Jakarta – International Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) President Duarte Pacheco expressed his appreciation to Indonesia for being willing to host the 2022 IPU.
According to Duarte, Indonesia will be able to become a good host because of Indonesia’s undoubted capacity with various experiences of international activities that have been held by Indonesia. This was conveyed by IPU President Duarte Pacheco during a courtesy call with the Indonesian Ambassador to Portugal, Rudy Alfonso (16/3/2002).
During the courtesy call between the Indonesian Ambassador to Portugal, Rudy Alfonso and the President of the International Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Duarte Pacheco, one of the discussions was the 144th IPU Assembly Meeting in Bali. The IPU Assembly Meeting in Bali is planned to be held from March 20-24, 2022.
Ambassador Rudy Alfonso conveyed that the Speaker of the DPR, Mrs. Puan Maharani, was present in Bali in person to ensure the readiness of the meeting. In response to this, the IPU President is confident that Indonesia can organize the 144th IPU smoothly.
Until now, there are 120 countries or delegates who will attend the 144th IPU meeting and it is likely that this number will increase again, said Duarte.
The President of the IPU hopes that the United States can join as a member of the IPU. This will certainly strengthen the IPU if the United States is willing to join the IPU membership.
In addition to discussing the preparation and implementation of the IPU Assembly Meeting, Ambassador Rudy Alfonso and Duarte Pacheco also discussed the situation in Ukraine and hopes that peace can be implemented soon.
The meeting also discussed bilateral relations between Indonesia and Portugal, including the desire to reactivate the Grupo Parliamentar de Amizade Portugal – Indonesia (Indonesia – Portugal Friendship Group) and emphasized the similarities between Portugal and Indonesia in the tourism sector.
The President of the IPU said that in the pre-pandemic period, Portugal was visited by more than 24 million tourists every year. This figure is double that of Portugal’s population of more than 10 million people. But after the pandemic, foreign tourists visiting Portugal only reached 2 million people.
Responding to this, Indonesian Ambassador Rudy Alfnso explained that the momentum of the IPU meeting in Bali was welcomed by the Indonesian government and the Balinese people because it would help restore the tourism sector and the Balinese economy.
Meanwhile, it is planned that Duarte Pacheco, who was elected President of the IPU in November 2020, will attend the 144th IPU meeting with 5 other Members of the Portuguese Parliament.
