Parliamentary Diplomacy Seen As Key To Tackling Global Crises

By Vijian Paramasivam

PHNOM PENH, Aug 27 (NNN) -- Parliamentarians have been urged to move beyond their traditional legislative role and take a more active part in confronting cross-border crises affecting people's lives.

At the Second Inter-Parliamentary Speakers' Conference (ISC-2), parliamentary leaders called for stronger parliamentary diplomacy and collective action to address challenges ranging from economic instability and public health threats to climate change and geopolitical tensions.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet said governments and parliaments have distinct constitutional responsibilities but share a common purpose: serving the people, preserving peace and creating the conditions for lasting prosperity.

“When formal diplomatic channels face strain, parliamentary dialogue can help maintain communication and rebuild trust,” he said in his keynote address at the conference's opening in Phnom Penh.

Cambodia is hosting the conference from Aug 26 to 28, jointly organised by its Senate and National Assembly under the theme“Solidarity for Peace and Shared Prosperity: Strengthening International Law and Resolving Conflicts Peacefully.”

Malaysia's Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul is also attending the three-day conference.

Pakistan Senate Chairman Syed Yousuf Raza Gillani echoed the call, describing parliaments as bridge builders capable of sustaining dialogue when conventional diplomatic efforts falter.

“Parliaments are bridge builders, and in building trust, they shape the future. They are not bystanders. When traditional diplomacy reaches its limit, parliamentary diplomacy becomes effective,” he said.

Gillani, who served as Pakistan's prime minister from 2008 to 2012, is the founding chairman of the ISC. Pakistan hosted the inaugural conference in 2025.

In a recorded video message, former United Nations secretary-general Ban Ki-moon warned that climate change, transnational crime and geopolitical tensions were causing immense human suffering.

“No country, even with the best resources, can address today's problems alone. Multilateralism matters, and parliamentarians can play an active role in addressing these problems so that people can continue to live peacefully in a divided world,” he said.

-- NNN-BERNAMA

MENAFN27082026000200011047ID1111587544