Pia Kauma and Tulia Ackson in Tashkent, 8 April 2025TASHKENT, 9 April 2025 – Participating this week in the 150th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Pia Kauma (Finland) has highlighted the need for working across regional and institutional boundaries to meet the growing challenges the world grapples with today.
Over the past two days, she has met with numerous parliamentarians and diplomats from across the OSCE area, as well as high-level IPU officials, underlining the importance of utilizing all opportunities to pursue dialogue and solidify multilateral engagement among all stakeholders.
Yesterday, she spoke during the general debate session of the IPU Assembly, noting that at times of heightened geopolitical tensions and threats to democracy, inter-parliamentary co-operation is more essential than ever.
In her speech, President Kauma pointed out that this year marks the 50th anniversary of the Helsinki Final Act, which she said helped lay a solid foundation for security and co-operation in Europe. The PA, she said, remains committed to promoting security, stability, and democratic resilience through dialogue, mediation, and election observation across the OSCE’s 57 participating States.
“In an era marked by military aggression, polarization, and democratic backsliding, we must reaffirm our commitment to multilateralism and co-operation, guided by the spirit of Helsinki,” the President said. “As parliamentarians, we carry the responsibility of ensuring that multilateralism remains effective and responsive.”
On the margins of the meeting, President Kauma met with IPU officials including President and Speaker of the National Assembly of Tanzania Tulia Ackson, and Secretary General Martin Chungong. The sides discussed avenues for deepening co-operation between the OSCE PA and the IPU, and stressed that the organizations’ shared commitment to parliamentary diplomacy reinforces the global rules-based order while strengthening the role of legislatures in conflict prevention and resolution.
Pia Kauma and Tanzila Narbaeva, Tashkent, 9 April 2025In a meeting with Tanzila Narbaeva, Chairperson of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis of Uzbekistan, President Kauma offered gratitude to Uzbekistan for hosting the anniversary IPU event and welcomed the participation of Uzbekistan in the OSCE PA. She noted the value of the dialogue that is enabled by inter-parliamentary forums such as the IPU and the OSCE PA, and urged Uzbekistan to remain actively involved in both.
President Kauma also met with Ambassador Antti Karttunen, OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan, and with representatives of Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Belarus, Georgia, and the Russian Federation. In these meetings, President Kauma recalled the original vision for the OSCE PA – to serve as a platform for dialogue, where participating States have the space to “agree to disagree”, and encouraged the full use of its toolbox to address their challenges.
She highlighted her planned activities for the upcoming three months before her mandate expires at this summer’s OSCE PA Annual Session in Porto, Portugal, stressing that she hopes to continue building multilateral co-operation throughout the OSCE area.
The IPU Assembly in Tashkent focused on the theme “Parliamentary action for social development and justice,” and also included debates on the long-lasting impact of conflicts on sustainable development.
For President Kauma’s full remarks at the general debate, please click here.
