FNC, IPU signs cooperation and partnership agreement

Geneva: The Federal National Council (FNC) and the Inter-Parliamentary Union yesterday signed an agreement of cooperation and partnership to promote parliamentary cooperation relations between the two sides, the first such agreement to be signed by the Union in its 125 year history. The agreement is considered as yet another significant milestone to add to the UAE's record of achievements, and a demonstration of how the UAE enjoys a good reputation and the confidence of the international community. The agreement was signed by Mohammed Ahmed Al Murr, Speaker of Federal National Council (FNC) and Abdul Wahid Radi, President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, on the sidelines of the UAE Parliamentary Division of FNC IPU meetings being held in Geneva. On the occasion, Al Murr delivered a speech in which he stressed the importance of the partnership agreement with the Inter-Parliamentary Union because it will bring the mutual benefit of the potential and capabilities of each side in parliamentary diplomacy to contribute to strengthening the role of parliamentarians at the international level. Al Murr added that the agreement is a sign of appreciation by the Inter-Parliamentary Union of the role of parliamentary diplomacy of the FNC, which has achieved wide openness at various parliaments around the world according to the specific principles of mutual respect, dialogue, tolerance and peace, and strengths the bonds of parliamentary cooperation at the international level. Al Murr pointed out that the General-Secretariat of the FNC offered its advanced experience before the Inter- Parliamentary Union three years ago, which was wildly accepted, stressing that the partnership agreement will enhance the areas of parliamentary cooperation through joint programmes and events aimed to spread parliamentary culture and will contribute to consolidating parliamentary knowledge as a fundamental mechanism of action for stability and peace within the societies of the world. Al Murr said that the relations between the UAE and the Inter- Parliamentary Union began in 1977 a short time after its inception, and since then the UAE, represented by the FNC, has played an important role in the Union, participating effectively in all its activities. He added that the UAE has been able to prove its efficiency and has occupied a major role in IPU's actions through its membership of the Executive Committee. The partnership agreement stipulated that the IPU as the oldest multilateral political organisation, the Global Parliamentary Organisation, which includes representatives of the peoples of the world since 1889 and the FNC as a representative of the legislative authority in the UAE work to enhance the ties of cooperation and coordination with the aim of supporting parliamentary work and its development. Under the agreement, the Inter-Parliamentary Union is committed to participate effectively with the FNC in its parliamentary activities and events and to provide the necessary technical and advisory support to ensure success for the programmes, events and activities of the Council and to participate with the Council in joint parliamentary programmes to ensure the dissemination of culture and the development of parliamentary work mechanisms both nationally and internationally, as well as issuing parliamentary publications that promote and strengthen the dissemination of parliamentary knowledge and tools and mechanisms of parliamentary work. Under the terms of the agreement, the IPU and FNC agreed on the exchange of books and publications issued by them and the exchange of views on a regular basis in various matters of mutual interest between the two sides, as well as mutual respect for the privacy of each party, and through the exercise of a joint parliamentary activities with a third party are subject to the provisions of the agreement and both sides are also committed to the rights of the intellectual property rights owned by the other party. The agreement will be effective from the day after the signing for four years and shall be automatically renewed unless one party notifies the other with its desire for non-renewal at least six months before the end of its term. Furthermore, in the event of non-renewal of the agreement, the work continues between the FNC and IPU to carry out existing joint programmes in accordance with the provisions of the memorandum until the agreement expires. – Emirates News Agency, WAM