TURKPA engaged in APA’s 15th Plenary Session

On 19-20 February 2025, Deputy Secretary General of TURKPA Fuad Alakbarov took part at the 15th Plenary Session of the Asian Parliamentary Assembly (APA) in Baku, Azerbaijan. The session welcomed over 250 delegates from 26 countries, including parliamentary delegations from APA member states, high-ranking officials, and representatives from seven international organizations. The Plenary Session revolved around the theme "The Role of Parliamentary Diplomacy in Strengthening Multilateral Cooperation in Asia." The discussions focused on enhancing political, economic, and social cooperation within the region, fostering multilateralism, and addressing regional and global challenges. In her opening discourse, Speaker of the Milli Majlis, Sahiba Gafarova, welcomed participants and emphasized the session’s role in strengthening cooperation and multilateral dialogue. She highlighted Azerbaijan’s efforts during its chairmanship and underscored the importance of parliamentary diplomacy in addressing global challenges. She concluded by expressing confidence in the APA’s growing effectiveness and wished success to the session’s proceedings. The Plenary Session was enriched by interventions from parliamentary leaders and high-ranking representatives from Bahrain, Bhutan, Indonesia, Iran, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Oman, Belarus, the UAE, Palestine, Jordan, Thailand, and Türkiye. On the sidelines of the session, key reports were presented on issues such as social and cultural development, economic sustainability, and political collaboration among Asian nations. Standing committees reviewed and approved annual reports on social and cultural affairs, budget and planning, economic and sustainable development, and political affairs. The session reached its final proceedings with the the adoption of the Baku Declaration, which outlined APA’s commitments and future initiatives for strengthening regional parliamentary cooperation. Since 2017, TURKPA has the observer status in the Asian Parliamentary Assembly (APA).