MP Kyriakos Hatzigiannis, Special Representative for Civil Society Participation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE CSCE), participated yesterday as a keynote speaker at the OSCE Asian Conference on: "Enhancing Security for All and by All - Synergies and Opportunities for Cooperation between Europe and Asia", which took place in Vienna.
In his speech, Mr. Hatzigiannis pointed out, among other things, that in the current era when multilateralism is under intense pressure and relations between states have been disrupted due to geopolitical and other problems, civil society can make a significant contribution, at international and national level, to de-escalate tensions and promote dialogue, if it cooperates effectively with state institutions.
In this context, the Cypriot MP noted that the C.S. OSCE works as a platform for dialogue between the national parliaments of OSCE participating States, with the participation of civil society, facilitating the transfer of expertise on a wide range of issues, such as human rights, environmental protection and the fight against terrorism.
Regarding the cooperation between national parliaments and civil society, Mr. Hatzigiannis noted that the inclusion of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in the consultation process can significantly enhance citizens' confidence in the law-making process. Moreover, NGOs can make a positive contribution to the monitoring of the implementation of states' commitments, as they result from relevant international conventions.
Finally, Mr. Hatzigiannis welcomed the participation of civil society organizations in activities in Asian partner countries of the Organization, concerning gender mainstreaming, mitigating the effects of the war in Afghanistan and improving the living conditions of vulnerable groups, especially women and young people.
(Text as sent by the House of Representatives)
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