Dominican Republic: Commission on Foreign Affairs of the Chamber of Deputies supports a UN Parliamentary Assembly
The Commission’s support of the international campaign for a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly was announced by its President, Victor Suárez Díaz, on Twitter.
Deputy Victor Suárez speaking in the parliament
On August 14, the President of the Commission on Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Chamber of Deputies of the Dominican Republic, Victor Suárez Díaz, announced the Commission’s support of the campaign for a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly, in short UNPA.
The creation of a UN Parliamentary Assembly is promoted as a way to give elected representatives a formal role in the UN and to increase the world organization’s democratic character. It is envisaged as a complementary body that represents the world's citizens and not governments.
“As President of the Permanent Commission of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, I believe that we need to use our mandate from the congress to boost public policies that would give a voice to the world’s citizens and would work to the benefit of our peoples. For this reason I commit myself to advance the campaign for a UN Parliamentary Assembly both at the global level as well as from our region in the Caribbean,” Mr. Suárez, a member of the governing party PLD, stated.
The Commission plans to submit a resolution of support to the plenary of the Chamber of Deputies. The endorsement expressed by Mr. Suárez was welcomed by the international campaign for a UNPA.
“The call made by the Foreign Affairs Commission of the Chamber of Deputies of the Dominican Republic in favor of the Campaign for a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly constitutes a significant step towards the democratization of the UN and the whole system of global governance,” said Fernando Iglesias, a member of the UNPA campaign’s Steering Committee and Chair of the World Federalist Movement’s Council.
“After similar resolutions adopted by the Latin-American Parliament, the Mercosur Parliament and both Argentine chambers, the Dominican Republic’s parliament could become the second one in the Latin American and Caribbean region to support the initiative of giving a real voice to the citizens of the world. The global South, where most of them live, asks for more transparency, accountability and democracy at the international and global scale,” the Argentinian politician added.
The campaign’s international appeal for a UNPA is endorsed across party lines by more than 1,500 current and former members of parliament from over 120 countries, among them over 20 from the Dominican Republic.
Recently, a workshop on UNPA was held at the Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo.
Gregor Gysi
It is with pleasure that I endorse the proposal for the creation of a Parliamentary Assembly at the United Nations. There's a functioning world economy but no functioning and democratically legitimate global politics. The latter is urgently needed, however. I very much hope that this initiative will be successful.Peter Tatchell
Creating a UN Parliamentary Assembly would help strengthen global democracy and, through international political cooperation, help tackle the common problems faced by all of humanity. Bringing politicians together worldwide is the key to transcending the barriers of national borders and the limits of national parliaments. The UN General Assembly is a voice for the world's governments. A UN Parliamentary Assembly would give a voice to the elected representatives of the world's peoples.Nomsa Tarabella-Marchesi
It is high time that there is a body at the United Nations that brings parliamentarians from all UN member states together. The UN would benefit from involving elected representatives in its deliberations. After all, in many cases it's them who are needed to help implement UN policy at the national level, especially if it comes to the Agenda 2030. A UN Parliamentary Assembly would also provide for democratic oversight of the UN's operations, including playing a meaningful role vis-à-vis the Security Council. This additional layer of accountability would increase the world organization's democratic character and its credibility so that external control and economic exploitation by the strong on the weak nations and their lands is suppressed.Campaign for a UN Parliamentary Assembly now endorsed by over 1,500 current and former lawmakers from 120 countries
Possible logo of a UN Parliamentary Assembly
The international Campaign for a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly, in short UNPA, is now endorsed across party lines by more than 1,500 current and former members of parliament from over 120 countries.
The campaign's appeal for the creation of a UN Parliamentary Assembly that was signed by the lawmakers calls for "a gradual implementation of democratic participation and representation on the global level" and states that "to ensure international cooperation, secure the acceptance and to enhance the legitimacy of the United Nations and strengthen its capacity to act, people must be more effectively and directly included into the activities of the United Nations and its international organizations."
"This is an important milestone," said Andreas Bummel, the campaign's coordinator. "The support of a UN Parliamentary Assembly by such a broad group of parliamentarians from all the world's regions shows once again that it is high time for the United Nations to consider this project," he emphasized.
"If it comes to democratizing the world organization and global cooperation, it is no longer possible to ignore the proposal for a UN Parliamentary Assembly. This is a success of the campaign and of the numerous parliamentarians whose support the campaign could mobilize", commented Jo Leinen, a member of the European Parliament and co-chair of the campaign's parliamentary advisory group.
Nomsa Tarabella-Marchesi from South Africa‘s National Assembly was the 1,500th member of parliament to endorse a UNPA
The 1,500th lawmaker who signed the appeal for a UNPA last week was Nomsa Tarabella-Marchesi from South Africa. "The UN would benefit from involving elected representatives in its deliberations. After all, in many cases it's them who are needed to help implement UN policy at the national level, especially if it comes to the Agenda 2030. A UN Parliamentary Assembly would also provide for democratic oversight of the UN's operations, including playing a meaningful role vis-à-vis the Security Council. This additional layer of accountability would increase the world organization's democratic character," Mrs. Tarabella-Marchesi said.
European lawmaker Soraya Post who recently supported a pro-UNPA motion in the European Parliament said that "we as peoples of the world must be be able to directly influence the UN's political agenda and its implementation. It is a matter of our human rights and their full realization".
Signatories include the president of the Pan-African Parliament, Roger Nkodo Dang from Cameroon, and the chairpersons of the parliamentary committees on foreign affairs in Belgium and India, Dirk van der Maelen and Shashi Tharoor, respectively.
Numerous lawmakers who signed the appeal occupy important executive positions today. Among them are Germany's foreign minister Sigmar Gabriel, the EU's commissioner for the digital economy and society, Mariya Gabriel from Bulgaria, the president of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins, Sweden's minister for international development cooperation, Isabella Lövin, the EU's foreign minister and vice-president of the EU's commission, Federica Mogherini, Argentina's vice-president, Gabriela Michetti, or Canada's prime minister, Justin Trudeau.
With more than 100, the highest number of current members of parliament who endorse the campaign come from Germany, followed by Canada with over 50 and Sweden with over 40. Other countries with more than 10 current parliamentarians include Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, the Dominican Republic, India, Italy, South Africa, Spain and Switzerland. More than 50 individual members of the European Parliament are on record as well.
The establishment of a UNPA has been supported by the European Parliament, the Latin-American Parliament and the Pan-African Parliament, among others.
Apart from members of parliament, the campaign has also been endorsed by numerous former UN officials, distinguished scholars, cultural innovators, representatives of civil society organizations, and many committed citizens from all walks of life.
Full list of signatories
Current Members of Parliament
Former Members of Parliament
Ted Cantle
Globalisation is now seen as a threat in many countries. This is, to a large extent, because people feel a sense of powerlessness and have no say or sense of control over global forces. This view is gaining credence, fuelling the growth of populism and extremism and forcing a retreat into narrow forms of identity that undermine cohesion. We therefore need to democratise international bodies and agencies. A citizen-elected UN Parliamentary Assembly will create the opportunity to discuss and influence decisions beyond our borders. This will also help to develop a much greater sense of joint purpose and common humanity and break down the divisions based on nationality, ethnicity and faith that are presently the cause of so many tensions and conflicts.Bernd Westphal
I support the idea of a Parliamentary Assembly at the United Nations. We are facing growing global challenges that can only be solved by joint action. That's why democratically legitimate and transparent political decision-making procedures are not only needed at the national level but at the international level as well.
Leo Igwe
I endorse the establishment of a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly because the United Nations needs to be handed back to those to whom it actually belongs - the people of the world.Bärbel Bas
Political decision-making procedures need to be democratically legitimate, transparent and accountable. This applies to the global level as well. That's why I support the idea of a Parliamentary Assembly at the UN.