Secretary of the National Assembly of Kuwait, Ouda Al Ruwaie, speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the 140th Assembly of Inter-Parliamentary Union at the Sheraton Grand Doha Resort and Convention Hotel yesterday. Pic: Salim Matramkot/The Peninsula
Secretary of the National Assembly of Kuwait, Ouda Al Ruwaie, has said that the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly and meetings are important for all participating countries, and Qatar has succeeded in hosting and organising the Assembly as per expectations.
Speaking to The Peninsula on the sideline of the 140th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union and related meetings, Al Ruwaie further said: “We are in Qatar but we are not participants; we consider ourselves in our own country.”
These parliamentary meetings are being held for the first time in a Gulf Arab country and many important topics have been discussed in relation to many issues, whether peace or education or the fight against terrorism and others.”
He said that the Kuwaiti parliamentary delegation had played a major role in coordination between the GCC, Arab and Islamic parliaments for the inclusion of a number of emergency items that are under discussion. Al Ruwaie noted that there are also issues of sustainable development, education, women empowerment, respect for religions and minorities rights which would be discussed during parliamentary meetings.
“We support the discussion on common issues that all countries are facing as it an international parliament with 162 member states,” he added.
Ambassador of Kuwait to Qatar, Hafeez bin Mohammed Al Ajmi, said that Qatar’s hosting of the 140th session of the General Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) demonstrates the confidence of the international community in the capacity of the State of Qatar to prepare and organize important international conferences.
“It is an important meeting because it is being held for the first time in a Gulf Arab country. The presence of delegations from 162 countries and the participation of 2271 delegates including 80 Speakers is a testament to Qatar’s success in terms of international partnership,” he said.
In a press statement, Al Ajmi noted that this conference is being held for the first time in a Gulf Arab county and we wish more success to Qatar.
Commenting on the speech of Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani at the opening of the 140th Assembly of the IPU, the Ambassador said: “It was a comprehensive speech especially his rejection of the American declaration of annexation of Jerusalem and the Golan Heights to Israel, which are most important issues for us as Arab countries.”
“Also all the issues discussed by the Assembly and related meetings are important for all countries of the world. I hope the Assembly will come out with a statement reflecting the hopes of Arab and Islamic peoples on issues that concern them,” he said.
Regarding brotherly relations between two brotherly countries, the Ambassador said: “ there is an active participation of the State of Kuwait with a high level parliamentary delegation headed by Speaker of the National Assembly of Kuwait Marzouq Ali Al Ghanim in the IPU Assembly.”
The Ambassador further said: “We are happy of Marzouq Ali Al Ghanim’s speech at the session of the General Assembly of the IPU on theme ‘Parliaments as platforms for the promotion of education for peace, security and the rule of law’, when the Speaker said that he was addressing the Assembly from Qatar, one of the six pearls that make bright Gulf necklaces.”
