The Speaker of Vanuatu Parliament, Hon. Seoule Simeon (MP) and the Deputy Speaker of National Parliament Hon. Commins Aston Mewa, have signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on Inter-Parliamentary Partnership.
This partnership encourages exchanges of Parliamentary delegations to promote closer interaction in the interest of further development of inter-parliamentary cooperation and as a means of fostering links between Parliamentarians and Parliamentary staff.
Hon. Seoule during the signing ceremony said, as Speaker of Vanuatu Parliament, he has submitted to Solomon Parliament for its consideration, a Memorandum Of Agreement (MOA) and an annual Partnership Program whose aim is to create a framework for inter-parliamentary exchanges to strengthen the professional capacities of respective parliamentarians and staff, and to promote Democracy, thus contributing to the visibility of both institutions.
Hon. Seoule acknowledged the Speaker of Solomon Parliament for allowing these two Institutions to sign the two documents.
“In the long term, I dare to hope that one day our 5 countries will create the Parliamentary Assembly of Melanesia (PAM), as a consultative body, knowing that we face the same challenges that we can solve collectively with our respective Governments,” the Vanuatu Speaker adds.
In his remarks during the signing ceremony, Deputy Speaker Hon. Commins Aston Mewa on behalf of the Speaker who is away on medical leave said that the National Parliament of Solomon Islands is always keen on fostering parliamentary assistance, diplomacy, and networking.
Hon Mewa highlighted that “No single Parliament, no matter how large or well resourced, can address future challenges by itself. In this era of globalization and interdependence, cooperative partnerships with other parliamentary institutions around the region is not an option, but a necessity.”
He adds “For small Parliaments like the Solomons, parliamentary partnerships provide a space for exchanges of best practices and experiences which this MOA encompasses.”
The National Parliament also has a similar partnership with the New South Wales Parliament and the Bougainville House of Representatives, and in October last year joined the Pacific Islands Parliaments Group, which was hosted by the Assembly of French Polynesian and just last December partnered with the Congress of New Caledonia.
The signing ceremony concludes with the exchange of gifts and light refreshments
Source: Press Release, National Parliament of Solomon Islands