.

Respondents were about equally divided between members of governing parties and opposition/independent parliamentarians.
Sixty-four percent (64%) of respondents identified as men, 33 per cent as women and 3 per cent as another gender or declined.

Seventy-nine percent (79%) of respondents believe their views are broadly aligned with those of members of their political party.

The average tenure of parliamentarians answering the survey was 8.2 years.
Respondents described their country either as a country of origin (24%), transit (43%), destination (65%) or none of these (12%), totalling 144 per cent, and reflecting the multiple roles each country can play in the migration phenomenon.

The survey found a high level of support for a Global Compact on Migration and a Global Compact for Refugees, with 86 per cent of respondents being strongly in favour, or in favour.

Respondents reported a lower level (67%) of familiarity with a proposed Compact.
Ninety-one percent (91%) of respondents believe there should be an international standard of practice when dealing with vulnerable migrants, including women and children.

Ninety-four per cent (94%) believe countries should act to protect migrants from exploitation and human rights abuses.

In both cases, respondents who support both Global Compacts were strongly supportive of these measures.
Support for a Global Compact was positively correlated with familiarity; respondents who reported being very familiar or somewhat familiar were more likely to be supportive than those who were unfamiliar.

Similarly, respondents who reported that migration was viewed positively in their country were more likely to support a Global Compact, although only 45 per cent reported migration being viewed very positively or somewhat positively.
Seventy per cent strongly agreed or agreed that their country needed a more balanced, evidence-based debate on the migration issue.

- 5- Fifty-one percent (51%) of respondents believe a Compact should be legally binding, while 36 per cent believe it should be voluntary and 14 per cent were undecided.

A minority of respondents expressed support for adopting a quota of migrants to be admitted, with 15 per cent strongly agreeing and 26 per cent agreeing.
When asked when migrants should become involved in political decision-making in their country, 68 per cent said when they become citizens, 27 per cent when they have permanent status and 5 per cent when they arrive.
Taken together, the above suggests that although there is broad support for a Global Compact, some of the support expressed may be socially conditioned, and there is less support for specific binding measures on individual countries or measures that would give migrants equal participation with citizens.

Further research may reveal that opponents of a Global Compact responded as undecided or unfamiliar rather than state opposition or lack of focus on migration and the Global Compact.
Building awareness through continued education of parliamentarians will positively impact the debate.

Seventy-three per cent (73%) of respondents report that migration is one of the most important issues facing their country, while only 31 per cent say their country is well prepared to deal with the issue.

Respondents from Africa reported being the least prepared (14%) to deal with migration, while Western Europe reported the highest level of preparedness (52%).
By contrast, 56 per cent of respondents report that their countries are doing a good job of integrating migrants.

Seventy-five percent (75%) of delegates believe the migration issue is equally the responsibility of the individual country and the international community, while 13 per cent believe it is primarily the responsibility of the individual country and 12 per cent believe it is primarily the responsibility of the international community.
Respondents from transit countries and countries that were less prepared to deal with migration were more likely to believe responsibility for the migration issue is the responsibility of the international community or the international community and the host country.

Respondents' predictions about the numbers of future migrants had little impact on their perception of the importance of the issue or their support for a Global Compact.
Just under half of respondents (48%) believe that the number of migrants arriving in their country will increase in the future, while 29 per cent believe the number will stay the same and 23 per cent believe the number will decrease.

By contrast, 72 per cent of respondents expect the number of global migrants to increase in the future, while 9 per cent believe the number will stay about the same and 19 per cent believe the number will decrease.

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138th IPU ASSEMBLY AND RELATED MEETINGS Geneva, 24- 28.03.2018 ·de Resolution adopted unanimously by the 138"' IPU Assembly (Geneva, 28 March 2018) The 1381h Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, Reaffirming that, according to its Statutes, working for peace and cooperation among peoples is one of the main purposes of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, Recalling the I PU resolutions entitled The prevention of conflicts and the restoration of peace and trust in countries emerging from war,· the return of refugees to their countries of origin, the strengthening of democratic processes and the hastening of reconstruction (991h Inter-Parliamentary Conference, Windhoek, 1998), Achieving peace, stability and comprehensive development in the world and forging closer political, economic and cultural ties among peoples (1 03'' Inter-Parliamentary Conference, Amman, 2000); Ensuring respect for and peaceful co-existence between all religious communities and beliefs in a globalized world (1161h Assembly, Nusa Dua, 2007); Promoting and practising good governance as a means of advancing peace and security: Drawing lessons from recent events in the Middle East and North Africa (1261h Assembly, Kampala, 2012); Enforcing the responsibility to protect: The role of parliament in safeguarding civilians' lives (1281h Assembly, Quito, 2013) and The role of parliament in respecting the principle of non-intervention in the internal affairs of States (1361h Assembly, Dhaka, 2017), Also recalling the IPU outcomes of general debates, namely the Quito Communique (1281h Assembly, Quito, 2013), the Hanoi Declaration (132"' Assembly, Hanoi, 2015) and the St. Petersburg Declaration (137'h Assembly, St. Petersburg, 2017), containing, among other things, the parliamentary community's action towards implementation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Also recalling the determination to establish a just and lasting peace all over the world in accordance with the purpose and principles of the Charter of the United Nations,
 Further recalling that sustaining peace has been defined in the substantively identical resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly (701262) and the United Nations Security Council (2282 [2016]) adopted on 27 April2016 "as a goal and a process to build a common vision of a society, ensuring that the needs of all segments of the population are taken into account, which encompasses activities aimed at preventing the outbreak, escalation, continuation and recurrence of conflict, addressing root causes, assisting parties to conflict to end hostilities, ensuring national reconciliation, and moving towards recovery, reconstruction and development, and emphasizing that sustaining peace is a shared task and responsibility that needs to be fulfilled by the government and all other national stakeholders, and should flow through all three pillars of the United Nations' engagement at all stages of conflict, and in all of its dimensions, and needs sustained international attention and assistance", Welcoming the renewed mandate these United Nations resolutions give to the Peacebuilding Commission, the Peacebuilding Fund and the Peacebuilding Support Office within the context of the Sustaining Peace Agenda, Also welcoming the prioritization of prevention of violent conflict by the Secretary-General of the United Nations, t· ' ,, •• ,, '' " - _; ' ' ' I 3"' l ~ () -2- Fully supporting United Nations Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) on women, peace and security which emphasizes the important role of women in the prevention and resolution of conflicts, as well as United Nations Security Council Resolution 2250 (2015) on youth, peace and security which recognizes the positive role of youth in the maintenance and promotion of international peace and security, Recognizing these resolutions and the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (2030 Agenda) as crucial steps towards more coherence among the three pillars of the United Nations, namely
 peace and security, development and human rights, Mindful that the 2030 Agenda recognizes the need for sustaining peace and ensuring security and includes them as cross-cutting issues, Recognizing that the SDGs apply to all States, while acknowledging that their implementation shall be adapted to the uniqueness of each and every State and that each State shall have the right to determine its priorities concerning the SDGs depending on its prevailing circumstances and needs, Recalling that the 2030 Agenda calls on governments, parliaments and other stakeholders to design and deliver laws and programmes that meet the needs of the people, break down policy silos, uphold human rights, and leave no one behind, Underlining that there is a link between peace and the promotion and protection of all human rights, included in, but not limited to, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and recognizing the will of the United Nations General Assembly to continue examining the issue of the promotion and protection of the right to peace, Also underlining that, in view of the mutually reinforcing nature of development, human rights, peace and security, the strengthening of democracy and good governance, inclusive development, the promotion and protection of human rights, the eradication of poverty and the reduction of inequalities, the elimination of all forms of discrimination, the reduction of illicit financial and arms flows, effective, accountable and inclusive institutions and equal application of the law to all people are among the most effective ways to sustain peace and security and prevent the outbreak, escalation, continuation and recurrence of conflicts, Emphasizing that peace and security are not only political issues defined by the absence of violence and war but also the freedom from fear, and that they encompass political, cultural,
 economic, social, environmental, educational and humanitarian issues, Recognizing that violence is increasingly driven by domestic political instability and that one out of every two people in the world has been affected by or lives in proximity to political violence (OECD report States of Fragility 2016), Convinced that parliaments can significantly contribute to sustaining peace, and highlighting both the constructive and preventive nature of parliamentary diplomacy in enhancing democracy and human rights, including its capacity to reduce tensions and mitigate and resolve conflicts by peaceful means, Reaffirming that parliaments must guarantee inclusiveness through the representation and empowerment of women, the respect of the rights of children, youth, persons with disabilities, and marginalized groups, including ethnic and religious groups and those of LGBTI sexual orientation, and the expression of all their interests through parliamentary representation to ensure peace among all community members, Also reaffirming that parliaments must guarantee that the situation and particular needs of migrant, refugee and displaced women and girls are taken into account, as well as the protection of their rights, their security, economic and social integration and their empowerment, Recognizing that climate change has direct and indirect implications for peace and security, mainly affecting those in the most fragile and vulnerable situations, exacerbating the threat of social and political unrest, increasing environmental pressures and disaster risks, and causing the migration of populations that can be the source of conflicts, - 3- Underlining the importance of enhancing national and regional initiatives, with international support, to address the negative consequences for sustainable peace, security and development of all aspects of the extraction and exploitation of mineral resources, Noting with concern the plight of children in conflict situations, in particular the
 phenomenon of the recruitment and use of children by parties to armed conflicts, as well as other violations and abuses committed against children, and stressing the need for the protection of children in armed conflicts and for ensuring that the protection and rights of children in armed conflicts are integrated into all peace processes, Recognizing that sustaining peace and achieving sustainable development requires regular, predictable and adequate financing and that innovative solutions must be pursued to increase the financial contributions made by non-traditional stakeholders, including the private sector, Emphasizing the importance of the equal participation and inclusive involvement of all citizens of the nation, and of ethnic, religious and linguistic and other minorities, such as persons with different sexual orientations and persons with disabilities in national efforts towards sustaining peace, and also emphasizing the acknowledgement of the rights of all community groups and minorities, as principal partners in the attainment of peace, Stressing the importance of addressing the socioeconomic dimension of youth unemployment, as well as of facilitating the enhanced participation of youth in decision-making processes, with a view of addressing social, political, cultural, and economic challenges, and welcoming in this regard the adoption of the United Nations Global Initiative on Decent Jobs for Youth aimed at addressing youth unemployment, Also stressing the need to accelerate the process of adoption of national plans of action for the implementation of United Nations Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) on women, peace and security while ensuring the full participation of parliaments in their drafting, oversight of their implementation and financing, Highlighting the contribution of civil society in ensuring sustaining peace and the implementation of the SDGs, and welcoming mutually beneficial interaction with it in order to build linkages to enhance
 citizens' well-being, Reaffirming the principle of national ownership and leadership in sustaining peace which is understood as a broadly shared responsibility by the parliament, the government, the judiciary and all other national stakeholders, Recognizing the contribution of regional actors, governmental and non-governmental, regional parliamentary assemblies, local bodies, and other regional forums, to sustaining peace and the implementation of the SDGs, 1.
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Welcomes the adoption by consensus of the substantively identical resolutions on sustaining peace by the United Nations General Assembly (70/262) and the United Nations Security Council (2282 [2016]); Calls on all parliaments to contribute to the implementation of the concept of sustaining peace and the SDGs, and to identify specific measures of implementation in accordance with their national contexts; Stresses the importance of national ownership and leadership in sustaining peace, and that the primary responsibility for identifying, driving and directing priorities, strategies and activities for sustaining peace and the implementation of the SDGs lies with national parliaments and governments; Underlines that, in this regard, inclusiveness and diversity are crucial to ensuring that the needs of all segments of society are taken into account, and acknowledges inclusiveness itself as a means of conflict prevention; Calls on all parliamentarians to bear in mind the notion of sustaining peace in the implementation of the SDGs as well as in their daily parliamentary work, and to include conflict prevention and the implementation of peacebuilding strategies in their parliamentary relations agenda, without prejudice to the principle of State sovereignty; ,. '
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Also calls on all parliaments to use the preventive potential of the parliamentary process fully as a way of mitigating and resolving conflict, including through monitoring of human rights protection, inclusive dialogue processes, and mediation to peacefully address the needs of all segments of society; Encourages parliaments to collaborate with the United Nations Peacebuilding Commission in their conflict prevention efforts and recommends that their national governments seek inclusion of their country's situation on the Commission's agenda where appropriate; Invites parliaments to adopt enabling legislation, including key budget laws in order to advance both the SDGs and sustaining peace agendas, including measures that promote increased financial support from national stakeholders, notably the private sector; Also invites parliaments to apply all generic parliamentary functions to hold governments accountable for the effective implementation of the sustaining peace framework and the SDGs, including the relevant law-making, oversight, budget, representative and elective functions and sustainable development agendas informed by the work of independent oversight bodies such as audit institutions, ombudsman institutions and national human rights institutions; 10.
Calls on parliaments to partner with civil society more regularly in order to build trust among the general public, including the marginalized sections of society, to ensure inclusiveness and representation of a variety of needs and enable more effective access to decision-making processes, according to the national legislations; 11.
Recommends parliamentarians to engage with governments, international organizations and civil society to promote gender equality, bearing in mind the impact of conflict on women and children, as well as the women, peace and security agenda of the United Nations, and to further promote the participation of women in peace processes, particularly, in mediation, peacekeeping and peacebuilding activities, as well as in education, health care and promotion of a culture of peace; moreover, urges parliaments to work towards concrete measures to promote gender equality and to protect the rights of children such as encouraging gender responsive budgets and the provision of adequate funding of human rights components in UN peacekeeping operations; 12.
Calls on parliaments to adopt national plans of action for the implementation of United Nations Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) on women, peace and security, and to oversee their implementation and adequate financing; 13.

Recommends parliamentarians to work with governments, international organizations and civil society in order to guarantee the protection of children from conflict at all times, and to avoid the use of children in armed conflict; 14.
Insists that national parliaments and the international community, in accordance with the Paris Agreement on climate change, put in place legislative and financial provisions based on the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, and calls on them to engage against climate change and its consequences, in particular on people who have to move and should be guaranteed a bedrock of international inalienable rights; 15.
Calls on parliaments to ensure implementation of international commitments and treaties by the government, including the 2030 Agenda and human rights obligations, and stresses that a signed treaty is binding upon its signatories, who are obliged to implement it without any preconditions; 16.
Acknowledges that particular attention must be paid to the prevention of violence in the context of elections, as pivotal moments of the political cycle, since politically stable situations provide an environment that is conducive to sustainable development and sustaining peace; - 5- 17.
Recognizes the responsibilities of political parties and associations in this regard and the important role of free and fair elections and supporting institutions such as an independent electoral commission, the judiciary and free media; 18.
Urges parliaments of conflict-affected countries to exert more efforts in supporting national reconciliation and transitional justice, the establishment of the truth, and in dealing with the past; acknowledges the important role of parliaments and national human rights institutions in national reconciliation; underlines the importance of bringing perpetrators to justice, and calls on parliaments to ratify the Rome Statute; 19.
Encourages parliamentarians to legislate and collaborate with governments, international organizations and civil society, in accordance with international law, and international humanitarian law, to prevent the flow of arms in conflict-affected societies and regions; 20.

Declares that an effective implementation of the SDGs not only contributes to preventing the outbreak of conflict but also supports the sustainability of peace and development by significantly reducing all forms of violence; 21.

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Looks forward to the High-level Meeting on Peacebuilding and Sustaining Peace on 24 and 25 April 2018 convened by the President of the United Nations General Assembly; Acknowledges that cultural diversity has significant importance for achieving sustainable development and invites the Inter-Parliamentary Union to organize with the United Nations a world conference on the interfaith and inter-ethnic dialogue with the participation of the Heads of States, Parliaments and leaders of world religions; Encourages ever-closer cooperation among parliaments and regional parliamentary organizations and local bodies within the Inter-Parliamentary Union with a view to contribute to sustaining peace and the implementation of the SDGs; 24.
Recommends that governments of developed countries carry out their responsibilities in maintaining international peace and security in developing countries and promote the sustainable development process they originally initiated; 25.

Emphasizes parliament's role in sponsoring active dialogues among various community members from different backgrounds to ensure sustaining peace and tolerance within communities.

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Resolution adopted unanimously by the 138"' IPU Assembly (Geneva, 28 March 2018) The 1381 h Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, Reaffirming its commitment to effectively implementing United Nations General Assembly resolution AIRESI7011 of 25 September 2015, entitled Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which laid the foundations for an inclusive sustainable development agenda with the involvement of all stakeholders, including the private sector, and set forth Sustainable Development Goal 7 on energy, in which the necessity of renewable energy development is affirmed, Stressing that the Hanoi Declaration of 1 April 2015, adopted by the 132"" IPU Assembly, recognized parliament's role in mobilizing finance from both private and public sources to attain the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and stated that the environment for private investments should be strengthened in ways that directly support sustainable development; and reaffirming the IPU resolution on Promoting enhanced international cooperation on the SDGs, in particular on the financial inclusion of women as a driver of development, which was adopted by the1361 calls for enhancing women's entrepreneurship and access to financial resources, h IPU Assembly and Referring to United Nations General Assembly resolutions AIRESI691313 of 27 July 2015, entitled Addis Ababa Action Agenda of the Third International Conference on Financing for Development, and AIRESI711233 of 21 December 2016, entitled Ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all, and to the outcomes of the United Nations Private Sector Forum 2017, the 2017 High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development on progress towards the implementation of Goal17, the 2017 IPU Regional Seminar on Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals for the Parliaments in the Asia-Pacific Region, the 2017 IPU Regional Seminar on the Sustainable Development Goals for the Parliaments of Sub-Saharan Africa, which recognized that the SDGs will
 have a disproportionate effect on the younger generations, in Africa and around the world, which should be included in the planning and implementation of development policies, and the 261 Parliamentary Forum, h Annual Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Asserting that sustainable development is the common goal of society and that among the interconnected and indissociable 17 Sustainable Development Goals, Goal 7 is a significant linchpin for the success of the others, especially those relating to poverty reduction, education, health and environmental protection in response to climate change, Emphasizing that the development of renewable energy sources and access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy sources have a significant contribution to make in ensuring energy security, minimize inequalities in energy access, both within and between countries, create jobs and improve people's livelihoods, including those of youths and women in society, Recognizing the urgent need to ensure full and equal access of women to renewable energy as a means to enhance their economic empowerment, as well as women's potential, given their key role in producing and using energy in households and communities, particularly in developing countries, I ' I l r ' I ,, I' 'ilPU1 ''.
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-2- Observing that renewable energy technologies have experienced remarkable cost reductions over the last decade, exhibiting lower unit costs than traditional thermal power plants in many regions, and that similar developments are envisaged for generation and storage technologies in the foreseeable future, Recognizing that the contribution of the private sector to development goes beyond capital provision and employment creation and that the private sector can be a true development agent which drives technology development and innovation, makes smart investment in key areas, facilitates technology transfer and participates in the transition towards sustainable production, operation and consumption, and that the active involvement of the private sector and the strategic partnership between the private sector and the public sectors, civil society and local communities are critical, especially in the field of renewable energy, Emphasizing the responsibility of private sector entities for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the surrounding community in which they operate their businesses, including in terms of environmental preservation and human rights protection, Stressing, however, that it continues to lie primarily within the State's responsibility to assure and steer the SDG implementation process, not least because private investments tend to flow into middle-income countries and/or countries with a certain level of reliability in their respective investment structures which, in turn, results in a further disadvantage for the group of LOGs and thus for the countries that are the most dependent on support by the international community in implementing the 2030 Agenda, Acknowledging that the organization and operation of the private sector are diverse, ranging from multinationals, cooperatives, small and medium enterprises, microenterprises, social enterprises and households to the informal sector, and that the modalities and scale and scope of public-private partnership vary from country to country and there should be institutional frameworks for these partnerships, Affirming the need for countries to support small and medium enterprises through policies that support the creation of synergies between domestic companies and foreign actors, Cognizant of the fact that developing countries are particularly vulnerable to the impact of climate change, and that although technology advancement has offered a reduction in renewable energy cost, developing countries are at a disadvantage when it comes to the technology and finance required for easier access to renewable energy, Underscoring the indispensable role of parliaments in institution-building and sovereign oversight of the Government in effectively executing policies on engagement of the private sector in implementing the SDGs, especially in terms of renewable energy, Wishing to promote international and national legal institutions where there is alignment between the interests of the private sector and poverty eradication and sustainable development, especially renewable energy, 1.
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Strongly urges parliaments to raise public awareness about the need for the engagement of multi-stakeholders in SDG implementation, especially renewable energy, by increasing the number of educational and awareness-raising campaigns and activities reaching out to all members of society in order to equip them with enhanced knowledge on sustainable development, and also to incorporate sustainable development content into curricula at all education levels, especially undergraduate and graduate courses in investment, production, business and commerce in order to change the business mindset towards SDG implementation; Calls on parliaments to support gender-responsive legislation, policies and budgets aimed at ensuring equal access of youth, women and men to science and technology, education and training, capacity-building programmes for women, especially in rural areas, and equal opportunities to engage in all stages of the renewable energy value chain, including entrepreneurship opportunities, jobs and careers, as well as equal participation in local, national and international decision-making processes in the renewable energy sector; - 3- 3.
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Also calls on parliaments to support capacity-building programmes for poor and vulnerable sections of the population, and promote legislation and policies with a view to reducing energy poverty for vulnerable consumer groups; Urges State agencies to recognize the important role of the private sector and simultaneously enlighten the private sector on its own important part and responsibility in SDG implementation, especially renewable energy, and to further promote entrepreneurship for sustainable development, boost corporate social responsibility and support social enterprise development so that the private sector is encouraged to integrate sustainable development concerns into its respective core business areas; Welcomes the joining of hands by parliaments with governments to adopt national development strategies with mid-term and long-term sustainable development targets in which the engagement of the private sector as a stakeholder in SDG implementation is identified and SDGs are built into innovative and sustainable investment programmes; Appeals to parliaments to build, and supervise governments in following, the road map to accelerate the transition to a low carbon economy, increase the share of renewable energy in the national energy mix, mitigate environmental pollution, implement solutions for efficient-effective energy usage and the use of renewable energy, develop green technologies and new environment-friendly materials as well as to develop domestic industries and infrastructure supporting renewable energy production, distribution and use; Also appeals to parliaments together with governments to reorient financial markets to advance sustainability and consider suitable risk-sharing partnerships, such as innovative blended public-private finance mechanisms for funding sustainable development that ensure transparency and accountability and the balancing out of returns on private capital with social impacts; Urges parliaments to establish, and support the development of, a transparent and competitive electricity market that will ensure that the production of electricity from renewable energy sources is self-supporting; Suggests that parliaments safeguard policy space for investment into off-grid renewable energy and encourage private investment into off-grid renewable energy technology, including small-scale electricity generators converting power from renewable energy sources and mini-grids, through support to building risk management tools for such investments and an enabling regulatory and institutional framework and by preparing reliable long-term rural electrification road maps that mitigate the risks of grid extension interfering with private mini-grid and off-grid markets; 10.
Exhorts parliaments to allocate appropriate budgets for investment and stimulate private investment into research and development (R&D) and innovation, and prioritize investment into essential infrastructure for renewable energy development; 11.
Urges technologically advanced States to lead research in the practical application of technical solutions for storing and utilizing hydrogen produced from renewable energy, thereby making this technology a powerful option for the effective utilization of renewable energy; 12.
Calls on parliaments to support the establishment of transparent and reliable databases for potential private investment in sustainable development, especially pipelines of small projects, the setting up of broader investor networks In the field of sustainable development, performance indicators, reporting systems for joint monitoring and evaluation on investment impacts, and standards for sustainable products and technologies, as well as the organization of multi-stakeholder forums allowing for constructively sharing knowledge, technical know-how, success stories, causes of failure and lessons learned in sustainable investment, production, operation and consumption; .. '' " .. -4- 13.
Also calls on parliaments to continue their efforts to build economic institutions which foster an enabling business climate for the private sector to engage in SDG implementation and ensure the participation of the private sector and other stakeholders in policymaking and assessment; 14.

Further calls on parliaments to support regulations for comprehensive, detailed and real-time energy measurements to facilitate cost-reflective billing and transparent revenue models; 15.
Recommends that each parliament issue suitable incentive policies for the private sector, particularly small investment in small projects, in accordance with the respective socioeconomic conditions of the country in its own development period and without distorting functioning markets; 16.

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Invites parliaments, governments, international and regional organizations to identify and deliberate on new generation international investment agreements that focus on the promotion of sustainable development policies, bearing in mind the implementation of existing climate funding mechanisms; Proposes more exchanges and enhanced cooperation between countries in order to promote the transfer of high-end technologies with more incentives, build policies that widen access to environmentally sound technologies, strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development as set forth in SDG Goal17; Encourages, in particular, the participation of parliaments and their members in specialized organizations and forums on renewable energy, such as the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), and the establishment of networks of parliamentarians, including between parliaments, parliamentary organizations and parliamentarians, to facilitate exchanges on best practices and enable knowledge transfer, including on policy, technology and finance; and invites the IPU to cooperate with these bodies with a view to enhancing parliamentary support for the SDG Goal 7 renewable energy targets.
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Resolution adopted by consensus' by the 13811 ' IPU Assembly (Geneva, 27 March 2018) The 138'" Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, Recalling the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council, including resolutions 181 (II) (1947), 242 (1967), 252 (1968), 298 (1971), 446 (1979), 465 (1980), 478 (1980), 1322 (2000), 2334 (2016), United Nations General Assembly resolutions and other relevant international documents, Taking note of the final communique and resolutions adopted by the Extraordinary Islamic Summit Conference and the Extraordinary Meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation held in Istanbul on 13 December 2017 and the Istanbul Declaration on "Freedom for AI-Quds", Rejecting any unilateral decisions dealing with any changes to the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council and General Assembly and other international covenants dealing with the legal status of the city of Jerusalem, whether through governments of States or the Israeli occupation or otherwise, Deploring and condemning the announcement by the US Administration of the transfer of its Embassy to occupied Jerusalem by mid-May, which coincides with the anniversary of the Nakba (15 May 1948), Reaffirming its support for the right of the Palestinian people in their legitimate struggle to end the Israeli occupation and to regain their rights to return and establish their independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital, 1.
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Renews its solidarity with and support to the Palestinian people in defending their just cause and their legitimate rights, including their historical and rooted rights in Jerusalem, guaranteed by the relevant resolutions of international legitimacy; Supports all legal and peaceful steps taken by the Palestinian leadership at the national and international levels to consolidate the sovereignty of Palestine over the Holy City of Jerusalem and the Occupied Palestinian Territory; Affirms its absolute rejection in its entirety of the recent US Administration's decision regarding Jerusalem and considers it null and void under international law; Delegations expressed their support for a two-State solution, but had concerns with some of the language and elements of the substance of the resolution.
The following delegations expressed reservation on specific operative paragraph/s: Finland, Italy and San Marino (para 2); France (paras 2 and 5); and Switzerland (paras 2, 4 and 5).

France also expressed reservation to preambular paragraph 5.
Furthermore Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Ecuador, Estonia, Fiji, Germany, Hungary, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Serbia, Seychelles, Sweden, Thailand, United Kingdom, and Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) all expressed reservation on the resolution.

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Calls on all parliaments to urge their governments to recognize the State of Palestine along the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital in accordance with UN resolutions; Reaffirms that all legislative and administrative measures and actions taken by Israel to impose its law and measures on Jerusalem are illegal and have no legitimacy; Demands that Israel cease all settlement-building activities and any other measures aimed at altering the status, character and demographic composition of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including in and around Jerusalem, all of which have a detrimental impact on the human rights of the Palestinian people and on the prospects for a peaceful settlement; Expresses grave concern at the restrictions imposed by Israel to impede access by worshippers to the holy sites in Jerusalem; Calls on international organizations to take the necessary steps to preserve and maintain the historical heritage of Jerusalem; Emphasizes the need to support the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) to carry out aid programmes for the relief of the Palestinian refugees in line with UN General Assembly Resolution 302 (IV) of December 1949; 10.
Encourages the relaunch of the peace process through a multilateral initiative in accordance with United Nations resolutions to achieve the existence of a two-State solution on the basis of the 1967 borders.

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'-~ PARLAMENTTA' MALTA PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY OF THE MEDiTERRANEAN ASSEMBLEE PARLEMENTAIRE DE LA MEDITERRANEE b. jWI u'o;~':il y..;ll :\;JW _,\1 ~I Promoting better regional cooperation towards smart and humane migration across the Mediterranean Conference for parliaments from the European Union and from the Mediterranean region organized jointly by the Inter-Parliamentary Union, the Parliament of Malta and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean 16-17 November 2017, Valletta, Malta Madam President, • • • • Thank you for giving me the floor.
I am pleased to inform you that the IPU, the Parliament of Malta and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean jointly organized the first Mediterranean Parliamentary Conference on "Promoting better regional the cooperation Mediterranean."

The Parliament of Malta was honoured to host this event.
humane migration smart and towards across This event, which is in line with the IPU's strategy to support and mobilize parliaments to address current and pressing human rights challenges, and the IPU's efforts to ensure that migration is governed in a fair, smart and humane manner, provided to the participants an opportunity to exchange good practices on the management of migration in the Mediterranean.
It also aimed at helping participants to explore avenues for harmonized responses to the challenges of migration and to identify related opportunities.

including 85 The meeting was attended by some 164 participants parliamentarians from 26 national parliaments in the Mediterranean region and beyond.

The full report of the Malta Conference, including the main recommendations, is in your set of documents.
• Madam President, Dear colleagues, Considering that our current general debate is on migration, I realised that the Malta Conference served as precursor to the debate on the parliamentary increased contribution to the management of this sensitive issue which expanded rapidly over the past five years.

The Malta Conference is a key turning point of the parliamentary intervention to take up the challenges of the migrants flow in the Mediterranean.

• I thank you for your attention I ,, r ,, " I'