Equatorial Guinea: Sensitization and capacity-building

Opening ceremony of the parliamentary session.

The second in a series of sensitization seminars for members of the House of People's Representatives of Equatorial Guinea (CRP) took place in Bata from 16 to 18 March 2005, as part of a project designed to help modernize the parliament of Equatorial Guinea. The seminar focused on the legislative function of the parliament. With support from international and national resource persons, participants examined in detail the mechanisms and processes involved in law-making and the resources required. The seminar was held in conjunction with a technical assistance mission to Malabo carried out by Mr. Pierre Hontebeyrie, former Secretary General of the French National Assembly. The mission assisted the parliamentary authorities in reviewing the various rules of the House, including those governing staff, and in proposing a realistic organizational staff structure. In June 2005, the French and the Spanish parliaments hosted a study visit for the Secretary General of the CRP Mr. Bienvenido-Ekua Esono Abe. On 29 and 30 September, during the second parliamentary session of the year, the IPU organized the third in a series of capacity-building seminars for members of parliament and parliamentary staff. This seminar, which took place in Bata, focused on parliament's budgetary function and included presentations on the budgetary process and gender budgeting.

Nigeria: Bringing parliament closer to the people

This project was launched with the signing of an agreement between the Federal Government of Nigeria, the European Commission and the IPU in August 2004. The project aims to build the capacity of the National and six state assemblies of Nigeria, and to ensure that legislative decisions are informed by inputs from society. Project activities got under way in earnest in May 2005. Since then, a number of workshops have been held, including an orientation seminar in Bauchi, Gombe State in June 2005. A workshop on the budgetary process took place in Jos, Plateau State in July 2005 and a national conference on human rights was organized in Oshogbo, Osun State in August 2005. All three workshops brought together members and key staff of the National Assembly and of the state assemblies concerned. A series of staff attachments are scheduled between October and November 2005 in the parliaments of Belgium, France, Ghana, Kenya, Namibia, South Africa, and Zambia.

Afghanistan: Preparing the future National Assembly

Since late 2004, the IPU and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have worked together to prepare for the establishment of a new parliament in Afghanistan. Following an IPU-led assessment mission in November 2004, the SEAL programme (Support to the Establishment of the Afghan Legislature) has been implemented under UNDP auspices. On 19 July 2005 the IPU signed a Memorandum of Understanding with UNDP for the implementation of this programme. The IPU is providing the UNDP/SEAL project team with advice inter alia on standards for assistance provided to members in respect of allowances, equipment and staff. In collaboration with UNDP and the Secretariat that will serve the future parliament, the IPU organized study visits for Afghan staff in the parliaments of Indonesia and Morocco in August and September 2005, respectively. A national seminar on parliamentary processes and best practices for the staff and a mock parliament are scheduled for October 2005.

Viet Nam

The IPU, in collaboration with UNDP, is assisting the Committee on Economic and Budgetary Affairs (CEBA) of the National Assembly of Viet Nam in organizing a high-level policy forum entitled The role of legislatures in public finance oversight. This event is scheduled to take place on 14 and 15 October 2005 in Nha Trang City, Khanh Hoa province, central Viet Nam. The forum is intended to facilitate exchanges of opinions and the sharing of practical experiences between parliamentarians on the role of legislatures in public finance oversight and the use of forms and tools to support parliamentarians as they enhance the actual power of the legislature in the budget process. The IPU is providing resource persons and documentation, and is mobilizing support from other parliaments for this event.