Int'l Conference in Egypt Recommends Support for Developing Countries to Protect Environment

Part of the IPU Global Conference of Young Parliamentarians, which was held in Sharm el-Sheikh. (Conference Administration )
Part of the IPU Global Conference of Young Parliamentarians, which was held in Sharm el-Sheikh. (Conference Administration )
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Int'l Conference in Egypt Recommends Support for Developing Countries to Protect Environment

Part of the IPU Global Conference of Young Parliamentarians, which was held in Sharm el-Sheikh. (Conference Administration )
Part of the IPU Global Conference of Young Parliamentarians, which was held in Sharm el-Sheikh. (Conference Administration )

Parliamentary delegations from 60 countries concluded on Thursday activities of the eighth Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Global Conference of Young Parliamentarians, which was held in Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt’s South Sinai province.

They underscored the importance of supporting developing countries to protect the environment and promote green investment.

They also called for involving civil society representatives in climate legislation discussions.

The two-day event was held under the auspices of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and in cooperation with the Egyptian House of Representatives and the IPU.

It focused on legislative, legal, and developmental approaches to climate change issues.

Egypt will host the COP27 United Nations Climate Change Conference in 2022 in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh in November. World leaders and heads of state and governments are expected to attend the summit.

Egypt's Speaker of the House of Representatives Hanafi El Jebali said at the closing session that dialogue among the world’s youths has become essential to address the extraordinary challenges the globe currently suffers.

IPU President Duarte Pacheco called for taking advantage of the upcoming summit to protect the planet, in light of the growing concerns of famine and food insecurity, while working to achieve and activate the discussions of young parliamentarians on the climate change crisis.

President of the IPU Forum of Young Parliamentarians MP Sahar al-Bazar, for her part, warned that climate change is an emergency case and an imminent threat, while referring to the link between climate change and human rights.

She called on the young parliamentarians to use the various legislation tools to reduce the effects of climate change as a matter of existential challenge.

Tamar Chugoshvili, the parliamentary expert and first vice deputy speaker of Goergia’s parliament, reviewed during one of Thursday’s sessions a report on parliamentary work in the field of climate.

She pressed for providing tools that can evaluate parliamentary participation in an effective manner, so that participation is considered positive, especially in terms of support and communication with many other institutions.

She also called for establishing a general mechanism to advance efforts through the participation of ordinary individuals and introducing them to parliamentary activities and works through various means.

Chugoshvili underscored the need to “improve performance and establish evaluation mechanisms on climate action to maintain public participation, stressing that participation is not limited to parliamentarian figures.



Sudani: Syrian President’s Presence at Baghdad Summit Important for All

Photo showing Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad (right), Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, and Syrian President Ahmed al-Shaara (INA)
Photo showing Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad (right), Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, and Syrian President Ahmed al-Shaara (INA)
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Sudani: Syrian President’s Presence at Baghdad Summit Important for All

Photo showing Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad (right), Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, and Syrian President Ahmed al-Shaara (INA)
Photo showing Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad (right), Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, and Syrian President Ahmed al-Shaara (INA)

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani has stressed the importance of Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s participation in the upcoming Arab League summit, calling it a key step toward announcing a “new vision” for Syria.

Baghdad will host the 34th Arab League Summit on May 17, amid converging views over al-Sharaa’s invitation. Speaking in an interview with US journalist Tim Constantine, Sudani said the summit represents more than a ceremonial gathering.

“Iraq is not just a host - we’re taking the initiative to offer solutions to the region’s crises,” he said.

Sudani described his invitation to al-Sharaa as in line with the Arab League’s established protocol.

“Regardless of the political dynamics or nature of the transition in Syria, al-Sharaa is the official representative of the Syrian state. His presence is crucial to express Syria’s perspective on its future,” he stated.

“Syria is a cornerstone for Arab security and stability,” he added. “We are committed to supporting its recovery, political stability, and reconstruction.”

While some factions in Iraq’s Coordination Framework political alliance initially objected to al-Sharaa’s invitation - especially after Sudani met him in Doha in the presence of Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad - opposition appears to be softening. The alliance has since declared its support for the summit, stating that attendance by Arab leaders is a government matter.

With just weeks until the summit, Sudani sought to shift international perceptions of Iraq. “Iraq is not a war zone,” he said. “The situation on the ground is far more stable - people in Baghdad are out late at night, and over $88 billion in investment has flowed in, including a major oil deal with British Petroleum in Kirkuk.”

He further pointed that tourism, too, was on the rise.

“I’ve seen visitors at historic sites like Hatra near the Syrian border and in Ur, a pilgrimage site for Christians. This is not the Iraq often portrayed in the media,” he noted.

However, Sudani acknowledged the challenges ahead. “The government’s biggest task is to restore public trust in state institutions after two decades of setbacks and widespread corruption.”

On US-Iraq relations, Sudani stressed that ties extend beyond security. “We have strong economic partnerships with major American firms, and we import $4 billion worth of US vehicles. Recent tariff changes under President Trump affect us indirectly through third-party countries.”