Cooperation between UN and IPU – SecGen report (excerpts)

Cooperation between the United Nations and the Inter-Parliamentary Union

Report of the Secretary-General*

I. Introduction

1. The present report is submitted pursuant to General Assembly resolution 54/12 of 27 October 1999, in which the Assembly, taking note with appreciation of the resolutions adopted and activities carried out by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in support of United Nations activities in the field of peace and security, economic and social development, international law and human rights, democracy, governance and gender issues, welcomed the support provided to the United Nations by national parliaments through their world organization and expressed the wish that the cooperation between the United Nations and IPU would be further strengthened and enhanced in the third millennium.

2. The report describes the action taken by the two organizations to secure parliamentary input to recent major United Nations events, as well as the parliamentary action, coordinated by IPU, to support or complement the work of the United Nations, in particular in the areas referred to above.

3. The report also highlights the variety and scope of the cooperation between the two organizations. It demonstrates the potential for a greater contribution by national parliaments, through IPU, to the work of the United Nations, and to disseminating an understanding of that work and ensuring the requisite follow-up. As the United Nations proceeds with its structural reform, the Secretary-General welcomes this cooperation as part of the response to the concerns expressed by civil society.

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III. Peace and security

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E.  Middle East

16. IPU contributed to the work of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People and participated in the meeting held at Hanoi, from 1 to 3 March 2000, on the theme “Achieving the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people: a key to peace in the Middle East”. Through its Committee on Middle East Questions, IPU seeks to encourage a parliamentary dialogue among delegations from the region, in support of the peace process. In addition, in the resolution on the rights of refugees and persons displaced by war and occupation, adopted at its Conference held at Amman in April/May 2000, 1/ IPU reiterated its strong support for all efforts to achieve a just, durable and comprehensive peace in the Middle East.

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*The footnote requested by the General Assembly in resolution 54/248 was not included in the submission.

Note:

1/ Resolution of the IPU Conference on support of parliaments for the rights of refugees and persons displaced by war and occupation, and assistance with a view to their repatriation, and for international cooperation to develop and implement strategies to combat the criminal activity of people smuggling.