#Headlines

Deputy Speaker Njie addresses 146th Inter-Parliamentary Union confab

Mar 15, 2023, 11:01 AM

The deputy speaker of the National Assembly, Hon. Seedy SK Njie has addressed 146th Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Manama, Bahrain, under the theme: ‘Promoting Peaceful Coexistence and Inclusive Societies: Fighting Intolerance’.

“Whiles acknowledging the promulgation of universal accords, treaties, and conventions that promotes and safeguards fundamental human rights, freedoms, and justice, it is essential for all of us as stakeholders in the broader ecosystem of democracy to foster inclusive societies where rights and liberties are upheld for a more cohesive democracy and peaceful coexistence among citizens of the world,” he told the gathering.

He described the meeting as timely with “clear manifestation of the prominence the IPU as one of the largest international parliamentary platforms continues to ascribe to, in promoting democracy and world peace in the face of declining peace, intolerance, and discriminations around the world.”

“In today’s globalised world characterised by conflicts, and geopolitical interests, it has been a year since Russia invaded Ukraine, and sparked a conflict that has generally affected all nations and countries directly or indirectly, and affected living conditions of people we represent. It has contributed to the rise and hike of prices of commodities and inflations of all economies worldwide while ordinary people suffer daily. Sadly, Innocent civilians have been cruelly caught up in the conflict, with thousands of lives lost and millions displaced since February 24th, 2022, and the actual numbers likely to be much higher.”

“Therefore, Mr. President, the only option worth promoting is to end the year-long war between Russia and Ukraine, Since the second half of 2021, there has been a sharp hike in energy prices in Europe and worldwide. The price of fuels has further risen because of the war, which has also led to concerns related to energy supply globally.”

“Furthermore, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is likely to result in the isolation of the world’s 11th largest economy and one of the biggest producers of grains, wheat, barley, corn, and cooking oil. The immediate global implications will be higher inflation, lower growth, and some disruption to financial markets as deeper sanctions take hold while, the longer-term fallout will be a further debilitation of the system of globalised supply chains and integrated financial markets that has dominated the world economy since the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991.”