The 153rd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) takes place in Arusha, United Republic of Tanzania, on 5–9 October 2026. All IPU statutory bodies, including the Governing Council, Standing Committees, Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians and Committee on Middle East Questions, as well as the Forum of Women Parliamentarians and the Forum of Young Parliamentarians, are meeting on this occasion.

The Governing Council will be invited to elect a new IPU President at the session in Arusha.

"Enhancing good governance and empowering communities through inclusivity, trust and opportunities for all" is the theme of the General Debate.

The 153rd IPU Assembly will be adopting resolutions on the emergency item and on the subject item titled "Inclusive social development for all: Parliamentary strategies to promote the rights and empowerment of people living with disabilities" taken up by the Standing Committee on Democracy and Human Rights. The Assembly is expected to conclude with the adoption of an outcome document on the overall theme of the General Debate.

#IPU153

Friday, 9 October 2026, Arusha, United Republic of Tanzania

Mr. Milton Dick, the Speaker of the House of Representatives of Australia, has been elected the 32nd President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) by hundreds of parliamentarians gathered in Arusha, United Republic of Tanzania, for the 153rd IPU Assembly..

Mr. Dick took the top spot at the IPU with 56% of the vote after one round of voting conducted by secret ballot. He succeeds Dr. Tulia Ackson of the United Republic of Tanzania, who concluded her three-year mandate at the end of the Assembly.

Mr. Dick has represented the federal electoral division of Oxley in Queensland since 2016, following service on Brisbane City Council from 2008 to 2016. After studying at the University of Queensland, he worked as an adviser in the Australian federal government and in local government.

He was elected Speaker of the House of Representatives in 2022 and re-elected unopposed in 2025. As Speaker, Mr. Dick has focused on impartiality, inclusion and engagement, and on efforts to make the chamber a safer and more respectful workplace.

He has also prioritized parliamentary diplomacy, including Parliamentary Friendship Groups and engagement with the diplomatic community. Within the IPU, he currently serves as Vice-President of the Executive Committee representing the Asia-Pacific Group, and as Chairperson of the Sub-Committee on Finance, supporting cooperation, transparency and accountability.

Following the election, Mr. Dick said: “Today, there are no winners or losers. The IPU has spoken with one voice. This is democracy: a reminder that dialogue still matters, a reminder that respect still matters, a reminder that cooperation still matters. We will work together. We will listen to one another. We will seek common ground.”

Two other candidates were on the ballot: Ms. Sahiba Gafarova, Speaker of the Milli Majlis of Azerbaijan, and Mr. Rojo Edwards Silva, member of the Senate of Chile.

The IPU President is the Organization’s political head. The post carries responsibility for chairing its statutory meetings and representing the IPU at major global events. The President is elected for a term of three years and must remain a sitting member of parliament throughout the mandate.

The new President will work closely with the IPU Secretary General, Ms. Anda Filip, who was elected at the 152nd IPU Assembly, in April 2026, in Istanbul, Türkiye. 

Over the past 25 years, the IPU presidency has been held by prominent parliamentarians from Spain, India, Chile, Italy, Namibia, Morocco, Bangladesh, Mexico, Portugal, the United Republic of Tanzania and now Australia.

Global lawmakers find common ground

The 153rd IPU Assembly was attended by close to 700 parliamentarians from over 130 countries, including 50 Speakers and 45 Deputy Speakers of Parliaments. The high-level participation underscored the importance of the Assembly as a global forum for parliamentary leadership and dialogue. Among the lawmakers present, 39.4% were women – a record at an IPU Assembly. 

Against a backdrop of multiple conflicts in the world, the parliamentarians found consensus and common language through the expected adoption of the Arusha Communiqué and a series of resolutions addressing some of the most pressing challenges facing the people they represent worldwide.

Placing people at the centre

The Arusha Communiqué, entitled Enhancing good governance and empowering communities through inclusivity, trust and opportunities for all, reaffirms that parliamentary work must be grounded in people’s realities.

It emphasizes that the true test of good governance is how it improves people’s lives, including through equal opportunities for all. The Communiqué calls for laws, policies and budgets to be informed by evidence, including scientific and quantitative data, official statistics, local and community knowledge, and people’s real-life experiences.

It also stresses the importance of parliamentarians being present in, and accessible to, the communities they represent, particularly those living in remote areas or affected by crises.

Advancing disability inclusion

The Assembly is also expected to adopt a resolution on Inclusive social development for all: Parliamentary strategies to promote the rights and empowerment of persons with disabilities, which calls on parliaments to treat disability inclusion as a core issue of human rights, democratic representation and sustainable development. 

The resolution urges governments to align national legislation with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, allocate dedicated resources and ensure the meaningful participation of persons with disabilities in decision-making, in line with the principle of “nothing about us, without us”.

Climate emergency on the agenda

The Assembly is expected to agree on a common position with an emergency-item request submitted by the delegation of Nepal on 5 October 2026, entitled Urgent parliamentary action to address climate-related disasters and strengthen resilience in the Himalayan region and other vulnerable regions.

The request highlights the need for parliaments to take urgent action to strengthen resilience in regions facing growing climate-related risks in the wake of catastrophic flash floods and landslides in Nepal in August 2026, which have left thousands dead and homeless. It calls for international solidarity and reinforces the critical importance of climate justice, welcoming recent international legal instruments that underline the principle of shared responsibility and accountability in this area. 

Parliamentary diplomacy amid conflict

The Assembly brought together delegations from several countries affected by conflict, offering a rare platform for dialogue and parliamentary engagement at a time when relations between governments remain strained.

All of the IPU’s parliamentary bodies convened during the Assembly, including its four Standing Committees, the Forums of Women and Young Parliamentarians, the Committee on Middle East Questions and the Task Force for the peaceful resolution of the war in Ukraine.

The Assembly featured sessions on a wide range of issues, including military applications of artificial intelligence, oversight of extractive industries, mental health, AI and children’s rights, the future of work, healthy food in a changing climate, the protection of mountain and ocean ecosystems, the review of the Charter of the United Nations, and maritime security in times of conflict.

Human rights

The IPUe Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians also adopted important decisions in respect of the caseload of parliamentarians around the world who are in danger – including from Argentina, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eritrea, Myanmar, Tunisia and Türkiye. 

The 154th IPU Assembly will take place in Geneva, Switzerland, on 10–14 May 2027. 

The IPU is the global organization of national parliaments. It was founded in 1889 as the first multilateral political organization in the world, encouraging cooperation and dialogue between all nations. Today, the IPU comprises 184 national Member Parliaments and 15 regional parliamentary bodies. It promotes peace, democracy and sustainable development. It helps parliaments become stronger, younger, greener and more gender-balanced. It also defends the human rights of parliamentarians through a dedicated committee made up of MPs from around the world. 

For more information about the IPU, contact press@ipu.org 

Speaking to journalists ahead of the UN General Assembly’s high-level week, Secretary-General António Guterres today (16 Sep) made a call to accelerate the transition from fossil fuels to renewables for economic and security reasons, “because the wind will always blow and the sun will always shine, there are no limitations. There are no Straits of Hormuz or problems in the Black Sea that will impact on the origins of renewable energy.”

Noting that this will be his last General Assembly as Secretary-General, Guterres said the world had entered “an era of deep uncertainty” and urged governments to embrace international cooperation to address global threats.

He said, “the world is changing. And our institutions must change with it. But updating our structures can never mean abandoning our principles. It must mean applying those principles with even greater determination.”

On the Middle East crises, the Secretary-General said, “de-escalation must be priority one, priority two and priority three. All parties must cease any actions that harm civilians and ensure that humanitarian operations can proceed safely and without obstruction.”

He stressed that “navigational rights and freedoms in and around the Straits of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab must be fully restored and respected by all, in accordance with international law,” adding that “the only path forward is de-escalation, diplomacy and dialogue.”

Guterres said, “the peace plan for Gaza must be fully implemented with unrestricted humanitarian aid, and the creeping annexation of the West Bank must stop.”

“Well into the fifth year of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine,” he said, “it is time for an immediate ceasefire as a first step towards a just, lasting and comprehensive peace.”

The Secretary-General dedicated nearly half his remarks to what should be done about the rapid advancement of AI technology.

He recognised AI’s “enormous potential” on issues surrounding health, education and climate, but added that the world “cannot afford to ignore concerns” that AI development is progressing faster than human understanding of its risks.

Taking questions from journalists, Guterres regretted that China’s President XI Jinping will not attend the GA High-level week but noted that he had met with Xi “twice last month, “and added that “he has been a staunch defender of a world order based on multilateralism, with the UN at its centre.”

Asked about the escalator failure last year during United States President Donald Trump’s arrival, he said, “we had an enquiry made last year. That inquiry, I will not I am not going to enter into details but left me relieved, and I can tell you that we took additional measures in order to make sure that whoever goes around does not interact, negatively with the escalator.”

The Secretary-General repeated his condemnation of the attacks by the Houthis on civilian infrastructure in Saudi Arabia and to the obstacles to navigation in the Bab el Mandeb. He asked, “both sides to be able to establish a dialogue in order to end this dramatic aggravation of the conflict in the Middle East.”

Turning to the West Bank, Guterres said, “it's time to stop this creeping annexation. It’s time to stop any actions that might lead to this ethnic cleansing that you referred. And it's time to create the conditions for the two-state solution to be, again, put seriously on the table.”

He said, “there will be no peace in the Middle East without solution of the Palestinian-Israeli crisis,” and also added that “there will be no peace in the Horn of Africa if the Sudan crisis is not solved.”

On the situation of women in Afghanistan, the Secretary-General said, “it is absolutely intolerable that women, first of all, are not allowed even to work in our premises. It is absolutely intolerable that, the access of girls to education is limited, and it's absolutely intolerable that women are not allowed to work except in very specific circumstances. This is, one of the biggest concerns, and we have been very active, mobilising as much as we can the international community and putting pressure on the Taliban and making them understand that what they are doing is in undermining the capacity of the country to move ahead, is undermining humanitarian aid and is putting severe limitations to the development of the country.”

The IPU is the global organization of national parliaments.

The IPU is inching ever closer to universal membership, with 183 Member Parliaments out of the 193 countries in the world – from huge nations like China, India and Indonesia, to the tiny States of Cabo Verde, San Marino and Palau. Our Members represent the overwhelming majority of the world’s 8 billion people .

Our Organization, created by a small group of parliamentarians in 1889, has grown into a vibrant global entity committed to promoting democracy, equality, human rights, development and peace. Our Members work together for positive change, both in their own countries and internationally.

All parliaments are welcome to join us if they are lawfully established national bodies operating in States or aspirational States recognized by the United Nations. On rare occasions, Members are suspended due to the unconstitutional dissolution of parliament, or their rights are suspended for the non-payment of assessed contributions. Decisions on admitting, readmitting and suspending Members or their rights are taken by our Governing Council.   

We also have 15 Associate Members – mostly formal regional parliamentary organizations established under international law. They include the Arab Parliament, the European Parliament, the Pan-African Parliament, the Latin American and Caribbean Parliament (PARLATINO), and other parliamentary organizations.

The 15th Summit of Women Speakers of Parliament (15SWSP), convened by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), in close cooperation with the Swiss Parliament, will take place in Geneva, Switzerland, on Monday, 28 July 2025. The Summit will precede the Sixth World Conference of Speakers of Parliament (6WCSP), which will also take place in Geneva, from 29 to 31 July 2025.

The 15th Summit of Women Speakers of Parliament will be held at the premises of the International Labour Organization.

The Summit is intended to bring together women in the highest parliamentary decision-making positions to shape the parliamentary agenda based on emerging political, economic, environmental and social changes that require united and gender-responsive global governance solutions. It offers a platform for women leaders to network and exchange views and experiences.

The 15th Summit is taking place during a year of many milestones for the women and girls of the world. 2025 marks the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, as well as the ten-year milestone of implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The women, peace and security agenda is marking 25 years of existence, and is needed even more today than when it was established.

At this critical juncture, the 15th Summit will be the meeting point for women Speakers from around the world to network, exchange views and experiences, and to build on the milestones being marked in 2025 to craft the next chapter for gender equality and women’s empowerment and leadership.

With this in mind, the Summit will focus on the role of women speakers in Leading for inclusive and lasting peace.

As the Summit will immediately precede the 6WCSP, the results of its deliberations will feed into the proceedings of the 6WCSP, thus offering an opportunity to prioritize gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls on the agenda of all parliaments.

The Summit is open to women Speakers or Presidents of Member Parliaments of the IPU or national parliaments of countries that are recognized by the United Nations. In the case of bicameral parliaments, the Summit is open to women Speakers of both chambers.

Women Speakers who are unable to attend the Summit may only be replaced by women deputy Speakers.

The Summit is also open to the regional and international parliamentary assemblies and organizations that are Associate Members or permanent observers of the IPU and that are presided over by a woman President.

A limited number of high-level international experts will be invited to attend the Summit and contribute to its key focus areas as special guests.
 

Access the photos

• 15SWSP – Inaugural ceremony and session 1
• 15SWSP – session 2 and closing session
• 15SWSP – Swiss National Council gallery

South Africa takes it's voice to the global parliamentary stage at the 153rd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union in Arusha, Tanzania.

In this special broadcast, members of Parliament’s multiparty delegation share insights on South Africa’s priorities, key discussions at the Assembly, and the role of parliamentary diplomacy in strengthening cooperation, inclusion and global dialogue.

#IPU153 #ParliamentaryDiplomacy #7thParliament #ParliamentOfSouthAfrica

Governing Council
- Election of the President of the Inter-
Parliamentary Union
- Decisions on the human rights of MPs
- Reports of specialised meetings

As the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA81) progresses, activities at the UN headquarters are intensifying in anticipation of the upcoming High-Level meetings segment. Scheduled to commence on September 22nd - 26, 2026, these meetings will bring together heads of state and government, ministers, and high-ranking officials from around the globe to discuss pressing international issues. The Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC), H.E Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, is expected to lead a high-level delegation to participate in the UNGA81. 

Preparations have ramped up, with delegations arriving and engaging in pre-meeting consultations. The focus is on fostering collaboration to tackle critical global challenges, such as climate change, sustainable development, peace and security and global health issues.

The UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres in a recent keynote address, emphasized the importance of collective action and multilateral cooperation in addressing the challenges facing humanity today. “The world is at a crossroads, and it is imperative that we come together to forge solutions that benefit all”. Stated the UNSG.

After the official opening of the UNGA on September 8, the United Nations (UN) Women Executive Board convened for its first meeting under the auspices of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly from September 9-10, 2026. The session focused on advancing gender equality and the empowerment of women globally, addressing pressing challenges and strategies for sustainable development. The Permanent Observer Mission of the African Union to the United Nations is actively represented in all the meetings at the UN.

The UN Women Executive Board members reviewed the progress made since the last session, examining the implementation of UN Women’s strategic plan and assessing the impact of ongoing programs aimed at promoting gender equality. Discussions centered on enhancing collaboration among member states, civil society, and the private sector to address barriers to gender equality, particularly in regions facing conflict and economic instability. The board emphasized the need for increased funding for women’s rights initiatives and programs that support gender-responsive policies, outlining priorities for the upcoming year, including initiatives focused on women's leadership, economic empowerment, education, and health. Special attention was given to the role of technology in advancing gender equality.

The UN Women Executive Board’s first meeting of UNGA 81 concluded with a renewed commitment to championing gender equality and women’s empowerment across the globe. The outcome of this meeting will set the stage for future initiatives and collaborative efforts in the pursuit of a more just and equitable world.

2nd Plenary of the 81st Session of the UNGA: Organization of Work and Adoption of the Agenda

The meeting chaired by the newly sworn in President of the General Assembly (PGA), H.E Khalilur Rahman, on September 11, 2026, focused on the organization of work and the adoption of the UNGA agenda including the highly anticipated General Debate scheduled for September 22 to 26, 2026. This session promises to address critical global issues and enhance international collaboration. The forum will allow heads of state and government to present their perspectives on pressing issues and collectively explore solutions.

A clear organizational framework was established to optimize the Assembly's functioning. This includes the scheduling of thematic discussions and time allocations for member states to share their insights and proposals. Delegates underscored the importance of multilateralism as a cornerstone for addressing global challenges. The Assembly acknowledged that cooperative efforts among nations are essential for achieving sustainable solutions.

Following the adoption of the agenda, the Assembly will prepare for the General Debate, encouraging member states to submit their statements and engage actively in discussions. The agenda adopted by the UN General Assembly typically prioritizes several key areas that address pressing global challenges such as Sustainable Development, Climate Change, Global Health, Peace and Security, Human Rights, Gender Equality, Economic Recovery, and Technological Innovation.

UNGA 81 Pre-Summit Events

Numerous side events and forums are being organized at the Permanent Observer Mission of the African Union to the United Nations and other locations in New York City, addressing topics such as gender equality, human rights, and peacebuilding. These events provide a platform for the Representatives of the African States to the UN, AU Organs and Agencies, partner organizations, civil society, private sector, women and youth representatives to voice their perspectives.

Bilateral Meetings: Delegations including the African Union are scheduling bilateral meetings to strengthen diplomatic ties and address specific continental and international concerns. These discussions are crucial for building consensus on key agenda items.

Media Engagement: A series of press briefings and media engagements will be held at the UN headquarters to ensure transparency and keep the public informed about the discussions and outcomes of the High-Level segment.

Speech by Dr. Tulia Ackson,

IPU President
Closing of the 152nd IPU Assembly

Istanbul, 19 April 2026

Your Excellency, Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye, Mr. Numan Kurtulmuş,
Mr. Martin Chungong, distinguished Secretary General of the IPU,
Amb. Anda Filip, Distinguished Secretary General-elect of the IPU,
Honourable Speakers of Parliament,
Honourable Deputy Speakers and Heads of Delegation,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Colleagues, friends,

As this Assembly draws to a close, I am once again struck by the immense potential of parliamentary
diplomacy. We have gathered here in Istanbul, a most inspiring place, with 113 Speakers and Deputy
Speakers of Parliament and over 700 parliamentarians from 129 countries.

This fact is far from trivial, especially when one takes into account the challenging political realities we faced in the run-up to this 152nd Assembly.

And yet, this Assembly happened. And it has not only happened – it has been a tremendously successful Assembly, with an inclusive emergency item adopted, a new Strategy that will guide our work for the coming years, and the election of the first woman IPU Secretary General. This has been an Assembly for
the IPU’s history books!

It is often events like this that lead us to ask: what have we taken for granted? And it is events like this that put into perspective the value and significance of gathering together.

I said in my inaugural speech that we should never take Assemblies for granted. In many ways, our Assemblies embody our peoples’ common will to live in peace and harmony.

Moments like this remind us that we do not promote dialogue and democracy for the sake of it. We do so because they are the means through which differences are resolved peacefully. They are what allow equals to disagree without discord, and societies to balance the interests of the many with those of the few. At the core of IPU Assemblies lies a simple principle: inclusion. And without it, no democracy and no global society can truly stand.

There is no better place than an Assembly to realise that the challenges we face are shared across our borders. This is why the idea of turning our backs on the world and retreating into narrow national interest is a dangerous path. As history has taught us the hard way, that path leads to war, to destruction, and to the endless spiral of violence.

Multilateralism is under threat, and we must resist with conviction. But let me be clear: this is not a new test. Humanity has faced this challenge before, and humanity has prevailed. The League of Nations rose from the ruins of the First World War. The United Nations emerged from the ashes of the bloodiest conflict in human history. Each time the pendulum swung towards destruction, we found the will to come back to the table. And we must find it again. And we will find it again.

We came to Istanbul in record numbers to proclaim that we refuse to accept the immorality of war between nations.

We met in Istanbul against the backdrop of a world screaming for hope, peace and justice for present and future generations.

And parliaments must respond.

We carry the people’s will. We turn commitments into laws, and laws into real change.

In Istanbul, we have adopted a landmark Istanbul Declaration that sets the horizon we are aiming for.

Our Declaration reflects a clear-eyed assessment of the challenges we face and a commitment to act. It reaffirms our belief in multilateralism, in international law, and in long-term, inclusive and accountable governance.

Through this Declaration, we have committed to strengthening democratic representation across generations, addressing the structural drivers of instability, governing emerging technologies responsibly, and advancing parliamentary diplomacy as a force for dialogue and conflict prevention.

Above all, this Declaration is an act of solidarity: intergenerational solidarity. As leaders of today, we commit to shaping for the better the political, social and environmental conditions that future generations will inherit.

This Declaration is not an endpoint. So we must take these choices back to our parliaments, translate them into legislation, oversight and budgets, and ensure that the hope we nurtured here in Istanbul through our speeches and conversations becomes concrete action.

Dear friends and colleagues,

Hope is indeed a powerful, enduring force. And intergenerational solidarity is the choice to breathe that hope into younger generations, to protect their dreams and aspirations, and to remind them that they are not alone.

I urge you to return to your countries carrying this truth: that the challenges humanity faces cannot be faced alone. Share with the children of your countries that there are hundreds of women and men, young and old, from every corner of the world, who gather in places like this not out of habit or obligation, but out of conviction. The conviction that dialogue is stronger than conflict and that cooperation is wiser than competition.

Without doubt, another highlight of this Assembly has been the adoption of an emergency item resolution. As you know, we have not always succeeded in adopting one; nonetheless, this is another
example of how parliamentary diplomacy does not wind down in moments of crisis but rises to meet them. At this very moment, when the world, and the Middle East in particular, is drowning in conflict, this Assembly chose not to look away. We chose to speak.

The resolution we adopted is a message to the world that the drums of war ought to be silenced. It is a message to the world that international humanitarian law must be respected in all conflicts without exception; that impunity, wherever it takes root, only feeds the cycles of violence we seek to end; and that parliaments bear a moral responsibility to press for peace. We are the living proof that differences can be voiced, that disagreements can be resolved, and that common ground can be found, through the patient, imperfect, yet indispensable work of talking to one another.

That is the power of this Assembly. That is the promise of Istanbul.

Dear colleagues, dear friends, at the opening of this Assembly I asked three things of you:

1) to choose inclusion,

2) to choose dialogue,
3) and to lead with foresight and a sense of duty to future generations.

Looking back at these past few days, I believe you answered that call. You chose to be here. You chose to speak. You chose to act. And in doing so, you have given meaning to every one of those requests.

Since I opened the General Debate with a proverb about encouragement, allow me to close with a Turkish proverb that captures what we have achieved together: “One hand has nothing; two hands have sound”.

Thank you for your engagement, your support and your commitment to the people you represent and serve. The IPU, now more than ever, remains a place for those who believe in dialogue, respect and solidarity.

Thank you.

Top resources in Parline include the IPU’s monthly ranking of the percentage of women in parliament. Check how your country is ranked!

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