CIS Interparliamentary Assembly turns 30

The solemn session dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the Council of the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly of the CIS Member States (IPA CIS) was held in Almaty. This unique institution has made a significant contribution to the improvement of legislation, the development of democracy and civil society.

“The inter-parliamentary dialogue promotes greater cooperation in the economic, social and humanitarian spheres. Joint legislative work allows the development of balanced approaches to solving new problems within the current global agenda of sustainable development, decarbonization and digitalization,” said Maulen Ashimbayev, Chairperson of the Senate, the Upper House of Kazakh Parliament.

One of the most important tasks of the organization is the convergence and harmonization of the legislation of the CIS states. To date, the Assembly has adopted more than 600 model laws and other documents. Most of them are used by parliaments in shaping the legal framework of their countries.

“The observation of elections and referendums is an important area of the Assembly’s work. The mechanism established by the IPA in this area has become part of the system of international monitoring of electoral processes. Observers from the IPA CIS conducted more than 140 visits. Moreover, the first such experience was obtained here in 1994 at the parliamentary elections of Kazakhstan,” added Valentina Matvienko, Chairperson of the Council of CIS Interparliamentary Assembly.

The next session of the IPA CIS Council will be held this autumn in Tashkent.

 

Translation by Assem Zhanmukhanova

Editing by Galiya Khassenkhanova