Shura Council, Russian Federation Council sign MoU to boost parliamentary ties and share legislative expertise

Moscow, July 15 (BNA): The Shura Council and the Federation Council of the Russian Federation have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on parliamentary cooperation between the two bodies.

The signing took place in the presence of Ali bin Saleh Al Saleh, Chairman of the Shura Council, and Valentina Matvienko, Speaker of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation.  

The signing ceremony was held at the Federation Council headquarters in Moscow, as part of the official visit by the Chairman to Russia.

The MoU represents a significant step towards enhancing parliamentary diplomacy between the Kingdom of Bahrain and Russia. It reflects the longstanding ties between the two countries and seeks to enhance existing cooperation, which continues to receive strong support from His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa.

The MoU sets a general framework for parliamentary diplomatic cooperation between the Shura Council and the Federation Council. It includes the formation of friendship committees, the holding of conferences, and coordination of both councils’ relations with international parliamentary organisations.

The agreement also aims to expand cooperation by promoting mutual visits and the exchange of parliamentary expertise. It supports joint work in research and parliamentary studies, as well as the sharing of knowledge on digital systems and e-governance tools that support parliamentary work.

The Chairman said that the MoU establishes a comprehensive and ambitious framework for boosting parliamentary relations between the two councils. He emphasised the Shura Council’s commitment to implement the MoU and expand cooperation in line with the mutual goals of achieving further progress and success in the parliamentary field.

The signing ceremony was attended by Dr. Jihad Abdullah Al Fadhel, Second Deputy Chairperson of the Shura Council; Khalid Hussain Al Maskati, Chairman of the Financial and Economic Affairs Committee; Dr. Mohammed Ali Hassan Ali, Chairman of the Public Utilities and Environment Committee; and Karima Mohammed Al Abbasi, Secretary General of the Shura Council. Also in attendance were several members of the Russian Federation Council and Ahmed Abdulrahman Al Saati, Ambassador of Bahrain to Russia.