IPU, Alm.del - 2020-21 - Bilag 10: Final Activities Report of the IPU 2017-2020 Presidency

Dansk Interparlamentarisk Gruppes bestyrelse 2020-21
IPU Alm.del Bilag 10
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Gabriela Cuevas Barron

IPUTADA

EDERAL

Mexico City, 21 December 2020

Dear Speakers of Parliament,

Dear parliamentary colleagues,

Dear friends from the United Nations,

Dear friends with whom I shared these years as President of the

Inter-Parliamentary Union,

It is my hope that this letter finds you well and in good health.

In the spirit of transparency and accountability, I would like to inform you that the final report of my

term as President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, titled

“Overall

Activities Report of the Presidency,

2017-2020: Three years working together for a more inclusive and democratic

IPU”,

is now available

for download in English and French by going to

this link

in the

IPU’s

website.

During these last three years, I have sought to modernize the IPU and making it more relevant to our

members; advance democracy and respect for human rights; advocated for the inclusion of women

and young people in politics; fostered transparency and inclusiveness in our Organization; promoted

austerity and efficiency in the use of the budget allocated to the Presidency; made the Organization

closer to the views and needs of its members; and, last but not least, strengthened the

IPU’s

relationship

with the United Nations, reflected in two historical Resolutions on the Interaction between the United

Nations, national parliaments, and the Inter-Parliamentary Union in

2018

and

2020.

The report that

is now available highlights the valuable results that have been achieved.

Throughout my tenure, I sought to increase the prominence and prestige of the IPU as the global

institution for parliamentarians. In terms of the work undertaken during the Presidency, I am pleased

to say that over 29 working meetings with heads of state and heads of government were held, as well

as having more than 30 participations at UN high-level meetings and conferences. I also had the

opportunity to visit 48 countries, attended 20 plus Parliamentary Conferences, presided in excess of

20 meetings of the Executive Committee, and had more than 90 bilateral meetings with Speakers of

Parliament.

Moreover, consensus-building remains essential, particularly while presiding an Organization with par-

liaments representing people from nations all over the world. An example of this was shown precisely

by adopting the Declaration of the Fifth World Conference of Speakers of Parliament (available

IPU, Alm.del - 2020-21 - Bilag 10: Final Activities Report of the IPU 2017-2020 Presidency

here).

The Declaration reaffirms the parliamentary nature of the Organization:

“We

underscore that

the IPU is a parliamentary political organization which must be endowed with stronger parliamentary

leadership, direction and

control”.

This document constitutes a resolute message of support to multilat-

eralism, and states a firm commitment on behalf of the parliamentary community to build back better.

Considerable efforts were also undertaken to foster innovation in the IPU. As such, more workshops

were included in the agenda of the IPU Assemblies. To commemorate 130 years of the IPU, an Anni-

versary Book with contributions prepared by national parliaments was launched this year. The Execu-

tive Education Parliamentary Leadership Seminar provided the means to assist parliamentarians in

developing the skills to address both national and global issues. The Advisory Group on Health, the

High-level Advisory Group on Countering Terrorism and Violent Extremism and the Preparatory Com-

mittee for the Fifth World Conference of Speakers of Parliament were democratized and were rep-

resentative in both gender-equality and geopolitical terms. Furthermore, an agenda was promoted to

advance principles of transparency and accountability within the Organization.

Throughout all of my efforts, I was motivated by my core belief that only an active Presidency can

successfully inspire and mobilize political action by the

world’s

parliamentary community. 46,552 par-

liamentarians can definitely build a better world, and it is up to the IPU to provide much-needed space

for lively deliberation so that we can truly get to work by translating international agreements into

national and local realities for the people that we represent.

All in all, the report provides more details on the activities that I undertook over these years and

provides a detailed record of the achievements attained. As mentioned before, I am sharing this doc-

ument to be consistent with the principles of transparency and accountability that I have also worked

to strengthen within the IPU. But I also do so in the expectation that these efforts inspire even more

action to progress and address the most pressing challenges currently faced by our world.

That being said, I wish to reaffirm my gratitude to all the Speakers of Parliament, parliamentary

colleagues, the secretariats of the national parliaments and the IPU, partners at the United Nations,

and everyone who made this Presidency and its results possible. It has been a privilege to be the

youngest person and the second woman to preside the IPU in its 130 years. I truly appreciate the trust

that you have placed in me to lead our efforts to build a world that is more inclusive, fair, and human.

I will always carry the lessons that I have learned through our shared experiences during my term.

Even though unprecedented and difficult challenges have made this a particularly tough year for

everyone, I would like to take the opportunity to wish you and your loved ones well, in the hopes that

2021 brings much joy and good fortune, as well as success in all of your endeavors. While I bid

farewell to the IPU and cherish the extraordinary honor of receiving your trust to preside it over the

last three years, please know that I also look forward to keep working for democracy and human

rights. In that regard, you can always reach me at [email protected] and my cell-

phone number, +52 55 2270 8667.

IPU, Alm.del - 2020-21 - Bilag 10: Final Activities Report of the IPU 2017-2020 Presidency

With the deepest sincerity and esteem,

Gabriela Cuevas Barron

Honorary President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union

Federal Deputy

Chamber of Deputies of the Mexican Congress

Av. Congreso de la Unión 66, Col. El Parque, alcaldía Venustiano Carranza, C.P. 15960 Ciudad de México, edificio B,

nivel 1, tel. 5036-0000 exts.61300 y 61301

[email protected]