Organised jointly by the Parliamentary Network on the World Bank & IMF, the World Bank and the IMF, the Global Parliamentary Conference offers Parliamentarians a platform to engage with World Bank group and IMF Senior Officials, allowing crucial voices of citizen representatives to be heard.
“What we are doing at the World Bank Group in pursuing our strategy of grow, invest, and insure is increasingly in cooperation with the work you do as parliamentarians,” added President Jim Yong Kim.
The three-day conference also highlighted the role of Parliamentarians in improving key areas of development and looked at how international partners such as the World Bank and IMF can support them in this task.
“Our role is to be creative in making practical projects to help improve the lives of our constituents and citizens beyond,” said Parliamentary Network Chair Jeremy Lefroy (MP, UK).
The second installment of the annual parliamentary conference focused on issues of jobs and livelihoods, economic growth, climate, healthcare, gender equality, and international taxation. It also brought to the forefront development issues, such as IDA replenisment, tax reform and the global migration crisis.
“There are 125 million people who are in need of some form of humanitarian assistance today; this would be the 11th biggest country in the world, with a budget of only 15 billion USD,” noted Stephen O’Brien, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief at the United Nations, who spoke at the conference.
“When it comes to international tax reform, we have to think outside the box” said Managing Director Christine Lagarde;
“MP support on IDA 18 replenishment is crucial” said President Jim Yong Kim.
In convening legislators from around the world committed to international development, the 2016 Global Parliamentary Conference aims to make a major contribution to implementing the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.