AMN / New Delhi
Lok Sabha Speaker Mr Om Birla said that a bilateral Parliamentary Friendship Group would be constituted between India and Maldives soon. Mr Birla stressed on consistent dialogue and cooperation between the two Parliaments in the context of parliamentary diplomacy. Mr Birla invited the Foreign Relations Committee and the Parliamentary Accounts Committee of the Maldives’ Majlis, to India in the year 2022-23 to discuss matters of bilateral and multilateral importance.
Birla held a bilateral meeting with Mr. Mohamed Nasheed, Speaker of the Parliament of Maldives (Majlis) in New Delhi, Wednesday. Referring to the last year’s attack on Mr. Mohd. Nasheed, Mr Birla said that the cowardly attack was a matter of concern to the people of India and the Indian Parliament. He expressed happiness that Mr. Nasheed has recovered completely and is now healthy.
Lauding the successful implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Parliaments of India and Maldives on further cooperation in the areas of digitization, archives and legislative drafting, Mr Birla hoped that such steps would help in capacity building of the parliamentary institutions of Maldives.
Further speaking on the capacity building of Maldivian parliamentarians and officials, Mr Birla said that a training programme for capacity building of Majlis officers was organized in the year 2020 by Parliamentary Research and Training Institute for Democracies (PRIDE). He added that in future, such customized programmes can be arranged for further capacity enhancement of members of democratic institutions of Maldives.
Mr Birla said that India and Maldives believe in democratic form of government and regular dialogue between the Parliaments of democratic countries is helpful in strengthening democracy and effective functioning of democratic institutions. He further apprised Mr. Nasheed that Parliament of India is an important centre of discussion and dialogue and in the recent Sessions of the Parliament, extensive discussions were held on many global issues like climate change, COVID-19, etc. which have a direct bearing on the wellbeing of the general public.
Mr Birla also informed Mr. Nasheed that the New Parliament Building, that is under construction, would be completed this year and the Winter Session of Parliament at would be held in the new building.