Opening:The Parliamentary Forum brought together some 160 Members of Parliament from 55countries, including several Speakers of parliament. It was convened by the Inter-Parliamentary Union and the Grand National Assembly of Turkey in cooperation withthe Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, LandlockedCountries, and Small Island States (OHRLLS).The Speaker of the Grand National Assembly, Hon. Mehmet Ali Sahin, and theSecretary General of the IPU, Mr. Anders Johnsson, welcomed participants alongwith the United Nations Secretary-General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon, and the Prime Ministerof Nepal, Mr. Jhal Nath Khanal, as Chair of the LDC Group.Their introductoryremarks underscored the importance of involving parliaments in the implementationof the nascent Istanbul Programme of Action and also acknowledged the progressmade in the negotiation of the document where an agreement on the role ofparliaments had already been reached.PART I - Session I:Taking a hard look at the LDCs today: progress and setbacks, and their politicalunderpinningsThe session was introduced by Ms.Fazilet Çiğlik, Memberof Parliament (Turkey),Mr. Cheick Sidi Diarra, Secretary General of the Fourth UN Conference on the LeastDeveloped Countries (LDC IV), and Mr. Kim Yeat Chhit, Senator (Cambodia). Mr.Luis Fraga, Senator (Spain), served as moderator. Interventions from the floor weremade by the delegations of Mali, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Senegal and the EuropeanParliament.This session looked at the LDCs today, their progress and setbacks over the pastdecade (under the Brussels Programme of Action) and their political underpinnings.The following main points can be drawn from the presentations made and the ensuingdebate:Analysis of national reports, regional reviews and proceedings of LDC IV pre-conference thematic events show that the LDCs have made significantprogress in many areas and particularly in economic growth, increases incapital formation, reduction of interest rates and narrowing fiscal deficits andprogress in the realization of some of the Millennium Development Goals.Despite these advances, half of the population of 880 million in the LDCs areliving in extreme poverty, productive capacities remain weak, institutional

capacities are lacking, and the number of unemployed continues to riseparticularly among the youth. The usual challenges faced by LDCs are furtheraggravated by the numerous global challenges such as the economic andfinancial crisis and rising food and fuel prices. Consequently, the LDCs arebecoming more susceptible to external shocks and are being furthermarginalized from the global economy.Some of the major lessons learned include the need for LDCs to be committedand proactive in their own development. The new Istanbul Programme ofAction (IPOA) must be fully integrated into national development plans toensure national ownership and therefore its effectiveness. Increased resourcesand capacity are required to ensure implementation of the IPOA. There is aneed for greater accountability by all partners, both globally and nationally,with LDCs taking full ownership by leading with examples of goodgovernance as well as improved South-South cooperation.Good governance is a necessary condition to development. Parliaments, aspillars of good governance, have a crucial role in all aspects of theimplementation monitoring and review of the Istanbul Programme of Actionand must be able to exercise their legislative, oversight and representativefunction across the full range of development issues. Furthermore, increasedparticipation of women in politics is a key component of better parliaments.

Part I - Session II:Overview of the Istanbul Programme of Action (IPOA)The session was introduced by Ambassador Gyan Chandra Acharia of Nepal as one ofthe lead negotiators of the IPOA, and Mr. Danny Singoma of the Network for thePromotion of Democracy and Economic and Social Rights, based in the DemocraticRepublic of the Congo. Ms. Petra Bayr, Member of Parliament (Austria), served asmoderator. Interventions from the floor were made by the delegations of theDemocratic Republic of the Congo, Saudi Arabia, Madagascar, Bangladesh, SolomonIslands, Iran, Maldives, and Malawi.The discussion focused on the expectations of the IPOA and helped provide an overallsense of how the IPOA measures up to the actual needs and realities of the LDCs atthis particular point in time, taking into account both progress and setbacks over thepast decade.The following main points can be drawn from the presentations made and the ensuingdebate:The previous Brussels POA fell short of expectations because governmentswere not fully committed. There was not enough buy-in by the governmentthemselves and their development partners. In addition, the oversight role ofparliament was weak if not missing altogether. Where graduation did occur, asin the case of the Maldives, it was always thanks to strong bipartisan andmulti-stakeholder commitment.2

Lack of commitment explains in part why aid, debt relief, and trade reforms,among other things, all fell short of the mark. Though aid went up, it did notachieve the official targets; while debt relief did take place for many countries,it still leaves the LDCs at risk of falling back into the debt trap. Tradeconditions also improved, but the overall share of global trade that isaccounted for by the LDCs remains too small.For the IPOA to succeed, it will need to include clear targets, indicators andtimetables. The IPOA will need to address both the underling structuralproblems of the LDCs, but also the crises of food security and climate change.The IPOA needs to be bold and address politically sensitive issues like theproblem of large land purchases by foreign agribusiness, and how theseundermine local farmers and rural development. The IPOA will also need tocommit to a stronger partnership for development, including through South-South cooperation.The main objective of the IPOA will be to bring a much more significantnumber of LDCs to graduation by the end of the decade, while also providingfor support to newly-graduated countries so that they don’t fall back into thecategory. Graduation can only be possible through collective efforts at bothnational and global levels.The IPOA will place more emphasis than the BPOA on the need to strengthenthe productive capacities of the LDCs. However, and very appropriately, theIPOA also recognizes the need for institutional reforms and capacity building.While it may be difficult to prioritize between these two factors, it is clear thatthey go hand in hand and must be made to work in a mutually reinforcing way.The IPOA’s strong acknowledgement of the role of parliaments in overseeingdevelopment plans, in strengthening governance, and in supporting the overallimplementation of the new commitments for the LDCs was greetedenthusiastically. Parliaments are finally recognized as key partners in a majorglobal compact for the LDCs. In developed countries in particular, parliamentsmust push the government to fulfill their side of the deal in the IPOA.Parliaments will need to help enact legislation that is in line with the IPOA. Tothis effect, parliaments should consider forming dedicated committees orworking groups to help focus attention to the IPOA. Similarly, parliamentswill need to strengthen their linkages to civil society in order to betterrepresent the needs and concerns of the people.In many places, parliaments too need to be reformed so that they become moredemocratic, i.e., more accountable to and representative of the people. Theelectorate needs to become more informed of the IPOA as well in order toplace more pressure on both parliaments and government.Because LDCs remain generally aid dependent (though not always gettingtheir fair share of aid), it will be important for the IPOA to address the basicconstraints that affect aid effectiveness in those countries. Parliamentary3

oversight of aid therefore needs to be strengthened. That said, all LDCs shouldstrive to become self-sufficient by developing their own resources.PART II – Session I:Working group discussionsThe first session of the afternoon was devoted to working group discussions(“knowledge café”) on the question of how to translate commitments into action andhow to mobilize parliamentary support for the IPOA. Small groups of participantswere put questions relevant to parliamentary capacity and the IPOA and asked todiscuss their experiences and ideas. The session concluded with each group presentingtheir most useful suggestions, many of which focused on the need to improve thecapacities of parliaments to oversee the IPOA.Feedback received from the groups highlighted the need to:----------Strengthen the research, monitoring and reporting capacities of parliament on theIPOA;Ensure greater access to relevant information and documents concerning theIPOA;Improve mechanisms for sharing of information and coordination between thespecialised parliamentary committees concerned with different aspects of theIPOAStrengthen relations with the executive to ensure complementarity of each other’swork in the implementation of the IPOA;Improve relations within parliament to establish cross-party priorities and policiesrelated to IPOA commitments;Develop effective public consultations on relevant legislation or a policy ofinterest to the IPOA;Improve people’s understanding with regard to the real function of parliaments;Enhance oversight capacities, including oversight of the budget and foreign aid, toallow parliamentarians to effectively monitor funding allocated to implementationof the IPOA;Increase awareness by parliamentarians of the IPOA and their own nationaldevelopment problems;Include parliamentarians in thematic working groups and multi-stakeholder bodiesrelevant to areas of the IPOA at the national level.

Further general comments received from the working groups referred to theimportance of parliaments, with their budgetary, legislative, representative andoversight function, as fully fledged partners at the national and global level in theimplementation of the IPOA. Participants also reiterated the need to createmechanisms within parliaments to oversee and monitor implementation of the IPOA.Many LDCs need to implement numerous international development plans andcommitments. In order to effectively do so, and allow for development to take place,it is essential to ensure that international development commitments are tailored toaddress specific national priorities and are wholly integrated into nationaldevelopment plans.

Part II – Session II: Presentation of the IPU-UN project proposal and discussionon a Parliamentary Action PlanMr. Alessandro Motter, IPU Senior Advisor for Economic and Social Affairs, Mr.Sandagorj Erdenebileg, Acting Director (OHRLLS) and Executive Secretary of LDCIV, and Mr. Saber Chowdhury, Member of Parliament (Bangladesh), elaborated on ajoint IPU-OHRLLS project proposal and accompanying parliamentary action plan(Annex I) to get parliaments actively involved in the future implementation of theIPOA. The session was moderated by Mr. Phil Matsheza, Policy Adviser, UNDPDemocratic Governance Group.The IPU-OHRLLS project would run at first over the next five years. At the countrylevel, the project revolves around the creation of focal points in both LDC and non-LDC parliaments to help review the parliament’s working methods and structures(committees etc.), liaise with UN and government focal points on the ground, andgenerally assist with the mainstreaming of the IPOA into the entire policy spectrum.At the global level, the project seeks to plug MPs into future reviews of the IPOA,foster cooperation and technical assistance between parliaments, and stimulate thesharing of best practices and policy advice between parliaments.The model action plan was presented to provide parliaments with overall guidance asto the activities and outcomes they ought to consider in order to carry forward theIPOA. Parliaments were invited to adapt the plan to their particular needs andcircumstances. It would be for the parliamentary focal points to initiate a discussionaround the plan in their respective parliaments.The meeting generated general support for the two approaches put forward.Comments received included:Parliamentary focal points ought not to act in isolation. They need to reach outto others and seek to build bridges across the political spectrum. It would begood for parliaments to appoint at least two focal points, from the majority andthe opposition respectively, and with due consideration to gender balance.A partnership between focal points in developed and LDC countries ought tobe nurtured. Parliaments in non-LDCs where the IPOA may resonate less mustalso proceed to appoint focal points. In the LDCs, focal points will need moresupport and resources to do their work.Key to the support of the focal point mechanism in each LDC parliament willbe the creation of corresponding focal points in the UN’s country office(Resident Coordinator). The UNRC must provide regular information as wellas support in the form of capacity building and policy advice.The possibility of establishing a new committee, working group or caucusdedicated to the IPOA should be considered carefully. Alternatively, improvedcoordination and sharing of information relevant to the IPOA between existingcommittees may be sufficient.5

Annex 1DRAFT OUTLINEPARLIAMENTARY ACTION PLAN IN SUPPORT OF THE 2011 - 2020ISTANBUL PROGRAMME OF ACTION FOR THE LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIESThe following document outlines some of the ways in which parliaments can engage with the implementation and review of the 2011 - 2020 Istanbul Programme of Action (IPOA) forthe Least Developed Countries (LDCs). This Action Plan is intended for use by parliaments as a tool to develop tailored national action plans which will contribute to the fulfilment ofparliament’s oversight, legislative, representative and budgetary functions, and parliamentary contributions to development plans and strategies at the national level. This Action Planis not only intended for LDC parliaments, but also for non-LDC parliaments, in particular donor parliaments.A

REAS OF WORK

CTIVITIES

UTCOME

Improved legislation and implementation ofReview and propose amendments to all draft legislation targeting increased implementation of theLegislationlegislation related to the IPOA.commitments of the IPOA.Raise awareness of draft laws that will influence the implementation of the IPOA.Introduce legislation (when possible, e.g., through private member bills) as well as parliamentary motionsand resolutions to help prompt debate about policies that may help further advance developmentcommitments.Insist on demanding targets and time-bound commitments (as applicable) into legislation proposed by thegovernment consistent with international targets/commitments.Request progress reports from the government on the implementation of IPOA and other developmentplans and strategies; and provide input to those reports through the relevant committeesObtain and utilize independent reports from civil society organizations, think tanks and others that mayassist with further analysis of developmentresults(as a complement to government reports).Scrutinize proposed budget allocations (quantity and quality) against development commitments. Obtainaudit reports of government expenditures, procurement practices etc. prior to reviewing the budgetdocument for the following fiscal year.Participate in meetings between government and donors (in aid recipient countries) to help review aidpolicies and assess aid results.Demand that aid from all sources be brought on budget and fully documented (conditions attached).Scrutinize external loans (World Bank, IMF and others) to the government.Fulfilment of internationally agreed targets and goals(e.g., percentage of aid; tariff reductions etc.)

Hold regular hearings with civil society organizations and the public at large within committee meetings toaddress specific legislative initiatives and policy questions.Review and amend rules to improve public access to committee hearings and plenary debates. Ensureequal access to minorities, women, and other groups.Undertake regular constituency visits to ensure consultations with citizens on areas affecting theimplementation of the IPOA. Hold regular constituency meetings within the electoral district or throughother venues (for PR systems).Creation of parliamentary focal points for the IPOA with clear mandate and responsibilities (reporting,coordination roles etc.) assigned.Analyse (with assistance from focal points) how effective internal parliamentary mechanisms are inengaging with the IPOA.Organize regular briefings for Members and relevant staff on specific policy issues as well as onparliaments input to the implementation of the IPOA.Consider the creation or development of a parliamentary mechanism, for example a working-group, sub-committee or parliamentary caucus, for strengthening the coordination between existing mechanisms.Ensure continued reception of relevant documents, and liaison with external bodies, such as thegovernment, the IPU, the UN and donors.Ensure coordination and information sharing between the specialised parliamentary committees thatconsider areas of the IPOA.Seek to create a cross-party platform of priorities and policies related to IPOA commitments.Ensure coordination between the different structures responsible for the oversight of the implementation ofvarious internationally agreed development commitments (IPOA, the Millennium Development Goals,etc.).Identify capacity building needs of the parliaments to enable it to carry out all its functions and invitediscussion with donors and other partners (IPU) to implement an assistance plan.