Speaker of Ghana’s Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, is leading a high-powered Ghanaian delegation to the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) conference in Manama, Bahrain.

Rt. Hon. Bagbin, a seasoned legislator who had retired as a Member of Parliament on January 6, 2021, was elected Speaker, a few hours after that move. He holds the enviable fame of being the longest-serving legislator of Ghana’s Parliament and was first elected an MP in 1993 when the first Parliament under the 4th Republic, was inaugurated.

The 146th Assembly of the IPU and its related meetings are scheduled to be held in the Arab country from Saturday, March 11, to Wednesday, March 15, 2023. Prior to that, he held various portfolios, including the Second Deputy Speaker, Majority Leader and Leader of Government Business in the House, the Minority leader, and Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Subsidiary Legislation, among others.

All IPU statutory bodies, including the Governing Council, Standing Committees, Committees on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians and on Middle East Questions, as well as the Forum of Women Parliamentarians and the Forum of Young MPs, will convene during this Assembly.

The General Debate is expected to provide a platform for delegates to deliberate, exchange views and galvanize parliamentary action in the area of fighting intolerance and promoting peaceful coexistence.

Ghana’s parliamentary delegation headed by Speaker Bagbin, comprises both leaders of the House; Majority and Minority Leaders, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu and Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, respectively. Also included in this delegation, are the First Deputy Minority Whip; Ahmed Ibrahim and Second Deputy Majority Whip; Habib Iddrisu.

Female MPs; Patricia Appiagyei and Dzifa Gomashie, the Director of Parliamentary Relations & Protocol; Sheba Nana Afriyie-Osei, Richard Acheampong; Head of the Speaker’s Secretariat, among others.

The delegation will represent Ghana’s interests, including Parliament, in the Conference and related meetings. The conference, under the theme “promoting peaceful coexistence and inclusive societies: fighting intolerance”, will explore and share ideas and perspectives on strengthening democracy worldwide.

The IPU is the global organization of national parliaments. It was founded more than 133 years ago as the first multilateral political organization in the world, encouraging cooperation and dialogue between all nations. The IPU, comprises 178 national Member Parliaments and 14 regional parliamentary bodies. It promotes democracy and helps parliaments become stronger, younger, gender-balanced and more representative. It also defends the human rights of parliamentarians through a dedicated committee of MPs worldwide.

146th Assembly and related meetings

The General Debate will focus on the overall theme of Promoting peaceful coexistence and inclusive societies: Fighting intolerance – and provide a platform for delegates to deliberate, exchange views and galvanize parliamentary action in this area.

The Assembly will adopt resolutions on the emergency item and on the subject items taken up by the Standing Committee, on Peace and International Security entitled ‘Cyberattacks and cybercrimes: The new risks to global security’ and by the Standing Committee on Sustainable Development entitled ‘Parliamentary efforts in achieving negative carbon balances of forests’. The Assembly is expected to conclude with the adoption of an outcome document on the overall theme of the General Debate.