The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has been appointed as a member of the Inter-Parliamentary Union’s (IPU) Task Force on the peaceful resolution of the war in Ukraine.
The IPU President, who appointed Speaker Bagbin, cited his “integrity, impartiality, and ability to build trust with all parties.”
Rt. Hon. Bagbin joins seven other distinguished parliamentarians on the IPU Task Force, whose membership is drawn from all six IPU geopolitical groups.
“We are confident that your leadership and experience will enhance the work and impact of the Task Force in its mission to support diplomatic efforts in seeking a peaceful resolution to the war in Ukraine,” stated the Secretary General of the IPU, Martin Chungong, in a letter appointing Speaker Bagbin to the Task Force.
Established as an ad-hoc body in March 2022, the IPU Task Force has enabled the Union to use its good offices to encourage dialogue between parliamentarians in Ukraine and the Russian Federation.
Since its formation, the Task Force has convened no less than thirteen meetings and conducted a mission to Kyiv and Moscow in July 2022.
It has also held separate consultations with parliamentary delegations from Ukraine and Russia every six months during IPU Assemblies.
The statement further noted that, at a time when avenues for dialogue are scarce, this Task Force remains one of the few platforms where both Ukrainian and Russian parliamentarians continue to engage.
As a seasoned international peace negotiator and broker, Speaker Bagbin’s inclusion in the Task Force positions it for renewed resolve to broker peace in Ukraine.
In his capacity as a member of the Task Force, the Speaker will attend in-person meetings during IPU Assemblies, participate in hearings and discussions with the Ukrainian and Russian IPU delegations, and engage in dialogue with government leaders from the feuding countries, with the ultimate aim of dousing the war in Ukraine.
