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ISLAMABAD: The European Union (EU) has launched its first cooperation programme worth $4.75 million in support of Pakistans Parliament to help assist in the discharging its core parliamentary functions like legislation, oversight and representation.
The EU programme Improving Parliamentary Performance (IP3) emphasises on the work and performance of parliamentary committees - the engines of any parliament. It will also facilitate improved links between Pakistans Parliament and the European Parliament.
The programme is the first building block in a wider structural partnership with Pakistans democratic institutions, including also the provincial and legislative assemblies, who will benefit from a similar programme in the coming years, said a news release of the EU.
Acting President and Senate Chairman Syed Nayyar Husain Bukhari was the chief guest at the launching ceremony. It was hosted by the Pakistan Institute for Parliamentary Services (PIPS) here late on Wednesday.
EU Ambassador to Pakistan Lars-Gunnar Wigemark underlined that the EUs support to Pakistans Parliament is a concrete example of the EUs resolve to be a constructive and sincere partner of Pakistan by strengthening essential democratic institutions such as the Parliament. The Parliament is the bedrock of democracy in Pakistan and deserves our full support.
The EU and Pakistan recently agreed to upgrade their relations to the level of strategic partners and the EU Ambassador noted: Our joint Five Year Engagement Plan refers to the determination of EU and Pakistan to strengthen our parliamentary cooperation.
Reflecting on the 2012 award of Nobel Peace Prize to the European Union, Ambassador Wigemark stressed that the European Unions experience reflects how a well-functioning parliamentary democracy is essential for peace and stability both domestically and at a regional level. By working together as full fledged parliamentary democracies, the EU member states have been able to overcome their historical animosities and assist one another in good and bad times.
The EU-Pakistan cooperation programme Improving Parliamentary Performance (IP3) will tap into the potential of Pakistans many young graduates by providing a cadre of junior experts to parliamentary committees, secretariats and PIPS. The $4.75 million programme will be carried out until end of 2014 by the British Council, leading a consortium of local and international partners.
The IP3 programme has the following four priorities: supporting members of the National Assembly, Senate, parliamentary committees, secretariats and PIPS in their work by providing expertise and capacity building for legislative, thematic and legislative research, and parliamentary oversight, making the work of Parliament more transparent and accessible to the citizens through support to comprehensive public outreach strategy of PIPS, helping the Parliament to build more effective relationship with the media, and engaging the public and civil society to work more closely with the Parliament; increasing Parliaments capacity to promote international human rights standards and to work on electoral legal frameworks through specialised advice on mainstreaming human rights in legislative business in compliance with Pakistans international commitments. The programme will also support the ongoing electoral reforms process, strengthening the links between Pakistani Parliament and the European Parliament to encourage better understanding of the issues of mutual interest, sharing of the best practices and promoting exchanges between the parliamentarians and the staff working in the parliaments.
PIPS Executive Khan Ahmad Goraya noted: We are aware that the European Union has designed the project after a careful and comprehensive assessment process completed with close cooperation and support of the Parliament. The key priority areas were determined for the project in consultation with Senate of Pakistan, National Assembly and the Pakistan Institute for Parliamentary Services and the project envisages supporting the parliamentary committees at the Parliament with the cooperation of the Institute.
http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-2-141975-EU-launches-$475-million-programme-to-assist-National-Assembly-Senate
The EU programme Improving Parliamentary Performance (IP3) emphasises on the work and performance of parliamentary committees - the engines of any parliament. It will also facilitate improved links between Pakistans Parliament and the European Parliament.
The programme is the first building block in a wider structural partnership with Pakistans democratic institutions, including also the provincial and legislative assemblies, who will benefit from a similar programme in the coming years, said a news release of the EU.
Acting President and Senate Chairman Syed Nayyar Husain Bukhari was the chief guest at the launching ceremony. It was hosted by the Pakistan Institute for Parliamentary Services (PIPS) here late on Wednesday.
EU Ambassador to Pakistan Lars-Gunnar Wigemark underlined that the EUs support to Pakistans Parliament is a concrete example of the EUs resolve to be a constructive and sincere partner of Pakistan by strengthening essential democratic institutions such as the Parliament. The Parliament is the bedrock of democracy in Pakistan and deserves our full support.
The EU and Pakistan recently agreed to upgrade their relations to the level of strategic partners and the EU Ambassador noted: Our joint Five Year Engagement Plan refers to the determination of EU and Pakistan to strengthen our parliamentary cooperation.
Reflecting on the 2012 award of Nobel Peace Prize to the European Union, Ambassador Wigemark stressed that the European Unions experience reflects how a well-functioning parliamentary democracy is essential for peace and stability both domestically and at a regional level. By working together as full fledged parliamentary democracies, the EU member states have been able to overcome their historical animosities and assist one another in good and bad times.
The EU-Pakistan cooperation programme Improving Parliamentary Performance (IP3) will tap into the potential of Pakistans many young graduates by providing a cadre of junior experts to parliamentary committees, secretariats and PIPS. The $4.75 million programme will be carried out until end of 2014 by the British Council, leading a consortium of local and international partners.
The IP3 programme has the following four priorities: supporting members of the National Assembly, Senate, parliamentary committees, secretariats and PIPS in their work by providing expertise and capacity building for legislative, thematic and legislative research, and parliamentary oversight, making the work of Parliament more transparent and accessible to the citizens through support to comprehensive public outreach strategy of PIPS, helping the Parliament to build more effective relationship with the media, and engaging the public and civil society to work more closely with the Parliament; increasing Parliaments capacity to promote international human rights standards and to work on electoral legal frameworks through specialised advice on mainstreaming human rights in legislative business in compliance with Pakistans international commitments. The programme will also support the ongoing electoral reforms process, strengthening the links between Pakistani Parliament and the European Parliament to encourage better understanding of the issues of mutual interest, sharing of the best practices and promoting exchanges between the parliamentarians and the staff working in the parliaments.
PIPS Executive Khan Ahmad Goraya noted: We are aware that the European Union has designed the project after a careful and comprehensive assessment process completed with close cooperation and support of the Parliament. The key priority areas were determined for the project in consultation with Senate of Pakistan, National Assembly and the Pakistan Institute for Parliamentary Services and the project envisages supporting the parliamentary committees at the Parliament with the cooperation of the Institute.
http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-2-141975-EU-launches-$475-million-programme-to-assist-National-Assembly-Senate
