Press release of the Inter-Parliamentary Union
Geneva/Ouagadougou, 11 March 1996
N° 53

A seminar to contribute to the advancement of parliamentary democracy in West and Central Africa is being organized in Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso), from 12 to 15 March, by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), the world organization of parliaments.

Held at the invitation of the Assembly of People's Deputies of Burkina Faso, in the head office of the Commodities Stabilization Fund (Caisse Générale de Péréquation), the four-day seminar will provide an opportunity for parliamentarians from 15 French-speaking countries of West and Central Africa to exchange experiences, consult with experts, and inform themselves on all aspects of the functioning of a modern, democratic, multiparty parliament.

According to the IPU Secretary General, Pierre Cornillon, "the seminar will help MPs understand their role, responsibilities and rights in a multiparty political system, thereby assisting them in their role as law-makers and overseers government action."

"The overall goal is to contribute to the advancement of democracy which is taking root in the region," Cornillon said.

The 15 countries invited to send parliamentarians to the seminar are: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Gabon, Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, Togo and Zaire. The majority of these countries have held multiparty elections for the first time since 1990, or have transitional parliaments (Zaire and Chad). Zaire and Chad are expected to hold multiparty elections in the not-too-distant future.

Some 80 MPs are expected to attend the seminar, including Speakers of parliament, representing all political factions - opposition as well as government parties in their respective parliaments. One important aspect of the seminar will be to clarify the role of the opposition in a parliament, highlighting the fact that co-operation and confrontation are essential factors in the smooth running of a modern parliamentary system. Women MPs are also expected to attend, in keeping with the IPU's policy of promoting the role of women in political life. In addition, four MPs from the Haitian parliament will attend as observers within the framework of an IPU technical assistance project under way with that parliament.

The seminar will be opened on 12 March by the Prime Minister of Burkina Faso, Mr Désiré Kadré Ouédraogo. The opening ceremony, beginning at 10 a.m., will be presided over by the Speaker of the Assembly of People's Deputies of Burkina Faso, Dr Arsène Bongnessan Yé.

Substantive discussions will focus on, in order: Parliament and the Executive; Oversight of Executive Action; Operation of a Modern Parliament; Role and Duties of the Opposition; MPs and the Citizen; Role of Parliament in the Protection of Human Rights; and Inter-Parliamentary Co-operation. At the end of the seminar, on 15 March, a general assessment will be made by participants and experts.

Experts contributing to the seminar will be: Professor Guy Carcassonne, Institut international d'administration publique (France - Parliament and the Executive); Mr Bruno Baufumé, Director of International Relations at the French Senate (Oversight of Executive Action, and Operation of a Modern Parliament); Mr Samuel Efoua Mbozo'o, former Secretary-General of the National Assembly of Cameroon (Operation of a Modern Parliament); Mr Abdoulaye Wade, Senior Minister in the President's Office (Senegal), and Mr Jacques Lefèvre, MP and President of the Belgian Inter-Parliamentary Group (Role and Duties of the Opposition); Mrs Françoise-Odette Coulibaly, MP (Burkina Faso - MPs and the Citizen); Mr Pierre Cornillon, IPU Secretary General (Role of Parliament in the Protection of Human Rights); and Mr Miguel Angel Martinez, President of the Spanish Inter-Parliamentary Group and former President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (Inter-Parliamentary Co-operation).

The Inter-Parliamentary Union currently has a membership of 134 national parliaments world-wide. Defence and promotion of representative democracy - representation of the people by freely elected parliamentarians - is a key part of IPU's work. It promotes free and fair elections and the firm establishment of representative institutions, and runs a technical co-operation programme to help young parliaments.

In Geneva, Robin Newmann, IPU Information Officer (tel: 734.41.50)
In Burkina Faso, Martin Chungong, IPU Seminar Co-ordinator (tel: 226-314449 or 226-306060)