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Parliamentarians urged to re-establish public trust

The United Nations (UN) Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, has advised parliamentarians to re-establish trust in the constituents in order to serve them better.

He explained that “as a matter of duty, parliamentarians need to re-establish the trust in people in solving emerging challenges in their constituencies.”

Mr Guterres was addressing the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Annual Hearing on Emerging Challenges to Multilateralism in New York.

He lamented that the growing mistrust people have in leadership in solving their many challenges has been as a result of the slow pace in transformation in their communities which has created a sense of frustration, saying, “this, in turn, has been a factor in reducing trust in governments, political establishments and international organisations.

“Parliaments can be bastions of democracy and crucial links between national and the global world through legislation and spending decisions, parliamentarians can contribute significantly to the Sustainable Development Goals,” Mr Guterres reminded the session.

Ms Maria Garces, President of the 73rd General Assembly, in her opening remarks, expressed her admiration and gratitude to all women Members of Parliament (MPs) across the globe for their strength even in the midst of being targeted and victimised, however, she admitted that the resurgence of isolationism and extreme nationalism were threats endangering efficiency of multilateralism.

“Greater cooperation and revitalisation of multilateralism and the collective efforts of parliamentarians at national levels are sensitive to ensuring peace, security, disarmament, gender equality and participation of the youth in policy formulation since multilateralism is not an option but the only way to achieve collective results,” she pointed out.

Ms Gabriela Barron, President of the Union, stressed on the importance of multilateralism as it was the best tool to achieving peace and provision of a safe world, fight climate change and ensure gender equality.

The leader of Ghana’s delegation, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, MP for Effutu in the Central Region, indicated that there was the need to seriously address instances when some member states and superpowers block essential issues of global relevance mainly due to conflict of interest.

The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) was formed in 1889, a period when there was no platform for governments and members of parliament to work together globally and was instrumental in the world’s first permanent international organisation and the origin for multilateral cooperation between countries. -citinewsroom.com


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