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30 June 2022<\/strong><\/p>\n His Excellency Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Distinguished Speakers of Parliaments of NAM Member States,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Parliamentarians,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Ladies, and Gentlemen,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I wish to extend my sincere appreciation for inviting me to address this gathering of the Non-Aligned Movement Parliamentary Network.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I also thank the Government of Azerbaijan, once again, for the kind hospitality afforded to me and my team during our recent visit to Baku.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I would also like to thank Her Excellency Ms. Sahiba Gafarova, Chair of the Azerbaijan Parliament for the hospitality extended to me during my visit to the Milli Majlis. We had a very thoughtful discussion on the role of parliamentarians in multilateralism.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Excellencies,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Ladies and gentlemen,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n At a time when global challenges continue to mount and test the resilience of the multilateral system, the continued strengthening of the NAM and the NAM Parliamentary Network is cause for hope.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I say this, not only as President of the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ General Assembly or Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Maldives, but as a former parliamentarian, and as a former Speaker of Parliament.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n International diplomatic efforts alone cannot achieve success. To reach national and local levels we need the support of legislative bodies.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n As I said recently to the International Parliamentary Union in New York, parliaments are where resolutions and multilateralism turn into concrete action on the ground.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n And this is particularly important as we aim to recoup development gains lost or setback by the pandemic.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Excellencies,\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Ladies and Gentlemen,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I would like to commend President Ilham Aliyev for demonstrating foresight and leadership during the early months of the\u00a0 COVID-19 outbreak when he called for an online summit-level meeting of the NAM Contact Group under the theme, \u201cUnited against COVID-19 pandemic\u201d.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n As a follow-up to this online summit, a Special Session of the General Assembly on COVID-19 initiated by NAM under the leadership of Azerbaijan was held on 3-4 December 2020.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Dear Friends,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals are a result of several years of consultations and negotiations by the Inter-Parliamentary Union, national parliaments and hundreds of parliamentarians.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The efforts to achieve the SDGs gives parliamentarians an opportunity to redouble their commitment towards improving people\u2019s lives and respond to the needs of the planet.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The 2030 Agenda rightly acknowledges the essential role of parliaments in achieving the SDGs and encourages them to be part of national review processes.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n From adopting budgets to ensuring implementation and accountability, and to ensuring that all laws passed adhere to the principles of sustainability, parliaments have a key role to play in achieving sustainable development.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I encourage all those here today to lend their full support to the SDGs in the remaining period until 2030, and to engage in their full realization, particularly now as we work to recover from COVID-19.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Likewise, I encourage as broad and as inclusive an approach as possible.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Achieving sustainable development requires the involvement and participation of all stakeholders in our community.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n As the NAM Parliamentary Network gathers strength and plan your way forward, I urge you to consider gender equality \u2013 and parity \u2013 in society, in parliaments, and in addressing the challenges we face.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I also encourage you to take inspiration from the strength, commitment and passion of young people. I urge you to involve them in your work, in your deliberations.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Friends,\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Fellow parliamentarians and multilateralists,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n As we emerge from COVID-19; as we grapple with war in Ukraine and conflicts around the world; as we continue the struggle against climate change, let us endeavor to do so together. Hand in hand.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Let this Network become an example of what we can achieve.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I thank you again for the opportunity to engage and I wish you all a successful outcome.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Baku, Azerbaijan (Virtual) <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":361,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":" Excellencies, colleagues,<\/p> I welcome you all to our second meeting and our first interaction following the resumed part of the session.<\/p> Before I begin, I would like to recognize the loss of our dear friend and esteemed colleague, Ms. Gail Farngalo.<\/p> A Liberian national, Gail was my Team Leader for Human Rights and was active on gender during both the 75th<\/sup> and 76th<\/sup> sessions. She leaves behind a legacy of achievements and a groundswell of respect and affection from across the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ and diplomatic communities. Her presence is certainly felt here today.<\/p> Colleagues,<\/p> When I took on this Presidency of Hope, I pledged to make gender equality a priority area for the 76th<\/sup> session. I continue to look to the board for its wisdom and expertise, as I endeavour to fulfil that pledge.<\/p> In this regard, I have already benefited from the board\u2019s advice, from when we met on October 28th<\/sup> last year.<\/p> Acting on that advice, I committed to ensuring that all my five rays of hope, and all my major initiatives, are approached with a gender lens.<\/p> I made sure that the composition of my office is gender-balanced.<\/p> I have committed to participating only in panels that have equal gender representation.<\/p> Throughout my official interactions and travels, I have endeavoured to meet with women, including heads of states and governments, scientists, civil society representatives, and youth.<\/p> And I am proud to inform you that five young women have been recruited into the Fellowship for HOPE<\/em> that my office recently launched. The Fellowship as you are well aware is targeted at benefiting young diplomats from underrepresented countries, pursuing careers in diplomacy or public service.<\/p> Colleagues,<\/p> While recognizing that we have a long way to go in the battle for gender-equality, I am proud of what my team has been able to accomplish within the past few months.<\/p> Our work continues.<\/p> We will continue to raise our voices on issues disproportionately impacting women, such as domestic violence and work place harassment. We will continue to push the importance of gender-equal work spaces.<\/p> And we will continue to find new paths to empower young women with ambitious professional aspirations.<\/p> Now is not the time to rest on our laurels.<\/p> With the board\u2019s guidance and support, we must use the many opportunities over the coming months to further empower women and girls, and dismantle discriminatory practices against them.<\/p> There are several upcoming events that will provide us such opportunities. I look forward to the board\u2019s suggestions on how we can best utilize them.<\/p> As an example, the International Day of Women and Girls in science is fast approaching. We must recognize that women\u2019s contributions in science and technology have helped us cure diseases; discover new horizons in space; and develop technologies that have vastly improved our quality of life.<\/p> As we celebrate their achievements, we must also open pathways for young girls who aspire to follow in the footsteps of pioneers in science and technology.<\/p> Colleagues,<\/p> Let us also reflect that the theme chosen by the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women for this year is on \u201cachieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls in the context of climate change, environmental and disaster risk reduction policies and programmes\u201d.<\/p> As we strive to meet our obligations to the planet, let us recognize the important work done by women and girls at the forefront of the climate crisis, and whose humanitarian work in disaster-stricken areas has helped save lives and rebuild communities. We owe it to them to not only celebrate their work but to support them.<\/p> Colleagues,<\/p> Our programme of work for the months ahead has been circulated to members prior to the meeting, for consideration and feedback. Please note that the events we have planned are not exhaustive. I welcome further suggestions from the board on the content and format of future events and activities.<\/p> Colleagues,<\/p> We have made much progress within a short while. And with the board\u2019s support and guidance, I am sure that we can keep up this strong momentum.<\/p> I look forward to working alongside all of you to achieve our vision of a gender-equal world.<\/p> Thank you.<\/p>","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[111],"tags":[550,556,553],"committee-meeting":[],"class_list":["post-268617","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-speeches","tag-ga","tag-pga","tag-shahid","et-doesnt-have-format-content","et_post_format-et-post-format-standard"],"yoast_head":"\n