From Jakarta, OIC Parliaments Agree on Governance Agenda and Collective Climate Action
Jakarta – The 19th Conference of the Union of Parliaments of Member States of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (PUIC) at the Indonesian Parliament Building, Jakarta, presented more than 500 delegates from 37 OIC member countries. This forum carries the main theme “Good Governance and Strong Institutions as Pillars of Resilience”, as a response to the growing global challenges.
The Chairperson of the Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation Agency (BKSAP) of the Indonesian Parliament, Mardani Ali Sera, emphasized that this theme is relevant to strengthening the foundation of global resilience, especially through strengthening institutions and good governance in PUIC member countries.
“This momentum marks Indonesia’s strategic role as the center of parliamentary diplomacy in the Islamic world, and emphasizes the commitment of the Indonesian Parliament in strengthening the values of good governance and strong institutions as the main foundation of global resilience,” said Mardani.
In the Standing Committee meeting that opened the series of sessions, the delegates agreed on the main agenda of the conference, including increasing transparency and accountability of parliament, as well as strengthening institutional capacity to be more responsive to the needs of the community.
Mardani also highlighted the importance of cross-country solidarity in facing various modern challenges.
“Starting from prolonged conflict, climate change, to economic inequality and the crisis of public trust in state institutions,” he explained.
Specifically regarding climate change, Mardani emphasized that this issue cannot be ignored by the parliaments of Islamic countries. He said that adaptation to the climate crisis must be part of the national legislative and policy agenda, in order to protect vulnerable groups and maintain sustainable development.
“The DPR raised crucial issues, including the importance of collaboration to deal with climate change, strengthening socio-economic resilience, and placing the people at the center of all policies and parliamentary work,” he added.
Meanwhile, Deputy Speaker of the Somali Parliament, Abdullahi Omar Abshir, expressed a similar view regarding the importance of strengthening institutions and governance as the basis for the country’s progress. He welcomed the theme raised in this conference and encouraged the discussion to focus on ways to build a strong and responsive system.
“If we have good governance and strong institutions, then every institution will work optimally,” Abdullahi said when interviewed on the sidelines of the conference.
He explained that parliament has a vital role in maintaining democracy and ensuring that policies are in the interests of the people.
“Parliament is the backbone of the country. If parliament is strong, then other government institutions, including the cabinet and the president, will stand strong because they are based on the foundation of a healthy democracy,” he said.
Abdullahi also highlighted the importance of parliamentary diplomacy as a bridge to strengthen cross-cultural and linguistic cooperation among PUIC member countries.
“If we have the same principles, goals, and vision, then the gap can be bridged through inclusive dialogue,” he said.
The 19th PUIC Conference is expected to produce strategic agreements to strengthen inter-parliamentary cooperation and respond to the various challenges facing the Islamic world today.
