Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1694840336084.pdf (Malta)
L-ERBATAX-IL LEĠIŻLATURA P.L.

1537 Dokument imqiegħed fuq il-Mejda tal-Kamra tad-Deputati fis-Seduta Numru 106 tat-22 ta’ Marzu 2023 mill-Ispeaker, l-Onor.

Anġlu Farrugia.

___________________________ Raymond Scicluna Skrivan tal-Kamra 146th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union 10 - 15 March 2023 Manama, Bahrain Hon Anglu Farrugia, Speaker Hon Randolph De Battista, MP Hon Robert Cutajar, MP REPORT BY MR SPEAKER AND MEMBER/ S OF PARLIAMENT PARTICIPATING IN CONFERENCE/ MEETING ABROAD 1.
TITLE OF CONFERENCE/MEETING: 146TII ASSE :tviBLY OFTI-ffi INTER PARLIAMENTARY UNION, MANAMA 2.

DATE: 3.MEMBER: 10-15 MARCH 2023 HON.

ANGELO FARRUGIA (SPEAKER) HON.

RANDOLPH DE BATTISTA, HON.

ROBERT CUTAJAR 4.

ITEM/S ON THE AGENDA: Agenda and timetable attached with heading (A) 5.
MEETING CONCLUSIONS, IF ANY: Manama Declaration- Promoting peaceful coexistence and inclusive societies: Fighting intolerance; attached 'With heading (C) Resolution - Parliamentary efforts in achieving negative carbon emission balances of forests; attached with heading (D) Resolution - Cybercrimes: TI1e new risks to global security; attached with heading (E) Emergency I tem Resolution - Raising awareness and calling for action on the serious humanitarian crises affecting the peoples of Afghanistan, the Syrian Arab Republic, Ukraine, Yemen and other countries, and on the particular vulnerability of women and children; attached with heading (F) 6.
INTERVENTIONS MADE BY MEMBER: Attached please press release with heading (G) 7.

IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS YOU FEEL SHOULD BE ATTACHED Report attach ed with heading (B) P.R attached with headings (G and H) I ® Inter-Parliam entary Union For democracy For everyone.

• 146rH IPU ASSEMBLY I ....

I 'I ,Q.._c u.aJ I ~~ MANAMA, BAHRAIN 11-15 MI\RCH 2023- ~-rt' t)llJL.n 10·11 146th IPU Assembly Manama (11-15 March 2023) Assembly A/146/A.1 30 November 2022 Agenda of the 146th Assembly 1.

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Election of the President of the 146th Assembly Consideration of requests for the inclusion of an emergency item in the Assembly agenda General Debate on the theme Promoting peaceful coexistence and inclusive societies: Fighting intolerance 4 .

Special accountability segment on the implementation of IPU resolutions and other decisions 5.

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Cyberattacks and cybercrimes: The new risks to global security (Standing Committee on Peace and International Security) Parliamentary efforts in achieving negative carbon balances afforests (Standing Committee on Sustainable Development) 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 for the 148th Assembly and appointment of the co-Rapporteurs #IPU146 AJ146/C.
1-rev.2 Annex 1 General timetable of the 146th Assembly and related meetings Manama, 11 to 15 March 2023 Thursday, 9 March 2023 09:00 - 18:30 Beginning of Registration Ill Ill 1 0:00 - 13:00 15:00- 18:00 Executive Committee* Hall 2 (Exhibition World Bahrain, EWB) Executive Committee* Hall2 (EWB) Friday, 10 March 2023 o9:oo -1o:oo Ill Ill Ill Ill 09:30- 13:00 10:00- 13:00 14:30- 18:00 Saturday, 11 March 2023 Gender Partnership Group* Hall2 (EWB) Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians* Convention Cluster Room 17 (EWB) Executive Committee* Hall2 (EWB) Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians* Convention Cluster Room 17 (EWB) Ill Ill 1111 -Ill 1111 - .LW Ill Ill o9:oo - 1o:oo 09:30- 11 :30 1 0:00 - 11 :00 10:30- 13:00 11:30-13:00 14:30-17:00 14:30-17:30 Bureau of Women Parliamentarians* Hall2 (EWB) Group of Facilitators for Cyprus* (ENGLISH ONLY) Convention Cluster Room 18 (EWB) Meeting of Advisers and Secretaries to delegations Paddock 6 (Bahrain International Circuit, BIC) Forum of Women Parliamentarians Hall3 (EWB) Joint Meeting with the Chairpersons of the Geopolitical Groups and the Presidents of the Standing Committees* Convention Cluster Room 17 (EWB) Forum of Women Parliamentarians Hall3 (EWB) The Call of the Sahel: A global response Meeting series on counter-terrorism Mitigating the impact of security threats by building resilience in the Sahel Hall2 (EWB) 14:30 - 17:30 14:30- 18:00 Advisory Group on Health* (ENGLISH ONLY) Media Centre (BIC) Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians* Convention Cluster Room 17 (EWB) IIIII IIIII 19:00-20:00 Inaugural Ceremony Grand Hall ABC (EWB) * closed meeting - 2- A/146/C.1-rev.2 Annex 1 Sunday, 12 March 2023 Ill o8:oo - o9:oo IIIII IIIII 1111 - 09:00 - 11 :00 09:00 - 12:30 09:00 - 12:30 Assembly Steering Committee* Convention Cluster Room 18 (EWB) Governing Council Plenary - Grand Hall ABC (EWB) Standing Committee on Peace and International Security Debate and start of drafting in plenary on the draft resolution on Cyberattacks and
 cybercrimes: The new risks to global security Ha/13 (EWB) Stand ing Committee on Sustainable Development Debate and start of drafting in plenary on the draft resolution on Parliamentary efforts in achieving negative carbon balances of forests Paddock 6 (BIC) Ill 09:30 - 11 :00 Board of the Forum of Young Parliamentarians* Ha/12 (EWB) ASGP 11:00-12:30 ASGP Meeting Media Centre (BIG) IIIII IIIII 11:00 - 13:00 Il l lUI -u.u lUI 11:30 - 13:00 13:15 - 14:30 14:00 - 16:00 14:00 - 17:00 Assembly: Start of the General Debate on the theme Promoting peaceful coexistence and inclusive societies: Fighting intolerance Plenary- Grand Hall ABC (EWB) Bureau of the Standing Committee on Democracy and Human Rights* Ha/12 (EWB) Luncheon for Speakers of Parliament (by invitation) (EWB) Forum of Young Parliamentari ans of the IPU Paddock 6 (BIG) Stand ing Committee on Peace and International Security Drafting in plenary on the draft resolution on Cyberattacks and cybercrimes: The new risks to global security Ha/13 (EWB) IIIII IIIII Ill 14:30 - 17:00 14:30 - 17:30 Assembly: General Debate Plenary - Grand Hall ABC (E WB) Committee on Middle East Questions* Ha/12 (EWB) ASGP 14:30 - 17:30 ASGP Meeting Media Centre (BIG) Il l Il l ilil IIIII IIIII 14:30 - 18:00 16:1 5- 17:00 17:00 - 17.15 17:00 - 18:30 Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentaria ns* Convention Cluster Room 17 (EWB) Board of the Forum of Young Parliamentarians* Paddock 6 (BIG) Forum of Young Parliamentarians of the IPU Paddock 6 (BIG) Assembly: Decision on the emergency item Plenary - Grand Hall ABC (EWB) * closed meeting Monday, 13 March 2023 - 3- A/146/C.1-rev.2 Annex 1 IIIII IIIII 1111 - Ill Ill 1111 - Ill ASGP lUI -Ill Ill Ill 1111 - IIIII IIIII Ill Ill Ill 09:00 - 13:00 09:00 - 10:30 10:30- 13:00 09:00- 13:00 09:30- 11:00 09:30- 11:00 09:30 - 13:00 Assembly Debate on the emergency item, and Continuation of the General Debate Plenary- Grand Hall ABC (EWB) Standing Committee on Peace and International Security Completion
 of drafting in plenary of the resolution on the draft resolution on Cyberattacks and cybercrimes: The new risks to global security Hall 3 (EWB) Bureau of the Standing Committee on United Nations Affairs* Hall 2 (EWB) Panel discussion on Parliamentary action on biodiversity: Translating global commitments into national action Convention Cluster Room 18 (EWB) Standing Committee on Democracy and Human Rights Debate on the draft resolution to be adopted at the 147th Assembly on Orphanage trafficking: The role of parliaments in reducing harm Paddock 6 (BIG) 09:30- 13:00 Committee on the Human Rights of Parl iamentarians* Convention Cluster Room 17 (EWB) 1 0:00 - 12:30 ASGP Meeting Media Centre (BIG) 11:30-13:00 Panel discussion on climate oversight action Hall 2 (EWB) 14:00-16.00 Working Group on Science and Technology* Hall 2 (EWB) 14:30-16:00 Workshop in preparation for the United Nations Summit of the Future Paddock 6 (BIG) 14:30- 17:30 14:30- 18:30 IPU Task Force on the peaceful resolution of the war in Ukraine* Convention Cluster Room 18 (EWB) Standing Committee on Sustainable Development Drafting in plenary of the resolution on Parliamentary efforts in achieving negative carbon balances of forests Hall 3 (EWB) 14:30- 18:00 Assembly Continuation of the General Debate Plenary- Grand Hall ABC (EWB) 14:30- 18:30 Possible drafting committee on the emergency item * Convention Cluster Room 17 (EWB) 16:15-18:30 16:30-18:30 High-Level Advisory Group on Countering Terrorism and Violent Extremism* Hall 2 (EWB) Bureau of the Standing Committee on Peace and International Security* Paddock 6 (BIG) * closed meeting -4 - A/146/C.1-rev.
2 Annex 1 Tuesday, 14 March 2023 Ill &W Ill 09:00 - 10:00 Gender Partnership Group* Hall 2 (EWB) 09:00 - 11:00 Standing Committee on United Nations Affairs Ha/13 (EWB) 09:00 - 11:00 Bureau of the Standing Committee on Sustainable Development* Convention Cluster Room 17 (EWB) IIIII IIIII 09:00 - 13:00 Assembly : Continuation of the General Debate Plenary - Grand Hall ABC (EWB) lUI 09:30 - 12:30 Stand ing Committee on Democracy and Human Rights Panel discussion on Parliamentary impetus in fa vour of the fight against disinformation and hateful and discriminatory content in cy berspace Paddock 6 (BIG) ASGP 10:30- 12:30 ASG P Meeting Media Centre (BIG) Il l Il l 10:00 - 13:00 Executive Committee* Hall 2 (EWB) 11:30 - 13:00 Committee to Promote Respect for International Humanitarian Law* Convention Cluster Room 17 (EWB) lUI 11 :30 - 12:30 Il l 13:30 - 14:30 lUI - 14:30-15:30 14:30 - 16:30 i.W Forum of Women Parliamentarians Ha/13 (EWB) Bureau of Women Parliamentarians* Ha/12 (EWB) Forum of Women Parliamentarians Hall 3 (EWB) Standing Committee on Peace and International Secu rity Adoption of the draft resolution on Cyberattacks and cybercrimes: The new risks to global security Paddock 6 (BIG) ASGP 14:30 - 17:30 ASG P Meeting Media Centre (BIG) Il l IIIII IIIII I l l lUI 14:30 - 18:00 Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians* Convention Cluster Room 17 (EWB) 14:30 - 18:00 Assembly Adoption of the resolution on the emergency item Special session on accountability in the implementation of IPU decisions Conclu sion of the General Debate Plenary - Grand Hall ABC (EWB) 15:00 - 16:30 Panel discussion on parliamentary solidarity with MPs at risk Hall 2 (EWB) 16:00 - 18:00 Standing Committee on United Nations Affairs Ha/13 (EWB) * closed meeting Ill 17:00- 18:30 -5- A/146/C.
1-rev.2 Annex 1 Workshop on sexual and reproductive health Preparing young people for a safe, healthy, fulfilling life: Parliamentarians advancing comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) with and for their communities Ha/12 (EWB) 17:00- 18:30 Standing Committee on Sustainable Development Adoption of the draft resolution on Parliamentary efforts in achieving negative carbon balances of forests Paddock 6 (BIG) Wednesday, 15 March 2023 Ill IIIII IIIII 08:00- 10:00 Bureau of Women Parliamentarians* Ha/12 (EWB) 09:00- 13:00 Governing Council Decisions on the human rights of MPs, and Reports of specialized meetings Plenary- Grand Hall ABC (EWB) ASGP 10:00- 12:30 ASGP Meeting Media Centre (BIG) IIIII IIIII IIIII IIIII 14:30- Governing Council Plenary- Grand Hall ABC (EWB) 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 Plenary- Grand Hall ABC (EWB) Legend: Assembly I Governing Council Committees/ Panel discussions IIIII IIIII Other Assembly events, including in camera sessions Ill * closed meeting At\tJEx B REPORT REPORT 14Sth Assembly of the Inter- Parliamentary Union 10 -15 March 2023 Manama, Bahrain PARLIAMENT OF MALTA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Delegation - Maltese Parliament Mr Speaker headed the delegation and was accompanied by Han Randolph De Battista and Han Robert Cutajar.
Bilateral Meeting with the delegation of the Verhovna Rada of Ukraine.

On 10 March 2023, the Maltese parliamentary delegation, held bilateral ta lks with the Ukrainian delegation headed by the First Deputy Chairman of the Verhovna Rada of Ukraine, Mr Olksandr Kornienko .

The meeting took place on the margins of the IPU Assembly.
The Ukrainian delegation expressed its appreciation for Malta's support to Ukraine to become a candidate country aimed at joining the European Union and the timely humanitarian assistance extended to the Ukrainian people in this time of need.
Speaker Farrugia and other members of the Maltese delegation reiterated Malta's support and solidarity with the people of Ukraine and referred to the Eleventh Emergency Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly and the adoption of the reso lution on the war in Ukraine.
The Maltese delegation also noted the important role played by the President of the European Pa rliament, Roberta Metsola, reflecting the Parli ament's support to Ukraine and its people and the IPU meeting held in Kigali in October 2022 where the Maltese delegation voted in support of an emergency item on Ukraine.
The Maltese delegation also stressed that whilst Malta is a neutral country this does not mean that it remains complacent in the breaching of international law and respect for territorial integrity.

Whilst Malta feels that it is important to bring the perpetrators before the International Criminal Court (ICC), it is imperative the ICC has international legitimacy.
It was also remarked that Malta can contribute through the experience of Maltese Judge Carmela Agius who served as a Judge on the Appeals Chamber of both the International Criminal Tribunal (ICTY) and the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) until the respective closure of the two Tribunals in 2015 and 2017.

Assembly The main theme debated during the Assembly was focused on addressing intolerance aimed at promoting peaceful coexistence and inclusive societies.
Mr Speaker add ressed the Assembly and in his opening remarks stated that keeping peace and promoting peaceful coexistence is a continuous and universal process.

It is crucial to transform words into action and be open to different beliefs and creeds .

Speaker Farrugia emphasised that tolerance and peace necessitate a reciprocal approach and the participation by everyone.
Speaker Farrugia opined that Parliaments have an important role in promoting peace as they are the institutions that enact legislation and are in direct contact with their respective constituency.

He also referred to Malta's vocation as a neutral state and as a promoter of peace, recalling the island's important role at the meeting of the Conference for Security and Cooperation in Europe in 1975 in Helsinki, and recently by hosting the Global Council for Tolerance and Peace in Malta.
Dr Anglu Farrugia referred to the resolution adopted by the General Assembly of the Inter Parliamentary Union in March 2020 on the Peaceful resolution of the war in Ukraine, the respect for international law, the Charter of the United Nations and territorial integrity.

He stressed that parliamentarians need to seek tangible results through the work of the Task Force established as a result of that resolution.
Emergency Item Any Member Parliament of the IPU may request the inclusion of an emergency item in the Assembly agenda, which is then debated by the parliamentarians attending.

Such an emergency item should relate to a recent major situation of international concern on which urgent action by the international community is requ ired and on which it is appropriate for the Inter Parliamentary Union to express its opinion and mobilize a parliamentary response.
After a debate the General assembly adopted an emergency item resolution on Raising awareness and calling for action on the serious humanitarian crises affecting the peoples of Afghanistan , the Syrian Arab Republic, Ukraine, Yemen and other countries, and on the particular vulnerability of women and children.

The Maltese delegation supported this emergency item proposed by the delegations of Argentina, Chile, Germany, Netherlands with the support of the GRULAC and 12+Group.
The resolution calls on the international community to collaborate to protect human lives, to alleviate suffering, to safeguard dignity, and to guarantee access to basic services such as food, medical care, water and shelter for all persons, regardless of their origins , through legal and policy measures at the national level.

Attached please find the resolution.

Declaration At the end of the Assembly, the Declaration which followed a debate in the General assembly was adopted.
In the Declaration, the parliamentarians pledge "to fight inequality through rights-based economic and social policies that put people before profit and the weak before the strong, and that uphold the equality and dignity of every person."

The declaration also urges parliamentarians "to implement the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 - leaving no one behind - as the best hope for peace, democracy and sustainable development for all."
The Declaration is a message of hope which calls for a more tolerant world where diversity is celebrated , and where every human being is recognized for their contribution to society.
It also calls for parliamentarians to make "hate-motivated acts and all forms of violence linked to religion, belief, xenophobia, racism or intolerance of marginalized groups an offence under the law" (attached please find copy of the adopted declaration) Resolutions Cybercrimes: The new risks to global security The resolution emphasizes the responsibility of parliaments in building a regulatory framework to protect citizens in cyberspace in the same way as in the physical world.
It notes that cybercrimes may constitute a serious threat to democratic processes, especially interference in elections through cybersecurity breaches or false social media accounts.

It acknowledges that women, young people and children are among the most vul nerable and suffer from the most aggressions on the internet.
The resolution is the result of a long consultative process, including a record 320 amendments received from Member Parliaments , often with opposing views, culminating in a final agreed text, demonstrating the importance and sensitivity of the issue today.

The resolution also shows that there is a growing appetite to include the voices of parliamentarians, as representatives of the people, in United Nations processes and conventions.
The IPU resolution and the future United Nations convention should ultimately lead to stronger national legislation to combat cybercrimes.
(Attached please find the final resolution adopted by the Assembly) Parliamentary efforts in achieving negative - carbon balances of forests The resolution aims to align the efforts of IPU Member Parliaments in three major fields of action in order to maintain global climate stability, to minimize the risks of accelerated climate change through extensive forest loss, and to protect the forests that are essential to life on Earth.
Specifically, the draft resolution: calls upon Member Parliaments to recognize the need for national and international policies to respond to climate stability risks caused by deforestation, including supporting vulnerable and fragile regions in implementing the Paris Agreement and the 2030 Agenda, including its most powerful organ , the and ensuring that the United Nations system - United Nations Security Council - as well as States, multilateral institutions and other relevant actors are equipped to deal effectively with the looming threats of deforestation to the global climate, food security and sustainable economic development; encourages Member Parliaments to invest in prevention strategies; calls upon Member Parliaments to intensify urgent actions to halt deforestation and forest degradation in order to secure forest ecosystems and to maintain and enhance C02 sequestration as a way to mitigate clim ate change; encourages Member Parliaments to ramp up efforts on forest and landscape restoration and agroforestry in order to revive degraded ecosystems and restore their vital environmental, climatic and economic benefits; stresses the need for Member Parliaments to increase the sustainable use and management of forests, which provide essential goods and services to people worldwide.
(Attached please find the final resolution adopted by the Assembly) Parliaments for the Planet: IPU launches new campaign on climate action During the Assembly, a new campaign , Parliaments for the Planet, was launched.

The campaign aims to encourage parliaments and those who work in them to lead by example, reduce their own carbon footprint and take concrete measures to implement the Paris Agreement on climate to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

The campaign consists of two parts.


Part one encourages parliaments and parliamentarians themselves to become greener and decarbonize.

To support them , the IPU has published a guide: 10 actions for greener parliaments (and those who work in them).
Part two of the campa ign is designed to empower parl iaments and parliamentarians to produce effective legislation on climate change, vote in the necessary budgets and scrutinize government action, especially progress on the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to implement the Paris Agreement.
Elections Several elections took place in various IPU bodies: Mr. Monder Boudon (Algeria) was elected as President of the High-Level Advisory Group on Countering Terrorism and Violent Extremism; Mr. Dan Carden (United Kingdom) as President of the IPU Board of the Forum of Young Parliamentarians; Ms. Cynthia Lopez Castro (Mexico) as the President of the Bureau of Women MPs; and Mr. Hubert Julien-Laferriere (France) as the President of the Committee on Middle East Questions Two new members join the IPU's Executive Committee, Ms. Ida Kamonji Nasserwa Sabangu (Democratic Republic of the Congo) and Ms. Janine Aim Ericson (Sweden).
New Membership IPU welcomed back the Liberian Parliament to its global parliamentary community.

W ith the return of Liberia , IPU Membership now stands at 179 National Parliaments worldwide, with all African countries now represented.

Liberia was one of the nine founding members of the IPU along with Belgium, Britain, Denmark, France, Hungary, Italy, Spain, and the United States of America.
On the margins of the conference In preparation to the General Assembly, the Maltese Parliamentary delegation participated in the 12+Group meetings.
Hon Randolph De Battista participated also in 2 side events entitled; WHO side event- "Leveraging the role of Parliamentarians to progress towards Universal Health Care Workshop on sexual and reproductive health- Preparing young people for a safe, healthy, fulfilling life: Parliamentarians advancing comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) with and for their communities.

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\}--J~ MANAMA, BAHRAIN 11-15 MARCH 2023 - 1'·1'1" VUJLo 10·11 146th IPU Assembly Manama (11-15 March 2023) Manama Declaration Promoting peaceful coexistence and inclusive societies: Fighting intolerance Endorsed by the 146th IPU Assembly (Manama, 15 March 2023) We, Members of Parliament from around the world, gathered at the 146th IPU Assembly in Manama, Bahrain , are deeply aware of the dangers that hate, intolerance, exclusion and violence in all their forms pose to the very foundations of democracy and to the social contract that holds our societies together.
Consumed by greed and competition , our world is facing social and economic inequalities on an unprecedented scale.

Heightened economic insecurity is breaking communities apart and leaving growing numbers of people socially isolated, fending for themselves and often with inadequate access to public service delivery and social safety nets.

Inequality and economic insecurity can give rise to anger and frustration in communities everywhere.
The dignity intrinsic to every human being can be undermined by factors such as poverty, the denial of inalienable economic, social, cultural, civil and political rights, violations of the ru le of law, discrimination against women, lack of inclusion of youth, and the de facto exclusion from politics of the most vulnerable and marginalized.
Xenophobia, racism, intolerance, negative stereotyping, stigmatization, discrimination and extremist narratives are all expressions of this deep malaise in our societies.

They manifest themselves in hate speech or outright violence in various forms against migrants, people with disabilities, and national, ethnic, religious, linguistic or other marginalized groups perceived as a threat to the established order.
They can also be expressed in the desecration of religious sites and symbols, actions which are deeply offensive to people of faith.

We, however, recognize the diversity within our communities as a source of enrichment, and we reaffirm the fundamental rights and freedoms of all people, as enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Regrettably, some in positions of influence in society seek to exploit the vulnerabilities of others, sowing hatred and division as a way to advance their own interests .

Digital platforms designed to facilitate social interaction and communication are being misused to micro-target, amplify and spread disinformation and ill intent against others.

The ease with which some of these voices speak in total disregard of the truth carries profound dangers for democracy.
Most worryingly, their words can be a direct cause of violence and intolerance within communities and between nations.

We can respond to these challenges by encouraging collaborative networks promoting dialogue and joint projects in service to the community, by creating channels for conflict prevention and mediation, by promoting moderation, by advancing education and awareness building, and by encouraging community and religious leaders to contribute to these objectives.
We commit to speaking out against intolerance and especially any advocacy of hatred that constitutes discrimination, hostility or violence.

We will also assist in th e resolution of conflict through the exercise of parliamentary diplomacy.

#IPU146 - 2- With all this in mind, we consider it our unique responsibility, as parliamentarians , to speak and act responsibly towards all people, particularly those who disagree with us, and in ways that bring people together peacefully in pursuit of the common good.
We affirm that societies that are inclusive and just, and in which rights are upheld, are more likely to be cohesive, peaceful and democratic.

We pledge to fight inequality through rights-based economic and social policies that put people before profit and the weak before the strong, and that uphold the equality and dignity of every person.
We reaffirm the urgent need to implement the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 - leaving no one behind - as our best hope for peace, democracy and sustainable development for all.

More concretely, we are committed to utilizing our law-making, representative and oversight functions towards the following objectives: Make hate-motivated acts and all forms of violence linked to religion, belief, xenophobia, racism, or intolerance of marginalized groups an offence under the law.
Invest in education for all and at all levels, including peace education and "education for democracy", pursuant to the United Nations General Assembly resolutions by this name.

Make parliamentary proceedings consistently open to the input of relevant civil society organizations and community groups representative of the diversity of society.

Engage in constructive, respectful dialogue with parliamentarians of all political persuasions, both nationally and internationally.
Ensure that national statistical institutes and research bodies produce up-to-date disaggregated data to assist with the formulation of inclusive economic and social policies.

Perform self-assessments of the inclusivity of our parliaments and take active measures to increase the representation in our parliaments of women and youth, as well as of underrepresented national, ethnic, relig ious, linguistic, and other marginalized and vulnerable communities.
Uphold the rights of migrants, refugees and stateless people, as particularly vulnerable groups, consistent with international conventions.

Regulate digital platforms and other media to diminish the risk of hate speech and various forms of disinformation while protecting the fundamental right of free speech as a bulwark of democracy.
Protect cultural sites as expressions of our common heritage, as well as holy sites, places of worship and religious symbols as expressions of different religions and beliefs.

Promote interaction with relevant UN organizations working fo r interfaith and intercultural dialogue, and support UN peacekeeping and mediation efforts.

We pledge to take this Declaration forward through concrete actions and in accordance with the core values of the IPU as outlined in its current Strategy.
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0-----J~ MANAMA, BAHRAIN 11 · 15 MARCH2023- ~-ri"V"JL..oiO·II 146th IPU Assembly Manama (11-15 March 2023) Parliamentary efforts in achieving negative carbon emission balances of forests Resolution adopted by consensus' by the 146th IPU Assembly (Manama, 15 March 2023) The 146th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union , Recalling the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UN FCCC) and the 2015 Paris Agreement, including its goal to hold the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, and in particular its Article 5, which calls on the Parties to the Agreement to take action to conserve and enhance sinks and reservoirs of greenhouse gases, including forests, and encourages them to develop policy approaches to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, to set positive incentives for sustainable management of forests, and to enhance carbon sequestration and reduce emissions in forests , Mindful of the outcomes of the United Nations Climate Change Conferences in Glasgow (COP26) and Sharm ei-Sheikh (COP27) and taking note of the forest-relevant contribution of the Glasgow Leaders' Declaration on Forests and Land Use, in which more than 140 countries committed to working collectively to halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation by 2030 while delivering sustainable development and promoting inclusive rural transformation and value chains, and in which they reaffirmed international financial commitments, private finance and investment support to enable forest conservation and restoration, and support for indigenous peoples and local communities, as well as the findings of the IPCC Working Group Ill on mitigation and its recommendations on reducing deforestation and increasing reforestation, Welcoming the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework adopted in December 2022 and its 4 goals and 23 targets, including target 2, which seeks to
 "ensure that by 2030 at least 30% of areas of degraded terrestrial, inland water, and coastal and mari ne ecosystems are under effective restoration, in order to enhance biodiversity and ecosystem functions and services, ecological integrity and connectivity", Looking forward to the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Dubai (COP28), w hich will follow up on the COP26 and COP27 climate conferences' outcomes regard ing forest protection, Recalling the IPU resolutions Climate change, sustainable development models, and renewable energies (120th IPU Assembly, Addis Ababa, April2009), Addressing climate change (1 41 51 IPU Assembly, Belgrade, October 2019), Parliamentary strategies to strengthen peace and security against threats and conflicts resulting from climate-related disasters and their consequences (142nd IPU Assembly, virtual session, May 2021 ), the Nusa Dua Declaration Getting to zero: Mobilizing parliaments to act on climate change (1 44th IPU Assembly, Nusa Dua, March 2022), and the Declaration of the President of the Assembly on climate change (1 16th IPU Assembly, Nusa Dua, May 2007), The delegation of India expressed reservations on preambular paragraphs 2, 5 and 8, and on operative paragraphs 1, 3, 5, 6, 9, 11 , 12, 13, 17 and 21 .
The delegation of the Russian Federation expressed reservations on preambular paragraph 19.
#IPU146 - 2- Guided by the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which emphasize that climate policy, poverty reduction and universal peace are all inextricably linked in achieving sustainable development, in particular SDG 15 to "protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification , and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss" and SDG 13 to "take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts", as well as SDG 17 to "strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development", Committed to the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework adopted by the 15th Conference of Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity in December 2022, in particular of target 2 to restore at least 30% of areas of degraded ecosystems by 2030 and of target 3 to ensure that by 2030 at least 30% of terrestrial, inland water, coastal and marine areas are effectively conserved and managed through ecologically representative, well-connected and equitably governed systems of protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures, Reaffirming United Nations General Assembly resolution 76/300 recognizing the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment as a human right, resolution 71/285, in which the United Nations Strategic Plan for Forests 2017-2030 was adopted, and reso lution 73/284 on the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030), Committed to the realization of the shared vision set out in the United Nations Strategic Plan for Forests 2017-2030 "of a world in which all types of forests and trees outside forests are sustainably managed, contribute to sustainable development and provide economic, social, environmental and cultural benefits for present and future generations", Reaffirming the importance of the six goals defined in the United Nations Strategic
 Plan for Forests 2017-2030, and especially goal 1 to "reverse the loss of forest cover worldwide thro ugh sustainable forest management, including protection, restoration, afforestation and reforestation, and increase efforts to prevent forest degradation and contribute to the global effort of addressing climate change", which would, among other benefits, serve the achievement of SDG targets 6.6 to "protect and restore water-related ecosystems, including [ ... ) forests", 12.2 to "achieve the sustaina ble management and efficient use of natural resources", 15.1 to "ensure the conservation , restoration and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services, in particular forests", and especially 15.2 to "promote the implementation of sustainable management of all types of forests , halt deforestation, restore degraded forests and substantially increase afforestation and reforestation globally", Emphasizing target 1.2 of goal 1 of the United Nations Strategic Plan for Forests 2017-2030, which calls for "the world's forest carbon stocks [to be] maintained or enhanced", Endorsing goal 2 of the United Nations Strategic Plan for Forests 2017-2030, to "enhance forest-based economic, social and environmental benefits, including by improving the livelihoods of forest-dependent people", especially its target 2.2 to "increase the access of small-scale forest enterprises, in particular in developing countries, to financial services, including affordable credit, and their integration into value chains and markets" and target 2.3, which calls for "the contribution of forests and trees to food security [to be] significantly increased", Welcoming the international community's continuing engagement in numerous global initiatives to address the contribution of forests to climate protection, including the Forests and Climate Leaders ' Partnership; the Congo Basin Forest Partnership; the 15th World Forestry Congress held in Seoul in May 2022; the
 ASEAN Green Initiative to ramp up restoration efforts and plant at least 1 0 million native trees in the next 10 years across the 10 A SEAN Member States starting from 2021 , and to set standards for the recogn ition of tree planting activities and programmes across the region that not only regrow forests in the region but also contribute to people's well-being , livelihood improvement, and resilience-building; the Bonn Challenge, a global goal to bri ng 150 million hectares of degraded and deforested landscapes into restoration by 2020 and 350 million hectares by 2030 ; the World Economic Forum's global initiative to conserve, restore and grow 1 trillion trees by 2030; the Great Green Wall for the Sahara and the Sahel Initiative; and the Strategic Plan of Action for A SEAN Cooperation on Forestry; and recognizing that all of these initiatives have contributed to States' affirmation of forest protection and emission reduction targets, and have showcased the many opportunities for prevention, mitigation, resilience-bui lding and adaptation through the contributions of national governments, provinces, cities and villages, private corporations, financial institutions and civil society, - 3- Recognizing the crucial role that women and youth play in forest ecosystem conservation and restoration, and stressing the need for the full participation of women and youth at all levels of policymaking and implementation in forest ecosystem conservation and restoration, Noting that forests are resources of global significance, covering 31 % of the Earth's land surface, but storing almost half of terrestrial carbon ; that forests help to regulate regional climate by influencing rainfall patterns and cooling urban areas; that trees and forests regulate the water balance, serve as drinking-water reservoirs and protect against erosion, landslide, rockfalls, avalanches, floods , desertification, land degradation and food insecurity; that sustainably managed forests deliver natural,
 climate-neutral resources for various value chains; and that well-managed forests provide subsistence, medicines, recreational and cultural purpose, livelihoods, employment and income to forest-dwelling communities, forest-dependent people and Indigenous people, and act as a natu ral buffer against the transmission of zoonoses, Gravely concerned about the loss, through deforestation, of 420 million hectares of forests between 1990 and 2020, equivalent to approximately 10.34% of the world's total fo rest area in the last 30 years, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations report The State of the World's Forests 2022, with associated damage as manifested in droughts, desertification , and changes to weather patterns, as well as about the severe impact of forest loss on aspects of human life and on human development, and the fact that deforestation has a multiplying effect on existing crises in many respects and aspects, Noting with great concern that deforestation and forest degradation are having an accelerating severe impact on climate change, with destruction and degradation of forests , including their soils, accounting for around 15% of global human-induced carbon release on Earth , Cognizant of the detrimental impact of armed conflicts on forest ecosystems and the contribution of such conflicts to greenhouse gas emissions, Regretting that the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, the largest conflict currently in existence, accompanied by massive forest fires and resulting in at least 33 million tonnes of C02 equivalent emissions, has significantly undermined global efforts to achieve negative carbon emission balances of forests and to combat climate change, Aware that the progression of deforestation and forest degradation is one of the main root causes of increasing biodiversity loss and loss of genetic resources, as forests provide habitat for 80% of amphibian species, 75% of bird species and 68% of mammal species; and
 that tropical forests are particularly important as they contain about 50% of all animal and plant species, Underlining the concrete and existential threat to food security and agriculture caused by deforestation and forest degradation, with forest destruction having massive regional impacts on rainfall and consequently on rainfed agriculture, particularly in the Amazon and the African tropics, Recalling paragraphs 47 and 48 of the Sharm ei-Sheikh Implementation Plan adopted at COP27 in November 2022 pertaining to the provision of adequate and predictable support to developing-country Parties, in the context of which Parties should collectively aim to slow, halt and reverse forest cover and carbon loss, in accordance with national circumstances, consistently with the ultimate objective of the UNFCCC, while ensuring relevant social and environmental safeguards, Expressing deep concern about the severe damage caused by forest loss to societies and economies, with an estimated 1.6 billion people, or 20% of the global population, depend ing on forests for subsistence, livelihoods, employment and income generation, according to the United Nations Strategic Plan for Forests 2017- 2030, 1.
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Urges IPU Member Parliaments to provide, in line with their parliamentary tasks, national regulations and laws that commit to the objective of net zero deforestation , meaning that when forests or trees are cleared in one area, reforestation or afforestation is ensured in another area as appropriate, seeking to maintain the same C02 storage balance and taking account of the time that different varieties of tree take to grow; Calls on IPU Member Parliaments and their governments to intensify urgent actions to prevent and halt deforestation and forest degradation, increase forest areas and enhance the resilience of forest ecosystems, which are among the most cost-effective actions for mitigating and adapting to climate change, while stressing that reducing deforestation to a minimum and encouraging climate-focused afforestation avoid the direct emissions from lost biomass and enable conservation and enhancement of the greenhouse gas absorbing and capturing capacity of forests; - 4- 3.
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Urges IPU Member Parliaments and their governments to: expand existing protected areas and create new ones to protect forest ecosystems in line with the relevant international commitments; guarantee demilitarization of protected areas, especially in times of war; establish an appropriate legislative framework for the management of protected areas and take effective measures to enforce it; and cooperate, where appropriate, w ith neighbouring States to ensure better management and functioning of protected areas; Urges IPU Member Parliaments to ramp up efforts to reforest and even restore degraded forests in the light of national circumstances, keeping in mind: that forest restoration is an active attempt to return an area to its previous naturally forested state using native trees; that non-native trees provide timber that can boost local economies and reduce logging pressure in native forests; that reforestation, afforestation and agroforestry using native and/or non-native trees help diversify livelihoods and landscapes t o increase land productivity; that afforestation and restoration of forests can provide significant environmental, climatic, sociocultural and economic benefits; and that trees provide shade on agricultural land, prevent extreme sun exposure for the soil and cultivated plants, cool down temperatures on the ground, influence precipitation and lead to improved harvest results; Calls on IPU Member Parliaments to promote more productive, efficient and sustainable agrifood systems by continuing to use existing arable land to reduce the demand for new agricultural land, maintain forests and secure the multiple benefits that forests provide to farming systems, keeping in mind that agricu ltural expansion is driving almost 90% of global deforestation, that many areas of arable land are not being utilized as efficiently and productively as possible, and that sustainably increasing productivity will reduce the pressure on forestland caused by a 35-56% increase in food demand by 2050 due to the projected
 growth in the global population to 9.7 billion people; Encourages IPU Member Parliaments to take immediate action to ensure that sustainable forest management is more beneficial to generating income than deforestation and that such incomes are regular and high enough for people to sustain a living and compete with income derived from other land uses, while emphasizing that sustainable forest management and green value chains prevent the conversion of forest into agricultural land and support the transition to carbon-neutral economies, and that respons ible forest management can counteract the underlying drivers of deforestation including poverty, unsustainable production practices and consumption patterns, and can en hance the adaptability and resilience of forests to the impact of climate cha nge while creating green jobs, especially in developing countries; Recommends that IPU Member Parliaments create shared value from collective efforts through experience-sharing and technological transfer to promote the following: application of the principles of the circular economy in the use of wood; reforestation to expand the use of sustainable wood ; substituting non-renewable or emissions-intensive materials, such as cement and concrete, in construction with sustainably grown wood products; increasing the lifespan of wood products to address growing demand; reducing waste through more efficient processing and the cascading use of forest products; advancing green technology; changing consumption patterns; and facilitating a trans ition to more circular and green economies; Invites IPU Member Parliaments to review and improve forest-related legislation, strengthen forest law enforcement, and promote good governance at all levels in order to support sustainable forest management, and to combat and eradicate illegal practices in forest-related sectors; Calls on IPU Member Parliaments to: adopt strategies and a systematic review and self-monitoring system that will allow
 governments to increase the value of the conservation and restoration of forests, especially of rainforests and boreal forests; emphasize the global value of the ecosystem services and natural resources of forests; and highlight that national, regional or international emissions trading schemes , such as the European Union Emissions Trading System or the Kyoto Protocol emissions trading scheme, are beneficial instruments for mobilizing private capital to fina nce forest - 5- protection and afforestation, including the use of remova l units on the basis of land use.
land-use change and forestry (LULUCF) activities such as reforestation , w ith an emphasis on maintaining the highest environmental and c limate integrity of such schemes; 1 0.

Invites I PU Member Parliaments to call on their governments to consider ecological fiscal refo rms.
to introduce policy initiatives to promote responsib le consumption and production of forest-related goods , and to repurpose agricultura l subsidies to include agroforestry and sustainable forestry , keeping in mind that policy instruments can be used strategically to create market incentives for responsible and sustainable forest management and to reorient incentives to boost green markets and financing; 11 .
Encourages IPU Member Parliaments to ensure that the objective of net zero emissions is incorporated in national economic, environmental and climate strategies, reaffirming the goals agreed upon in the Paris Agreement to hold the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2•c above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to ts•c above pre-industrial levels.
largely through ambitious efforts to: reduce greenhouse gas emissions to a minimum, and remove residual emissions from the atmosphere by, inter alia, protecting and restoring natural sinks like forests, soil and peatlands or through negative emission technologies such as direct air capture, and bioenergy with carbon capture and storage; 12.
Recommends that IPU Member Parliaments: scale up action to phase down unabated coal power and phase out inefficient fossil fuel subsidies, especially for lignite and coal, which often require extensive logging; bear in mind the principle defined within the UNFCCC, and reconfirmed in the Paris Agreement, of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities in the light of different national circumstances; and direct global development policy in supporting developing countries that plan to construct coal-fired power plants to instead consider renewable energy power plants allowing the same energy production while also protecting energy, job security, climate and forests ; 13.
Calls on IPU Member Parliaments to intensify efforts to reduce the use of charcoal as an energy source and to promote sustainable, cost-effective, viable, renewab le and carbon-neutral alternatives such as solar, hydro, geothermal, wind and nuclear power, bearing in mind the considerable forest loss and C02 emissions resu lting from charcoal being the major source of energy in many developing countries with limited access to energy; 14.
Urges IPU Member Parliaments to: take into account the needs and knowledge of local communities, including forest dwellers, forest-dependent people and Indigenous people, as per national norms in sustainable forest management, which are integral to the fight against climate change; acknowledge that indigenous peoples and local communities have been sustainably managing forests for millennia, using practices based on indigenous knowledge systems, enabling them to fulfil their needs w ithout undermining the capacity of the ecosystems and forests in which they live; reaffirm that land-tenure rights for Indigenous peoples and local communities should be protected and enforced as appropriate; and emphasize that forest restoration preserves the territories and resources of indigenous people and lowers the pressure on declining forests in terms of firewood extraction, illegal logging and charcoal production; 15.
Also urges I PU Member Parliaments to ensure that forest conservation practices and other nature-based climate solutions promote and respect the inherent rights of Indigenous people related to their traditional territories, including their right to be consulted and accommodated when measures and actions might adversely impact them, their lands or their resources; 16.
Invites I PU Member Parliaments to: take action to strengthen their common understanding of forests, their sustainable management and climate protection , taking into account national and regional conditions, including as a matter of intergenerational equity and solidarity; engage the educational sector and local communities in reforestation, through a multi-level strategy and multi-stakeholder approach, as a key to - 6- sustainable and inclusive economic growth; make sure that appropriate educational programmes on forests are implemented and included in school curricula; promote educational efforts with young people and include future generations in climate protection measures so that they are aware of the need to protect forests and the environment and the ways in which it can be done, keeping in mind that it is the children and young people of today and tomorrow who will bear the consequences as climate change intensifies and who thus wish to actively engage in efforts to address climate change; and ensure that gender-sensitive approaches and tools are mainstreamed to provide men and women with an equal opportunity to participate in and benefit from sustainable forest management while also ensuring the engagement of young people in forest-related decision-making; 17.
Urges IPU Member Parliaments to set up mechanisms for agricultural extension services as intermediaries between researchers and farmers to explain the devastating effects of deforestation, train local populations in good agricultural practices, encourage farmers to adopt new, improved methods of farming , help farmers in their decision-making, and ensure that appropriate knowledge is implemented to obtain the best results with regard to sustainable production and rural development, while stressing the need for further investment in agronomy in tropical areas so that inputs like seeds and nutrients as well as training and access to markets can be provided ; 18.
Recommends that I PU Member Parliaments use their legislative powers to support incentives for local people and entrepreneurs in green economic employment and investment, as well as to enhance the balance of economic development at all levels, namely for individuals, families, communities and societies, and to pursue green growth strategies and the benefits of the sharing economy by taking into consideration social, cultural and environmental contexts for life-long learning, resilience and inclusive growth ; 19.
Requests that IPU Member Parliaments allocate a sufficient national budget in terms of investing in research and development for leveraging technology like cross-breeding of trees that are high-performing, have fast-growing roots and possibly promote forest rejuvenation and regeneration, and hence C02 storage capacity and climate resilience or the diversification and combination of tree varieties in forest plantations, in order to take advantage of the existing complementary characteristics of different species; 20.
Encourages IPU Member Parliaments to provide an appropriate national budget to ramp up efforts to mobilize and invest in digital technologies and broadband services that provide access for households in rural and remote areas to online information about sustainable land use and forestry income opportunities, bearing in mind the importance of creating awareness about the need for sustainable forest management; 21.
Strongly urges IPU Member Parliaments to maintain peaceful relations among themselves, to respect State sovereignty and State territory, and to take concerted and united action, despite political, economic and social differences, to bring a rapid end to wars of aggression around the world , bearing in mind that violent conflicts and wars, as well as mines, may lead to the destruction and contamination of ecosystems such as forests that are important not only for the people living in them but also for humankind as a whole; 22.
Urges IPU Member Parliaments to foster enhanced coherence, col laboration and synergies among themselves and with national and international bodies and partners in working towards the common goals set out in this resolution , and to facilitate enhanced support and partnerships, including in terms of financial resources, technology transfer and capacity-building, in order to assist developing countries in promoting forest ecosystems, sustainable afforestation and agroforestry, as well as people's well-being ; 23.
Requests that the IPU Secretary General transmit the present resolution to IPU Member Parliaments, the United Nations Secretary-General and all relevant institutions; 24.

Encourages IPU Mem ber Parliaments to take suitable measures as per national circumstances to achieve the implementation of this resolution.

(amw) ~ Inter-Parliamentary Union For democracy For everyone • 146rH IPU ASSEMBLY I .....
I 'I j CL_a LiaJ I 0----:!~ MANAMA, BAHRAIN 11 ·15 MARCH 2023 - r·rl" \}11Jl.1> 10-11 146th IPU Assembly Manama (11-15 March 2023) Cybercrimes: The new risks to global security Resolution adopted by consensus' by the 146th IPU Assembly (Manama, 15 March 2023) The 146th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, Condemning all forms of cybercri me and reaffirming the need to combat such acts through international cooperation , Reaffirming the existing United Nations framework for responsible State behaviour in the use of information and communications technologies (ICTs) and the need to implement this framework, Recognizing the need to build trust and mutual understanding between countries in response to the ma licious use of ICTs by State as well as non-State actors, who recognize neither boundaries nor borders, Observing the growing use of and dependence on ICTs worldwide , Cognizant of the increase in cybercrime activities due to increasing digitalization, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, Noting the responsibility of parliaments to build a regu latory framework that protects citizens in cyberspace with new infrastructure and resources, in the same way as in the physical world, Recalling United Nations General Assembly resolution 31 /72 of 10 December 1976 on the Convention on the Prohibition of Military or Any Other Hostile Use of Environmental Modification Techniques, resolutions 55/63 of 4 December 2000 and 56/121 of 19 December 2001 on Combating the criminal misuse of information technologies, and resolution 57/239 of 31 January 2003 on the Creation of a global culture of cybersecurity, Recalling also the annual resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly on Developments in the field of information and telecommunications in the context of international security, and in particular resolution 69/28 of 2 December 2014 , resolution 73/266 of 22 December 2018 establishing the Group of Governmental Experts on advancing responsible State behaviour in the context of international security, and resolution 75/240 of 31 December 2020 establishing the Open-ended Working Group on security of and in the use of information and communications technologies 2021-2025, and highlighting the voluntary and non-binding norms of responsible State behaviour in the use of ICTs in the context of international security, developed by the Group of Governmental Experts and endorsed by United Nations General Assembly resolution 701237 of 23 December 2015, which calls on United Nations Member States to be guided by these norms, as well as the establishment, through United Nations General Assembly resolution 77/37 of 7 December 2022, of a United Nations programme of action to discuss existing and potential threats and to support States' capacities and efforts to implement and advance commitments, The delegation of India expressed reservations on operative paragraph 25.
The delegation of the Russian Federation expressed reservations on preambular paragraph 11 and operative paragraph 1 #IPU146 -2- Recalling further the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime of 15 November 2000 and the United Nations Convention against Corruption of 31 October 2003, Stressing the importance of regional conventions on cybercrime, transnational organized crime.
exchange of information and administrative assistance, including the Council of Europe Convention on Cybercrime of 23 November 2001 and its Additional Protocol concerning the criminalisation of acts of a racist and xenophobic nature committed through computer systems of 28 January 2003, the Agreement on Cooperation in Ensuring International information Security between the Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization of 16 June 2009, the Arab Convention on Combating Information Technology Offences of 21 December 2010, the Latin American and Caribbean Parliament (Parlatino) Model Law on Cybercrime of November 2013 and its updates, the Parlatino Model Law on Social Prevention of Violence and Crime of November 2015, the Parlatino Model Law on Computer Crimes of February 2021, and the Parlatino Model Law on Combating Illicit Trade and Transnational Crime of February 2021 .
the Agreement on Cooperation among the Member States of the Commonwealth of Independent States in the Field of Ensuring Information Security of 20 November 2013, the Agreement on Cooperation among the Member States of the Commonwealth of Independent States in the Fight Against Crimes in the Field of Information Technology of 28 September 2018, and the African Union Convention on Cyber Security and Personal Data Protection of 27 June 2014.
Stressing a/so that the Council of Europe Convention on Cybercrime, which is open for accession by any country, has become an instrument of global significance, with States Parties from, and impact in, all regions of the world, Recalling the IPU's work on the various new risks faced by our increasingly digitized societies, including the IPU resolutions Cyber warfare: A serious threat to peace and global security (adopted at the 132nd Assembly, Hanoi, 1 April 2015), and Legislation worldwide to combat online child sexual exploitation and abuse (adopted at the 143rd Assembly, Madrid, 30 November 2021 ).
which also recalls the Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse (the "Lanzarote Convention") of 25 October 2007, Commending the work of the United Nations on advancing responsible State behaviour in cyberspace, Commending also the efforts of the United Nations to enact, through General Assembly resolution 74/247 of 27 December 2019, an international cybercrime convention, and welcoming the creation of an ad hoc committee charged with drafting this convention, Welcoming the participation of the I PU in the multi-stakeholder consultation process of that ad hoc committee in order to ensure that the voice of parliaments is heard, Noting the need for a global approach to the issue of cybercrime and its serious consequences for citizens, as well as the need to protect global peace, security and economic stability while upholding the basic tenets of human rights including freedom of speech, Recognizing the urgent need for legislators.
governments and all stakeholders to take more proactive national steps to combat cybercrime, given its renewed intensity and rapid ly evolving nature, Recognizing a/so that all actions in this field need to have respect for human rights and fundamental rights at their centre, Noting the uneven development in countries' ICT application capacity and ability to protect ICT infrastructure, and emphasizing the need for increased technical assistance and collaboration, especially for developing countries, Noting also that States shall act in accordance with their obligations under international human rights law, including but not limited to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, and additional protocols and other relevant international human rights instruments, - 3- Recognizing the need for common, international parliamentary action to advance awareness and implementation of voluntary and non-binding norms regarding respons ible State behaviour in the use of ICTs, Noting that cybercrime may constitute a serious threat to democratic processes, especially interference in elections through cybersecurity breaches or false social media accounts, Acknowledging that women, young people, children, elderly people, people with disabilities, and racialized communities are particularly vulnerable to cybercrimes, Acknowledging also the need for efforts to promote gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls in all their diversity, including through gender mainstreaming, in the development, implementation and application of policies, programmes and legislation in this field, Noting the nature of the threats and risks of transnational cybercrime to international peace and security, and the tremendous developments in cyberspace, as a result of which the methods used by cybercriminals are becoming increasingly sophisticated, Noting also that cybercrime includes but is not limited to attacks on computer systems, breaches of privacy, the creation and deployment of malware, and, increasingly, the facilitation of attacks on critical civilian infrastructure, as well as other acts that can occur offline and be facil itated by computer systems, including online fraud, drug trade, money-laundering, hate crimes, human trafficking, and technology-facilitated gender-based violence such as sexual harassment, threats, stalking, bullying, sexist hate speech, and the sexual exploitation of women and children via the internet- all of which negatively affect global security and economic stability, Considering that most national laws were enacted before cybercrime arose and therefore do not always adequately address these threats, 1.
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Encourages parliaments to consider taking the necessary steps for their country to accede, if it has not yet done so, to existing international instruments that address the use of ICTs for criminal purposes, including the Council of Europe Convention on Cybercrime, which is the most comprehensive multilateral cybercrime treaty in force and is open for accession by all States; Calls upon parliaments to make sure their legislation on cybercrime is up to date and relevant, in accordance with international law, including international human rights instruments, to allocate the necessary resources to this end and to engage all stakeholders, including the private sector, academia, civil society and the technical community, considering the ongoing increase in the scale, scope, speed, complexity and frequency of such acts and their implications for national security, international peace and security, and global economic stability, as well as to include in such legislation extraterritorial jurisdiction to enable the prosecution of criminal acts, irrespective of where those acts were committed and whether they constitute offences in the foreign jurisdiction in question; Urges parliaments to ensure that human rights impact assessments are embedded in all legislative processes on cybercrime ; Calls upon parliaments to enhance the capacity of law enforcement officers, including investigative authorities, prosecutors and judges, in the field of cybercrime, and to equip them to effectively investigate, prosecute and adjudicate cases of cybercrime offences; Encourages parliaments to make full use of their oversight function to ensure that governments have the tools, including appropriate resources and capacity, to prevent and combat the rapid increase in cybercrimes and to protect the cybersecurity, identity, privacy and data of citizens while safeguarding human rights and freedoms; Strongly recommends that parliaments ensure that their national legislative frameworks on the protection of critical national infrastructure, including the infrastructure that supports the internet, are up to date, or that they establish such frameworks where necessary; -4- 7.
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Encourages parliaments to promote an open, free and secure cyberspace by calling on their governments to abide by the United Nations norms of responsible State behaviour in cyberspace, to cooperate in fighting cybercrime as well as cybercriminals and malicious actors, to respond to requests for assistance and capacity-building, if possible in real time, in accordance with the rule of law and fully respecting international human rights law and fundamental freedoms, to secure the supply chain of companies in their countries, to report voluntarily on potential vulnerabilities to third parties to assist them in preventing future incidents, and in particular to support and protect all cyber incident response teams within and beyond their borders; Also encourages parliaments to draft gender-responsive legislation promoting cross cutting cybersecurity services that prioritize prevention (awareness-raising, auditing and training), incident detection (24 hours a day, 7 days a week), and an instant and efficient response to cyber threats, through a victim-centric approach Recommends that parliaments promote the establishment of relevant institutions and bodies- such as national cybersecurity centres, computer emergency response teams, computer security incident response teams and secu rity operations centres where these do not already exist in their country; 10.
Also recommends that all parliaments ensure that such institutions and bod ies have adequate budgetary resources and specialized personnel, including women cybersecurity experts, to allow for an agile, timely and effective response to cybercrime and to protect critical civilian infrastructure, public institutions, companies and citizens without breaching privacy, while taking into account that the increasing digitalization of public services and utilities could imply major exposure to digital risks; 11.
Urges parliaments to promote international coordination between such institutions and bodies in order to monitor, prevent, detect, investigate and respond to cyber threats; 12.

Invites parliaments to encourage their governments to provide specific cybersecurity training in order to help increase the number of cybersecurity professionals and to strengthen their performance; 13.
Reaffirms that an open, secure, stable, accessible and peacefui iCT environment is essential for all and requires effective cooperation among States to reduce risks to international peace and security, and calls upon the international community to promote full respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms; 14.
Calls upon parliaments to encourage investment in research and development, incorporating into the design of each project specific cybersecurity provisions, w ith appropriate budget allocation, in order to anticipate and protect against possible emerging cyber threats; 15.
Encourages parliaments to partner with industry, academia and all other stakeholders, including civil society, with their respective governments as key facilitators, in order to foster a strong and collaborative cybersecurity ecosystem that fully respects human rights principles and international human rights obligations; 16.
Calls upon parliaments and parliamentarians to actively engage in promoting a shared, up-to-date national understanding of the nature of cybercrime as experienced by citizens, organizations and institutions; 17.
Urges parliaments to help foster a true "culture of cybersecurity" by developing educational curricula focused on training future generations, from childhood onwards, in digital literacy and technological know-how, covering both the great opportun ities presented and the serious risks posed by technology; 18.
Recommends that parliaments broaden protections for women, young people, children, elderly people, people with disabilities, and racialized communities in cyberspace, taking respect for human rights and the prevention of gender-based violence into account in the development of educational policies on the use of social media; - 5- 19.
Urges parliaments to take the necessary action to protect critical moments in democracy, and especially those periods when citizens exercise their right to vote, in order to avoid attacks and interferences that seek to influence, change or violate the free formation of public opinion during the electoral process; 20.
Calls upon the international community to take action to protect democracy by ensuring that all parliaments worldwide, as institutions representing the will of the people, are afforded special protection through their inclusion in lists of critical civilian infrastructure and essential services; 21.
Stresses the need to further enhance international cooperation and assistance in the area of ICT security and capacity-building, as a means to bridge dig ital divides and strengthen the response to cyber threats globally; 22.

Calls upon parliaments to deepen their understanding of the complex and rapid ly evolving nature of cybercrime by enabling the open sharing of knowledge, experience and expertise, and by holding specialized seminars, workshops and conferences on this subject; 23.
Invites the IPU Secretariat, in partnership with other relevant organizations, to promote this new vision of cybersecurity by supporting parliaments in their capacity-building endeavours; 24.
Recommends that the IPU, as the global organization of parliaments, play a leading role in preventing and combating cybercrime, and in stimulating cyber-resilience, by participating in all relevant international forums, including those led by the United Nations, with a view to ensuring that the voice of parliaments is heard; 25.
Promotes the creation of a working group on cybercrime, subsidiary to the Governing Council of the IPU , whose specific mission shall be to comply with the mandates and objectives established in this resolution , and whose powers shall include both supporting the process for the promotion of an international convention on cybercrime within the framework of the United Nations, and strengthening the capacities of IPU Member Parliaments in terms of law-making, oversight and budgeting; 26.
Recommends that the I PU raise awareness among parliaments on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals through, above all else, their universa l commitments to digital security.

Int er-Parliam entary Union For democracy For everyone.

146th IPU Assembly Manama (11-15 March 2023) 146rH IPU ASSEMBLY I _,.
I I( ,Ci__o LiaJI ~~ MANAMA, BAHRAIN • 11·15 MARCH 2023 - ~-~1"' VUJL.o 10-11 Raising awareness and calling for action on the serious humanitarian crises affecting the peoples of Afghanistan, the Syrian Arab Republic, Ukraine, Yemen and other countries, and on the particular vulnerability of women and children Resolution adopted by consensus· by the 146th IPU Assembly (Manama, 14 March 2023) The 146th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union , Considering that low- and middle-income countries host 74% of the world's refugees and other people in need of international protection , that the least developed countries provide asylum to 22% of these people, and that 90% of the world's humanitarian needs are concentrated in 20 countries that, together, represent no more than 13% of the world's population and 1.6% of global GOP, Cognizant that the affected countries cannot meet the needs of the at-risk popu lation, making it essential for the international community to guarantee humanitarian assistance including food distribution, health care and, in many cases, infrastructure reconstruction, and that, in 2023, an estimated 340 million people will need humanitarian assistance, Recalling that such international humanitarian assistance is protected by the "right to life, liberty and security" of all persons, an inalienable and universal principle enshrined in Article 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948, and that these rights have been endorsed in the International Covenant on Economic Social and Cultural Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights of 1966, the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide of 1948, and the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their Additional Protocols, among others, which together constitute the international legal framework that, pursuant to Article 2 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, promotes and protects the human rights of all "without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion,
 political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status", Underlining that the United Nations General Assembly has made achieving gender equality by 2030 a target of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in particu lar through Goal 5, including but not limited to Target 5.2: "Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in public and private spheres, including trafficking and sexual and other types of exploitation", Recalling United Nations General Assembly resolution 2816 of 14 December 1971 , which established the post of Disaster Relief Co-ordinator (DRC) to provide humanitarian assistance to victims of natural disasters and other emergencies, and resolution 46/182 of 19 December 1991 , th rough which the DRC was rena med the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and given expanded powers to coordinate humanitarian assistance, to facilitate access to emergency areas, to conduct the organization's needs assessment missions, to prepare joint appeals and to mobilize resources, E #IPU146 The delegation of Yemen expressed a reservation on the entire resolution.
The delegation of India abstained from supporting the resolution.
- 2 - Welcoming the creation of the Central Emergency Response Fund, managed by OCHA, which, based on voluntary donations, makes it possible to finance humanitarian response actions worldwide, Recalling the Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees of 1951 , which defines a refugee as any person who, "owing to well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality and is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country", Recalling a/so United Nations General Assembly reso lution 73/195 of 29 December 2018 on the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, Noting with deep concern that women and girls are still exposed to sexual violence, in particular committed by combatants, Emphasizing that rape, sexual slavery, enforced prostitution, forced pregnancy, enforced sterilization and all other forms of sexual violence of comparable gravity constitute crimes against humanity, Noting with deep concern the especially dramatic situation in Afghanistan , where about 24 million Afghans are experiencing misery, hunger and freezing temperatures, including many children at severe risk of violence and family separation, Noting that decades of uninterrupted war, coupled with years of drought and low temperatures, have led to total social and economic collapse, causing the displacement of 3.5 million people and making Afghans one of the largest refugee populations in the world , Recalling that the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IP U) works in favour of peace and cooperation among peoples, promoting the defence of universal human rights, and stressing that absolute respect for such rights is an essential factor for democracy and the development of all nations, Recalling also the joint statement on Afghanistan issued on 30 August 2021 by the IPU Committee to Promote Respect for International Humanitarian Law and the IPU Committee on the Human
 Rights of Parliamentarians, Alarmed by the situation of Afghan women and girls, and noting that the Taliban takeover caused the immediate repression of women, excluding them from secondary and university education, while the absence of a male "guardian" prevents many of them from leaving their homes or even accessing essential services, causing them to lose jobs and the corresponding economic support, Deeply disturbed by attacks on women parliamentarians, including the assassination of Ms. Mursal Nabizada on 15 January 2023 and the attempt on the life of Ms. Fawzia Koofi on 14 August 2020, and recalling that the looming risk to women parliamentarians in Afghanistan prompted a decision by the IPU Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians on 2 February 2023, Acknowledging the disastrous humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, caused by a war of aggression, where civilian casualties and the destruction of critical infrastructure have forced millions of people to cross borders into neighbouring countries, in addition to the internally displaced, Noting that, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), as of February 2023, an estimated 17.6 million people in Ukraine require urgent humanitarian assistance and an estimated 8 million refugees from Ukraine are scattered throughout Europe, 90% of them women and children, and that, according to the International Organization for Migration, there are 5.3 million internally displaced persons within Ukraine, - 3- Reca/fing the emergency item resolutions adopted at the 144th and 145th IPU Assemblies, held in Nusa Dua and Kigali respectively, which recognized the magnitude of the humanitarian situation in Ukraine and were aligned with the resolutions adopted on this subject by the United Nations in 2022, Recalling also the situation in Yemen, where a bloody civil war, in one of the countries with the most vulnerable populations in the Middle East, has resulted in v iolence that has affected millions of people,
 caused hundreds of thousands of deaths and led to mass displacement, Noting that over 20 million Yemenis require humanitarian assistance, includi ng 4 million internally displaced persons, Recognizing the catastrophic and unsustainable situation faced by people in the Syrian Arab Republic, where the recent earthquake that affected the north of the country, and the south of Ti.irkiye, has created a humanitarian crisis, compounding the effects of the civil war in the Syrian Arab Republic, Noting that some 6.6 million Syrians have been forced to flee to other countries, and that there are 6.7 million internally displaced persons within the Syrian Arab Republic, Considering the current situation in South Sudan, a country ravaged since its birth by an ongoing civil war, where 4.3 million people are currently in need of humanitarian assistance, including refugees (of which 63% are children), internally displaced persons and asylum-seekers, Recognizing the crisis in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, where violence, insecurity, and lack of food, medicine and essential seNices have triggered the largest m igration in the history of Latin America, with 7 million Venezuelan refugees and migrants, and noting that these refugees and migrants are frequently forced to take unauthorized routes, falling victim to traffickers and irregular armed groups, Cognizant that humanitarian crises are caused not onl y by conflicts, corrupt governments, wars of aggression, invasions and civil wars, but also by climate change, such as the massive floods that hit Pakistan in 2022, which claimed 1 ,800 lives, left more than 2.1 million people homeless and affected 33 million people in total, Acknowledging that the above-mentioned crises are only those with the highest numbers of displaced persons, and emphasizing that other humanitarian crises are also taking place in many other regions of the world, including but not limited to Burkina Faso, Burundi , the Central African Republic, Chad , the
 Democratic People's Republic of Korea , the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Haiti, Iraq, Mali, Myanmar, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Palestine, Somalia and the Sudan, 1.
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Considers that humanitarian crises are the leading cause of human rights violations in the world; Recognizes that it is up to the international community to collaborate to protect human lives, to alleviate suffering, to safeguard dignity, and to guarantee access to basic seNices such as food, medical care, water and shelter for all persons, regardless of their origins, through legal and policy measures at the national level, and encourages governments to pursue the SDGs, and Goal 5 in particular, through such measures; Expresses its sympathy for the populations of Afghanistan , South Sudan, the Syrian Arab Republic, Ukraine, Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) and Yemen , as well as for the millions of people who, on every continent, suffer deprivation and persecution as a result of war, oppressive regimes, terrorism, violence and natural disasters; Calls upon the parliaments of the world to speak out against, and to exert political and diplomatic pressure on, those who bear responsibility for human itarian crises, and to offer support to affected populations; -4- 5.
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Calls for awareness-raising for national authorities and civil society in countries around the world, so that they are able to contribute, to the greatest extent possible, to the creation of specialized assistance programmes for people affected by humanitarian crises; Calls upon all nations to strengthen the United Nations Secretary-General's High Level Task Force on Preventing Famine, adopting simplified protocols to increase the access of ch ildren and young people to treatment for malnutrition; Appeals for the strengthening of regional and interregional cooperation in order to facilitate the opening of humanitarian corridors that guarantee safe transit for vulnerable people, especially women and children from crisis-affected areas, while managing or negotiating agreements that allow the safe passage of humanitarian assistance; Strongly condemns any attack on the lives, integrity and well-being of civilians, and calls upon parliaments and governments to take action against impunity for international crimes that cause humanitarian crises and persecution , in particular through support for the International Criminal Court, through national prosecution efforts and through appropriate legal mechanisms for the punishment of aggression and other international crimes; Calls for an increase in international support and assistance for refugees and internally displaced persons, be they men, women or children, who lack access to basic rights and reasonable living conditions, as well as for other people who do not have refugee status; 10.
Notes that women , together with children , are the main victims of humanitarian crises; 11.

Calls for support for the efforts of the United Nations and other organizations working for the defence and promotion of women 's rights; 12.

Demands that governments refrain from the use of sexu al and gender-based violence as a systematic tactic of warfare; 13.

Urges governments to meet the needs of survivors of sexual and gender-based violence; 14.
Strongly supports the empowerment of women and youth, and affirms its defence of the rights and interests of women, especially in Afghanistan, the Syrian Arab Republic, Ukraine and Yemen, and of all those living through humanitarian crises; 15.
Calls for global support for vulnerable host countries w hich have capacity constraints in order to enable them to provide sufficient education and health care for refugees and asylum-seekers, and urges host countries to develop and implement frameworks that guarantee refugees and asylum-seekers, particularly women and girls, access to these vital services, 16.

Calls upon governments to consistently enforce the prohibition of discrimination on the basis of gender in all respects; 17.
Deplores the practice of forced deportation , which is a crime under international criminal law, international humanitarian law and international human rights law, and the forced deportation of children in particular, and calls for urgent action by United Nations Member States to stop this practice and to return children to their families ; 18.
Expresses particular concern about the persecution experienced by women and gi rls in Afghanistan, and calls upon the current de facto authorities to respect the Charter of the United Nations, international treaties and conventions, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; - 5- 19.
Calls upon all governments and parliaments to ensure that there are no obstacles, including under immunity provisions or procedural law, that prevent the award of compensation to victims of international crimes, either through their governments or directly; 20.
Calls for closer coordination between United Nations agencies and the international community in order to guarantee the implementation of the provisions of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and its Optional Protocols, especially in countries such as Afghanistan; 21.
Endorses the decision of the I PU Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians to condemn , in the strongest possible terms, the atrocious murder of Afghan citizen and parliamentarian Ms. Mursal Nabizada, and affirms that this brutal crime is an affront to the rights, values and principles promoted by the IPU ; 22.
Calls upon the IPU Executive Committee to follow up on parliamentary work on the humanitarian crises in Afghanistan, the Syrian Arab Republic, Ukraine, Yemen and other countries to support the efforts of the international com mun ity, and its parliaments in particular, aimed at providing assistance to populations, and at promoting order, stability and the long-term restoration of institutions in order to achieve human and sustainable development in democracy; 23.
Calls upon the international community to address the urgent need for robust financial support by strengthening its institutional support and cooperative financi ng mechanisms, including the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, the Central Emergency Response Fund managed by OCHA, and UNHCR, and recommends that the above financial support be allocated not only to immediate and individual humanitarian assistance such as food and medicine, but also to the design of reconstruction plans for essential infrastructure in order to maintain the basic functions of society in Afghanistan, the Syrian Arab Republic , Ukraine and Yemen; 24.
Calls for the strengthening of humanitarian assistance mechanisms to respond to these humanitarian crises.
GOVERNMENT OF MALTA OfPI\nTMENT OF INFORJ\·1ATION PRESS R E l_EAS E 1 '---11 _ _ ~_---.J 11 11.03.2023 I PR230379 PRESS RELEASE BY THE OFFICE OF THE SPEAKER Maltese Parliamentmy delegation held a bilateral meeting with the Ukrainian delegation on the margins of the 146111 Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, in Manama, Bahrain On 10 March 2023 a Maltese parliamentary delegation, led by Speaker Angl u Farrugia, and comprising MPs Randolph De Battista and Robert Cutajar, he ld bilateral talks with the Ukrain ian delegation headed by the First Deputy Chairman of the Verhovna Rada of Ukraine, Mr Olksandr Kornienko.
The meeting took place on the margins ofthe 1461 h Assembly ofthe Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), which is being held in Manama, Bahrain.

The Ukrainian delegation expressed its appreciation for Malta's support to Ukraine to become a candidate country aimed at joining the European Union and the timely humanitarian assistance extended to the Ukrainian people in this time of need.
Speaker Farrugia a nd other members of the Maltese delegation reiterated Malta's suppott and solidarity with the people of Ukraine and referred to the Eleventh Emergency Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly and the adoption of the resolution o n the war in U kraine.
The Ma ltese de legation also noted the important role played by the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, reflecting the Parliament's support to Ukraine and its people and the IPU meeting held in Kigali in October 2022 where the Maltese delegation voted in support of an emergency item on Ukraine.
The Maltese delegation also stressed that whilst Malta is a neutral country this does not mean that it remains complacent in the breaching of international law and respect for territorial integrity.

Whil st Malta fee ls that it is important to bring the perpetrators before the International Criminal Court (ICC), it is imperative the ICC has international leg itimacy.

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rel&ilsesi~tgov mt www.doi.gov.mt ............ .. r r.: ./ .. ~.- GOVERNMENT OF MALTA DEPARTMENT OF I NFORMATION PRESS RE l_EASE L__P_R2_3_0_38_2 _ _JI I 13.03.2023 II L -_2 __ ~ _ _ __,) PRESS RELEASE BY THE OFFICE OF THE SPEAKER Speaker Anglu Farrugia addresses the 1461 " Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union Speaker Anglu Farrugia participated in the general debate and addressed the 146111 Assembly of the Inter Parliamentary Union (IPU) on Sunday, 12 March.
The general debate focused on addressing intolerance aimed at promoting peaceful coexistence and inclusive societies.

In his opening remarks, the Speaker stated that keeping peace and promoting peaceful coexistence is a continuous and universal process.

It is crucial to transform words into action and be open to different beliefs and creeds.

Speaker Farrugia emphasised that tolerance and peace necessitate a reciprocal approach and the patticipation by everyone.
Speaker Farrugia opined that parliaments have an important role in promoting peace as they are the institutions that enact legislation and are in direct contact with their respective constituency.

He also referred to Malta's vocation as a neutral state and as a promoter of peace, recalling the is land' s impmtant role at the meeting of the Conference for Security and Cooperation in Europe in 1975 in Helsinki , and recently by hosting the Global Council for Tolerance and Peace in Malta.
Speaker Farrugia referred to the reso lution adopted by the General Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union in March 2020 on the Peaceful resolution of the war in Ukraine, the respect for international law, the Charter of the Un ited Nations a nd territorial integrity.

He stressed that parliamentarians need to seek tang ibl e results through the work of the Task Force established as a resu lt of that reso lut ion.

The 146111 Assembly is being held in Manama between 11-15 March.
The Assembly is expected to conclude with the adoption of an outcome document on the overall theme of the general debate.

MPs Randolph Debattista and Robett Cutajar are also part of the Maltese Parliame nt at this Assembly.

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