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Al-Ahram Weekly 11 - 17 May 2000 Issue No. 481 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 11 - 17 May 2000 Issue No. 481
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Books Features Interview Travel Living Sports Profile People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters People to people
By Sami MetwaliThe runaway success of the 103rd Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) conference convened in the Jordanian capital Amman 30 April-6 May was a veritable publicity coup for the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. The organisation, security arrangements, and logistics were especially commendable considering that over 1,000 parliamentarians representing over 130 countries participated. The success of the conference is made all the more impressive because of the tensions between the Jordanian government and the country's parliament that took place barely a month before the IPU conference began. Three weeks ago, King Abdullah II of Jordan received Speaker Abdul-Hadi Al-Megali to discuss the so-called "Nissan Memo" presented by the Speaker to the King. The controversial memo charged His Majesty's government with ridiculing the democratic process, snubbing Parliament and mocking the judiciary. Jordanian parliamentarians were pressing for a vote of no-confidence in the government and warned of the dire consequences for Jordan's economic policies and the government's economic mismanagement. The King appealed for calm and had a separate meeting with Jordanian Prime Minister Abdul-Raouf Al-Rawabda and the Chairman of the Royal Diwan Fayez Al-Tarawna in a bid to contain the situation.
Happily all was well by the time parliamentarians from around the world descended on Amman. Achieving peace, stability and comprehensive development topped the agenda. Delegates acknowledged the need for forging closer political, economic and cultural ties among the peoples and nations of the world. The role of parliamentarians in fostering peace, solidarity and understanding among peoples and nations was stressed. Also the role of the United Nations and regional organisations was applauded and deemed more necessary than ever in the post Cold War period. The UN in particular was singled out for acclaim as participants agreed that the world body must continue to play a pivotal role as the cornerstone of strong global cooperation in the age of globalisation.
The Egyptian parliamentary delegation headed by Dr Fathi Sorour
On the other hand, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund came under fire for failing to reduce the huge and widening gap between rich and poor countries. Participants warned that the inequitable distribution of wealth between rich and poor countries and the considerable discrepancies in people's living standards are a major source of conflict among nations and an impediment to global peace and prosperity. Inequalities of income and between the sexes prevent sustainable development, the delegates argued, pointing out that women still do not participate equally with men in political, economic and social decision-making and that often discrimination against women, including poverty, the denial of access to education, violence and sexual exploitation, limit women's' ability to contribute to the prevention and resolution of conflict within and between nations.
At the end of the conference parliamentary representatives of 12 Arab countries left Jordan for Iraq as a gesture of solidarity with the suffering people, and especially the children, because of the economic sanctions imposed against Iraq.
