Udenrigsudvalget 2010-11 (1. samling)
URU Alm.del Bilag 205
Offentligt
INTER-·‐PARLIAMENTARY
UNION
5,
CHEMIN
DU
POMMIER
CASE
POSTALE
330
1218
LE
GRAND-·‐SACONNEX
/
GENÈVE
(SUISSE)
TELEPHONE
(41.22)
919
41
50
-·‐
FAX
(41.22)
919
41
60
-·‐
E-·‐MAIL
[email protected]
TELEGRAPHIC
ADDRESS
:
INTERPARLEMENT
GENEVE
24
August
2011
Dear
Madam
President,
Dear
Mr.
President,
I
would
like
to
draw
your
attention
to
the
increasingly
high
level
of
parliamentary
engagement
with
the
Least
Developed
Countries
(LDCs)
process.
This
has
included
robust
participation
by
parliaments
in
the
review
of
the
2001
-·‐
2010
Brussels
Programme
of
Action
(BPOA)
for
the
LDCs
and
parliamentary
input
into
the
design
of
the
2011
-·‐
2020
Istanbul
Programme
of
Action
(IPOA).
Earlier
this
year,
the
IPU
organised
a
Parliamentary
Forum
on
the
occasion
of
the
Fourth
United
Nations
Conference
on
the
LDCs
(LDC
IV)
(please
see
the
attached
summary
report).
The
outcome
documents
of
the
Conference,
namely
the
Programme
of
Action
and
the
Istanbul
Declaration
(both
attached),
highlight
the
prominent
role
of
parliaments
in
the
achievement
of
the
development
objectives
of
the
Conference.
In
particular,
the
Declaration
takes
note
of
the
“important
role
of
parliaments
in
debating
development
strategies,
as
well
as
in
overseeing
their
implementation.”
It
stresses
the
centrality
of
parliament
to
effectiveness,
transparency
and
accountability
in
the
design,
the
implementation
and
the
review
of
the
policies
and
programmes
in
the
context
of
the
IPOA.
The
IPOA
further
reinforces
this
view,
stating
that:
§Greater
ownership
and
leadership
of
LDCs
is
indispensable,
including
the
integration
of
the
Programme
of
Action
in
national
development
strategies,
plans
and
programmes,
and
identification
of
authorities
to
oversee
implementation,
as
well
as
multi-·‐stakeholder
engagement
by
parliamentarians
[…].
§Policies
and
measures
will
be
pursued
in
line
with
the
following
goals
and
targets:
Strengthen
good
governance,
the
rule
of
law,
human
rights,
gender
equality
and
empowerment
of
women,
and
democratic
participation,
including
by
enhancing
the
role
of
parliaments.
As
part
of
the
proposed
actions,
the
IPOA
notes
that
LDCs
should:
§Implement
greater
transparency
in
public
financial
management,
including
[…]
improving
parliamentary
oversight
of
public
financial
management.
§Promote
effective
participation
of
all
stakeholders
and
government
accountability
at
all
levels
by
strengthening
the
role
of
parliament
[…]
including
in
relation
to
the
preparation,
implementation
and
monitoring
of
national
development
policies
and
plans,
while
ensuring
that
all
stakeholders
abide
by
the
national
legislation
and
adhere
to
the
rule
of
law.
Lastly,
the
IPOA
recognises
that:
§LDCs
have
made
encouraging
progress
on
some
aspects
of
gender
equality
and
empowerment
of
women,
such
as
in
primary
education
and
women’s
representation
in
parliament.
Parliaments
are
central
to
the
effective
mainstreaming
of
the
IPOA
into
national
development
strategies
and
to
the
implementation
of
such
strategies
at
both
the
national
and
local
levels.
LDC
parliaments
can
now
make
use
of
the
IPOA
and
Istanbul
Declaration
as
leverage
in
asserting
their
constitutionally
mandated
responsibilities.
In
accordance
with
the
Parliamentary
message
to
LDC
IV,
which
recognises
the
strong
support
that
parliaments
from
donor
countries
should
provide
to
LDC
parliaments,
the
IPU
encourages
cooperation
between
LDC
and
non-·‐LDC
parliaments.
There
are
numerous
ways
in
which
non-·‐LDC
parliaments
can
engage
with
this
process.
For
example,
the
IPU
promotes
the
nomination
of
LDC
parliamentary
focal
points.
In
LDC
parliaments,
this
facilitates
the
sharing
of
information
and
ensures
parliamentary
engagement
with
the
follow-·‐up,
implementation
and
review
of
the
IPOA.
In
non-·‐LDC
parliaments,
the
focal
points
facilitate
the
sharing
of
lessons
learnt
and
good
practices
with
LDC
parliaments.
Should
your
parliament
already
have
focal
points
or
wish
to
nominate
some,
I
would
be
pleased
to
receive
their
names,
titles
and
contact
details
at
your
earliest
convenience.
Wherever
possible,
non-·‐LDC
parliaments
could
also
provide
direct
support
to
LDC
parliaments.
Your
parliament
may
already
be
providing
such
support,
in
which
case
the
IPU
would
welcome
information
on
this
cooperation.
For
your
information,
the
IPU
Committee
on
United
Nations
Affairs
will
organise
a
briefing
at
the
125th
Assembly
in
Bern
in
October
2011
on
parliamentary
engagement
with
the
LDC
process.
I
look
forward
to
working
with
your
parliament
in
this
global
movement
to
ensure
the
effective
implementation
of
the
IPOA.
Yours
sincerely,
Anders
Johnsson
Secretary
General
