Description

President's Message

Over the past 25 years, Parliamentarians for Global Action (PGA) established itself as a unique organization driven by individual legislators addressing pressing global issues such as peace, democracy, international law, human rights, nuclear disarmament, sustainable development and population. To commemorate the international achievements made throughout the years, PGA celebrated its 25th Anniversary on September 16, 2003 at the United States Congress in Washington, D.C., where it was originally founded in 1978. PGA members reunited to discuss accomplishments of the past - such as the Six-Nation Peace Initiative, Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty and the International Criminal Court - as well as issues that still need to be addressed around the world.

PGAʼs three programmes, Peace and Democracy, International Law and Human Rights and Sustainable Development and Population, continue to galvanize parliamentary leadership at the national and international levels to address political concerns around the world.

In 2003, the Peace and Democracy Program continued its work in Africa. Through the Task Force, PGA sent consultative missions to Sierra Leone, Côte dʼIvoire and Zimbabwe. The mission to Sierra Leone, which took place in February, focused on such issues as strengthening the role of parliamentary committees, government-opposition relations and decentralization. PGA also participated in the Symposium on Local Democracy and Governance in Sierra Leone which was organized by International IDEA and the local NGO Campaign for Good Governance (CGG). PGAʼs mission in Côte dʼIvoire was sent in May to address the need for consensus building among the political parties in the National Assembly in support of implementing the Linas-Marcoussis Peace Accords. PGA successfully brought together leaders from different political parties inside and outside the National Assembly to discuss the peace process in Côte dʼIvoire and the obstacles that must be overcome.

After a successful multi-party consultation by a nine-member delegation of Zimbabwean parliamentarians, PGA deployed a Consultative Mission to the Parliament of Zimbabwe in Harare in May 2003. Discussions with government and opposition MPs focused on the rule of law, greater cooperation with international institutions and Zimbabweʼs ratification of the Rome Statute. In November, Executive Committee member Ms. Thandi Modise, MP (South Africa), who participated in the May 2003 Consultative Mission, met with Zimbabwean MPs and H.E. Ms. Kristina Svensson, Ambassador of Sweden to Zimbabwe, in Harare to discuss how PGA can assist in reopening dialogue between the governing and opposition parties. PGAʼs briefing on Peer-to-Peer Dialogue among African and United States Legislators: Parliamentary Peacemaking in the cases of Côte dʼIvoire, Liberia, Zimbabwe and ECOWAS took place in conjunction with PGAʼs 25th Anniversary Tribute. The briefing was hosted by PGA member Rep. Donald Payne (United States) in the United State Congress, Washington, D.C. Legislators from West Africa, Uganda, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Denmark, Canada and the Parliament of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) engaged in a discussion with members of the United States House of Representatives on the peacemaking issues affecting Côte dʼIvoire, Liberia and Zimbabwe.

The International Law and Human Rights Program successfully mobilized legislators to take political action to reinforce the rule of law through the International Criminal Court (ICC). The second session of the Consultative Assembly of Parliamentarians for the ICC and the Rule of Law took place September 12-13, 2003 at United Nations Headquarters in New York and included participants from 68 countries. This annual event brings together parliamentarians, experts and ICC officials such as the Mr. Luis Moreno Ocampo, prosecutor for the Court, to enhance understanding of the Court with discussions and debates on ratification, implementation and protecting the integrity of the Rome Statute. Participants adopted the New York Declaration on Parliamentary Action in Support of the ICC.

To further the ICC campaign, PGA identified several underrepresented regions in the Courtʼs system and decided to raise the awareness of parliamentarians in these regions to facilitate the ratification and implementation of the Rome Statute. On February 11-12, 2003, PGA convened a regional parliamentary conference for the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) that took place in the Russian Duma in Moscow. The conference provided an excellent opportunity to involve legislators from the region in PGAʼs ICCrelated work. Participants adopted the Moscow Declaration which expressed the commitment of parliamentarians to promote the adoption of the Rome Statute in their countries by keeping their parliaments and civil society informed and urging their governments to join the States Parties.

PGA held its first strategy meeting titled Protecting the Integrity of the ICC at UN Headquarters on April 22, 2003. Participants discussed implementation of the Ottawa Plan of Action on the ICC which was signed during PGAʼs 24th Annual Forum in Ottawa, Canada. The meeting also addressed the legal and political implications of UN Security Council Resolution 1422 and the Bilateral Non-Surrender Agreements. This was the first in a series of strategy meetings that will continue in 2004.

In preparation for the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) + 10, PGAʼs Sustainable Development and Population (SDP) Program, participated in the Steering Committee for the Parliamentary Conference on ICPD (IPCI) meeting held in October 2003 in Brussels, Belgium. Mr. Tony Worthington, MP (United Kingdom), Convenor of the SDP Program, presented PGAʼs work on the implementation of the ICPD Program of Action and discussed the plans for the Second IPCI meeting which will take place October 2004 in Strasbourg, France.

The SDP Program successfully continued its Junior Project Officer (JPO) Program in Nigeria and Mali. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between ECOWAS and PGA which detailed collaboration between the two parties on sustainable development issues in the region.

In its 25th year, PGA continues to be guided by its original vision of promoting interparliamentary collaboration to mobilize global political action for an equitable, safe and democratic world. PGAʼs members are dedicated to bringing about progress and positive change.

Hon. Kenneth Dzirasah MP (Ghana), Second Deputy Speaker