IPU-UNITED STATES CONGRESS PANEL DISCUSSION ON ASSISTING FLEDGLING PARLIAMENTS IN POST-CONFLICT AND TRANSITIONAL SOCIETIES

At a meeting held on Capitol Hill under the aegis of the IPU and the House Democracy Assistance Commission (HDAC), IPU President Pier Ferdinando Casini joined with HDAC Chairman, Representative David Dreier, and HDAC Ranking Member, Representative David Price, in underscoring the need for timely and sustained support by the international community for strengthening parliamentary institutions in countries emerging from crisis and conflict.

The meeting, entitled Building strong and effective parliaments in post-conflict societies: lessons learned and the road ahead, was attended by members of Congress, senior advisers, and representatives from key United States institutions such as the State Department, USAID, the National Democratic Institution (NDI), the International Republican Institute (IRI), the International Foundation for Election System (IFES), the Asia Foundation and several others. Panellists included the United States Archivist, Honorable Allen Weinstein, and Deputy Assistant Administrator of USAID, Mr. Paul Bonacelli.

In his remarks, President Casini referred to IPU's recent study, Parliament and Democracy in the 21st Century: A guide to good practice, to illustrate how democracy cannot exist without a viable parliament that meets the basic standards of transparency and accountability. All presenters agreed that in post-conflict countries especially, but not exclusively, parliaments encounter significant difficulties in performing their functions due to lack of infrastructure, training, political deadlock, faulty electoral processes, and many other factors. International assistance to these parliaments is therefore key to helping restore democracy. However, the presenters found that there is no one model of democracy that should be followed and that assistance must be sensitive to local circumstances. They also agreed that assistance should be seen as a two-way learning experience between providers and recipients.

During his visit to Washington from 7 to 9 June, President Casini also met with Senator Richard Lugar, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Representatives Adam Putnam and Thomas Reynolds, members of the Republican leadership of the House of Representatives, Congressman Alcee Hastings, President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, as well as with other leading members of Congress. The key theme of their discussion was the need and modalities for re-engagement by the US Congress in the work of the IPU.