PGA operates under the political direction of the Executive Committee and the International Council. The Executive Committee meets twice a year to decide on PGA's future programme activities. The International Council meets once a year during the Annual Forum to review programme work and to elect members to the Committee and Council. Members of the Comittee are elected on a 40:60 gender ratio.
The Council represents all regions of the world and each country where PGA has members can be represented with no more than two members. All elected members of the Committee and the Council serve for two years with a maximum of two consecutive terms.
Executive Committee
President
Mr. H.V. Ross Robertson, MP, New Zealand
Mr. Robertson is a New Zealand politician for the Labour Party. His current parliamentary roles include Assistant Speaker and Associate Spokesperson for Disarmament. He has been a member of parliament since 1987.
Board
Dip. Margarita Stolbizer, Argentina
Dip. Stolbizer is a lawyer and leader of the Generation for a National Encounter Party. She was first elected to Chamber of Deputies in 1997.
Sen. Carlos Cantero, Chile
Senator Cantero is a geographer and politician for the Renovación Nacional Party. He currently serves as the President of the Mining and Energy Committee of the Chilean Senate. He was first elected to parliament in 1990.
Dip. Minou Tavárez Mirabal, Dominican Republic
Dip. Tavárez is a linguist and politician for the Dominican Liberation Party. She currently serves as the President of the Foreign Relations Committee of the Chamber of Deputies. She was first elected to parliament in 2002.
Mrs. Irene Naa Torshie Addo, MP, Ghana
Mrs. Torshie is a lawyer, diplomat and Ghanaian politician for the New Patriotic Party. She was first elected to parliament in 2008.
Ms. Elsa Papadimitriou, MP, Greece
Ms. Papadimitriou is an architect and politician for the New Democracy Party. She was first elected to parliament in 1993 and is involved in environmental issues.
Dr. Prakash Sharan Mahat, MP, Nepal
Dr. Mahat is a former Minister of Energy of Nepal and leader for the Nepali Congress Party.
Mr. Coşkun Çörüz, MP, The Netherlands
Mr. Çörüz is a lawyer and Dutch politician for the Christian Democratic Appeal party. He serves on the Committees for Foreign Affairs, Security and Justice, and Immigration and Asylum. He was first elected to parliament in 2001.
Dr. Donya Aziz, MP, Pakistan
Dr. Aziz is a medical doctor and Pakistani politician for the Pakistan Muslim League. She was first elected to parliament in 2002.
She is a member of the National Assembly Standing Committees on Science and Technology, Social Welfare and Special Education, and Women Development.
Dep. Mamadou Lamine Thiam, Senegal
Dep. Lamine Thiam is a politician for the Senegalese Democratic Party. He currently serves as the questeur of the National Assembly of Senegal.
Dr. Bernadette Lahai, MP, Sierra Leone
Dr. Lahai is a professor of agriculture and rural development and Sierra Leonean politician for the Sierra Leone People’s Party. She was first elected to parliament in 2002.
Dr. Yusuf Ziya İrbeç, MP, Turkey
Dr. İrbeç is an economist, foreign policy expert, university professor and Turkish politician. He served as vice chairman and clerk member on the European Union Harmonisation Commission, as a member of the European Council and of the the Joint Parliamentary Commission of the European Union. He has been a member of the Turkish Parliament since 2007.
Dip. Felipe Michelini, Uruguay
Dip. Michelini is a lawyer and Uruguayan politician for the Nuevo Espacio Party. He is a Professor of Human Rights and founder of the Mercosur Human Rights Public Policies Observatory. He was first elected to parliament in 1994.
Treasurer
Ms. Margareta Cederfelt, MP, Sweden
Ms. Cederfelt is a Registered Nurse and Swedish politician for the Moderate Party. In 2006 she became a Deputy Member of the Committee on European Affairs, and in 2010 she became a Deputy Member of OSCE Parliamentary Assembly. She has been a member of the Swedish parliament since 1999.
Chair, International Council
Dr. Ruth Wijdenbosch, MP, Suriname
Dr. Wijdenbosch is a lawyer and politician for the New Front for Democracy and Development. She was first elected to the National Assembly of Suriname in 1987 and was recently elected for a third term as Deputy Speaker.
International Council
Chair
Hon. Ruth Wijdenbosch MP Suriname
Councillors
Dep. Alain Destexhe Belgium
Dep. Mwamba Mwamus DR Congo
Mr. Jeppe Kofod, MP Denmark
Dip. Cristián Paredes Dominican Republic
Ms. Marietje Schaake, MEP European Parliament
Mr. George Kuntu Blankson, MP Ghana
Dr. E.M.S. Natchiappan, MP India
Mr. J.D. Seelam, MP India
Sen. Jim Walsh Ireland
Mr. Abdul Ali Bahari, MP Kenya
Hon. David Musila, MP Kenya
Mr. Gabriel Smith, MP Liberia
Hon. Dato’ Seri Mohamed Nazri, MP Malaysia
Dr. Arzu Rana Deuba, MP Nepal
Dr. Jackie Blue, MP New Zealand
Sen. Zaynab Kure Nigeria
Dr. Mahreen Bhutto, MP Pakistan
Dep. Fallou M’Backe Senegal
Mr. Mohamed Kargbo, MP Sierra Leone
Hon. Nimal Siripala de Silva, MP Sri Lanka
Ms. Noreen Cheung, MP Suriname
Ms. Marie Nordén, MP Sweden
Mr. Stephen Tashobya, MP Uganda
Mr. Mark Pritchard, MP United Kingdom
Sen. Tom Harkin United States
Secretariat
Shazia Z. Rafi Secretary-General
United Nations Committee for PGA
Chair
H.E. Mr. Herman Schaper Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Permanent Mission of The Netherlands
United Nations Ambassadors
H.E. Mr. Jan Grauls Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Permanent Mission of Belgium
H.E. Mr. Carsten Staur Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Permanent Mission of Denmark
H.E. Ms. Tiina Intelmann Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Permanent Mission of Estonia
H.E. Mr. Jarmo Viinanen Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Permanent Mission of Finland
H.E. Mr. Gérard Araud Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Permanent Mission of France
H.E. Mr. Hardeep Singh Puri Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Permanent Mission of India
H.E. Mr. Macharia Kamau Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Permanent Mission of the Republic of Kenya
H.E. Mr .Christian Wenaweser Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Permanent Representative of Liechtenstein
H.E. Mr. Luis Alfonso De Alba Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Permanent Mission of Mexico
H.E. Mr. Jim McLay Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Permanent Mission of New Zealand
H.E. Mr. Marten Grunditz Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Permanent Mission of Sweden
H.E. Mr. Ertugrul Apakan Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Permanent Mission of Turkey
H.E. Sir Mark Lyall Grant Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Permanent Mission of the United Kingdom
Mr. Michael Posner US Assistant Secretary for Democracy,
Human Rights, and Labour
United States State Department
UN Secretariat and Agencies
Amb. Tiina Intelmann President, Assembly of States Parties
Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin Executive Director
UNFPA
Amb. Mr. Juan Somavía Director-General
International Labour Organization
Non-Governmental Organizations
Prof. Elisabeth Lindenmayer Columbia University
Mr. David Phillips Columbia University
Business Council
The goal of the PGA Business Council is to create a partnership between leaders in the business community and their counterparts in the world's parliaments, all of whom are working towards a peaceful, stable and just world, conducive to economic growth and social equity. Members of PGA's Business Council represent a broad cross-section of the global business community, dedicated to promoting peace, the rule of law, economic growth and social equity in emerging economies.
Chair
Lord Paul of Marylebone Chairman
Caparo Group Ltd
Members
Mrs. Ana S. de Kessler Head of Cabinet
Ministry of Production for Buenos Aires
Lord Marshall of Knightsbridge Chairman
British Airways
Mr. Francois Loeb Managing Director
Loeb Department Stores
Dr. Klaus Schwab President
World Economic Forum
PGA Staff
PGA Headquarters in New York
Ms. Shazia Z. Rafi Secretary-General
Ms. Jennifer McCarthy Assistant Secretary-General
Mr. Peter Barcroft Director of Projects and Senior Programme Officer
International Law and Human Rights Programme
Mr. Michael Agbeko Director of Administration
Ms. Mónica Adame Programme Officer
Sustainable Development, Health and Population Programme
Ms. Helen Tsakiris Senior Development Officer
Ms. Leyla Nikjou Programme Associate Intl Law and Human Rights & Peace and Democracy Programmes
Mr. Brian Kett Communications and Membership Officer
PGA office in The Hague
Dr. David Donat Cattin Senior Director
International Law and Human Rights Programme
Ms. Deborah Ruiz Verduzco Senior Programme Officer
International Law and Human Rights Programme
Mr. Thiago Carvalho Development and Executive Associate
Ms. Maia Trujillo Consultant International Law and Human Rights Programme
Ms. Alba I. Leon Intern International Law and Human Rights Programme
