The Shura Council State of Qatar

 The Shura Council concluded its participation in the 148th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and related meetings, which were held over five days in Geneva, Switzerland.

The Shura Council was represented during the IPU Assembly by Council Members: HE Dr. Sultan bin Hassan Al Dhabet Al Dosari, HE Ahmad bin Ebrahim Al Malki, and HE Ali bin Ahmad Al Kaabi.

The Council delegation participated on Wednesday in the closing session of the 213th session of the IPU's Governing Council, where the Council approved the formation of the Preparatory Committee for the Sixth World Conference of Speakers of Parliament. HE Deputy Speaker of the Shura Council Hamda bint Hassan Al Sulaiti was chosen to represent the Arab Geopolitical Group in the committee.

On the other hand, the Shura Council delegation participated in the closing session of the 148th Assembly of the IPU, which discussed the topics on its agenda, including the main topic entitled "Parliamentary diplomacy: Building bridges for peace and understanding." The closing session also discussed a number of topics, including the social and humanitarian impacts of autonomous weapons systems and artificial intelligence; the impact of artificial intelligence on democracy, human rights, and the rule of law, and sustainable measures to improve the conditions of persons with disabilities, as well as reviewing the reports of the standing committees of the IPU.

At the conclusion of the session, HE President of the IPU Tulia Ackson and HE Secretary General of the IPU Martin Chungong issued a statement urging the international community to take urgent measures to alleviate the suffering of the residents of the Gaza Strip, including women, children, and the elderly who were affected by the fighting, given the worsening situation in Gaza.

On behalf of the global parliamentary community, the statement called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. The statement also reiterated the demand for the release of the hostages.

The statement called for expanding the flow of essential humanitarian aid to reach those in need in Gaza, reiterating the utter condemnation of any violence against civilians and stressing the need for respect for international humanitarian law.

Concluding its work, the 148th Assembly of the IPU issued the "Geneva Declaration," which reaffirmed parliamentarians' commitment to parliamentary diplomacy to address the challenges facing global peace and security.

The parliamentarians stressed their commitment to building bridges of communication and understanding between countries and bringing viewpoints closer together to overcome common obstacles.

They reiterated their commitment to supporting the rule of law at the local and international levels, as it is the basic pillar of preventing the outbreak of conflicts and wars, affirming their belief in diplomacy as a tool to achieve lasting peace.

The declaration urged all States, especially those parties to an armed conflict, to adhere strictly to the 1949 Geneva Conventions. Additionally, the declaration advocated for increased recourse to the International Court of Justice and other international judicial institutions as essential mechanisms for the peaceful resolution of disputes between nations.

The attendees condemned the recent surge in identity-based hatred around the world, particularly religious hatred, and regret the political polarization that is helping to drive this phenomenon.

The declaration indicated the parliamentarians' commitment to enhancing the participation of women and youths in politics and leadership, stressing the importance of restoring confidence in multilateralism by strengthening international cooperation and supporting the rule of law to address the growing risks.