Geneva-The Oman Council is participating in the 149th General Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and its accompanying meetings in response to an invitation from the IPU Chairman. The assembly, taking place in Geneva from October 12 to 17, brings together parliamentary representatives from around the globe to discuss key issues supporting the role of parliaments in addressing various regional and international matters, and making decisions across multiple fields.

The Oman delegation to the General Assembly chaired by H.E. Khalid Hilal Al Maawali, Chairman of the Shura Council, who will engage in discussions on enhancing the effectiveness of parliamentary roles in tackling both regional and global challenges. The delegation participate in the Standing Committee on Sustainable Development, the Democracy and Human Rights, the Association of Secretaries-General of National Parliaments, the Peace and International Security, the United Nations Affairs, the Forum of Women Parliamentarians, and the IPU’s Forum of Young Parliamentarians.
During the assembly, H.E. Khalid Al Maawali chaired the coordination meeting of the Arab Group, which focused on preparations for the 37th emergency meeting of the Arab Inter-Parliamentary Union, set to take place the following day (Tuesday). The discussion will address the aggression of the Zionist entity against Palestine and Lebanon, seeking solutions to halt the attacks. In this regard, the Arab Group at the IPU selected H.E. Khalid Al Maawali as Chair of the Emergency Item Committee, based on a proposal from the Algerian People’s National Assembly and the Palestinian National Council. H.E. Al Maawali also chaired the Emergency Item Committee meeting, where the proposal and mechanisms for dealing with the urgent matter were discussed.
The agenda includes the election of the Chairman and deputies, reviewing requests to include emergency items on the agenda, and a general discussion on the theme "Leveraging Science, Technology, and Innovation for a more Peaceful and Sustainable Future." Additionally, the assembly address the impact of artificial intelligence on democracy, human rights, and the rule of law, alongside reviewing reports from the standing committees.



The Oman delegation will also participate in a joint discussion between the IPU and the Association of Secretaries-General of National Parliaments on "Future Committees: What is the Future of Parliaments?" This session will focus on the importance of proactive governance in parliamentary work, lessons learned from the experience of future-oriented parliamentary committees, comparisons with other parliamentary governance mechanisms, and next steps for strategic foresight and proactive governance in parliaments.
On the sidelines of the assembly, H.E. Khalid Al Maawali will meet with several heads of Arab, regional, and international legislative specialist to discuss strengthening bilateral relations between Oman and their respective countries. These will cover several key issues of mutual interest and emphasize the importance of parliamentary diplomacy in enhancing international relations.

The delegation to the 149th IPU General Assembly and its accompanying meetings includes H.E. Khalid Ahmed Al Saadi, Secretary-General of the State Council; H.E. Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Nadabi, Secretary-General of the Shura Council; Her Excellency Dr. Zuwaina Salih Al Maskariyah; Her Excellency Sanaa Abdul Rahman Al Khanjariyah, members of the State Council; as well as H.E. Ahmed Said Al Sharqi, H.E. Abdullah Al Waleed Al Hinai, and H.E. Yasser Ali Al Mubeihsi, members of the Shura Council.