Legislators from 117 national parliaments meeting in Nairobi until 12 May 2006, on the occasion of the 114th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), have adopted an emergency agenda item entitled The need for urgent food relief in order to combat drought-induced famine and poverty in Africa, for the world's most industrialized nations to speed up aid to the continent and for particular efforts to be made to reach desperate and poor populations.

This topic was proposed by the delegation of Kenya, with the support of the African Group, and was unanimously approved.

In other developments, the Speaker of the Parliament of Kenya, Mr. Francis Ole Kaparo, was elected President of the 114th Assembly.

Mr. Anders B. Johnsson (Sweden) was re-elected Secretary General of the IPU for a four year mandate (2006-2010). Mr. Johnsson has been the Secretary General of the IPU since 1 July 1998.

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Established in 1889 and with its Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, the IPU, the oldest multilateral political organisation, currently brings together 143 affiliated parliaments and seven regional assemblies as associate members. The world organisation of parliaments has an Office in New York, which acts as its Permanent Observer at the United Nations.
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Contact for additional information or interviews:

Mrs. Luisa Ballin, IPU Information Officer Phone: +254 20 216 469 Mobile: +254 0727 704 981 E-mail: lb@mail.ipu.org or cbl@mail.ipu.org Kenyan Information Officer of the 114th Assembly: Mrs. Susan Mumbi Njuguna, Press Officer. Phone +254 20 250 702 E-mail: susannjuguna@yahoo.com