Manama: The Kingdom of Bahrain's Parliamentary Division held a Gulf-Asian coordination meeting via video conference on Thursday to follow up on and discuss the latest developments regarding the proposal to establish a temporary secretariat for the Asian Parliamentary Assembly (APA).
According to Bahrain News Agency, the meeting was chaired by MP Ahmed Sabah Al Saloom, representing the presidency of the APA. It was attended by Mohammed Ibrahim Al Sisi Al Buainain, Secretary General of the Council of Representatives, Secretary of the Executive Committee of the Parliamentary Division, and Acting Secretary General of the APA Interim Secretariat.
The Gulf-Asian coordination meeting aimed to ensure the continuity and sustainability of the assembly's activities and prevent its programmes and meetings from being disrupted amid current regional circumstances. This reflects the Assembly presidency's commitment to continuing joint Asian parliamentary work and addressing challenges that hinder its progress.
The meeting was held in line with the directives of Ahmed bin Salman Al Musallam, Speaker of the Council of Representatives, Chairman of the Parliamentary Division's Executive Committee and President of the APA for its current term, to step up work within the assembly. This is intended to ensure continued institutional efficiency and strengthen coordination among member states, as well as support the role of the Asian, particularly Gulf, group in regional and international forums and parliamentary engagements.
The meeting's agenda included discussing the establishment and transfer of the assembly's secretariat to the state presidency, and assigning it to coordinate a meeting of the Standing Committee on Economic and Sustainable Development Affairs, as it deems appropriate.
The meeting also discussed a proposal to open nominations for the assembly presidency for 2027, as well as participation in the meeting of the Standing Committee on Social and Cultural Affairs, to be held in the Republic of Tajikistan from September 24 to 27.
Additionally, the meeting covered plans to hold a coordination meeting of the APA on the sidelines of the 153rd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union in the United Republic of Tanzania in April 2027.