During the 2nd Conference of the Non-Aligned Movement Parliamentary Network (PN) in Manama, held on March 13, a decision was made to establish a Parliamentary Support Group to support the initiatives put forward by President of Azerbaijan and Chairman of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Ilham Aliyev at the Summit of the NAM Contact Group in response to COVID-19, held on March 2 this year in Baku.
The conference, chaired by Speaker of the Azerbaijani Parliament, Chair of the NAM Parliamentary Network Sahiba Gafarova was attended by over 300 delegates, including speakers from 20 parliaments and delegations from more than 60 countries.
The main goal of the Parliamentary Group, which will be set up within the framework of the NAM Parliamentary Network, is to support and promote at the world level the initiatives of President Ilham Aliyev regarding the Global Calls to support the post-pandemic recovery in Africa and Small Island Developing States, as well as appeals to the UN Secretary General for the creation of a high-level UN panel to develop appropriate recommendations for global recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Manama Declaration, adopted as the final document of the conference, reflects the common position of the member parliaments regarding the modern challenges and opportunities for cooperation, current and future priorities of the activity of the NAM Parliamentary Network.
The conference also adopted a decision “On granting observer status to international parliamentary organizations in the NAM Parliamentary Network, granting the OIC Parliamentary Union, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Economic Cooperation Organization, the International Congress of Parliamentarians and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization observer status.