IPA CIS celebrates its 24th anniversary

The Agreement about the Interparliamentary Assembly of Member Nations of the Commonwealth of Independent States was signed 24 years ago in Almaty – at that time the capital of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

In May 1995 in Minsk, the Heads of the CIS States signed a Convention on the Interparliamentary Assembly of Member Nations of the Commonwealth of Independent States, which is the main document that spells out the activities of the IPA CIS and grants it the status of intergovernmental body.

The IPA CIS is focused on model law-making, election observation and referendums, hosting congresses and conferences. The IPA CIS is an effective venue for dialogue, interparliamentary cooperation of the CIS member states and sharing best practices. Its cooperation with international and interparliamentary organizations allows learning the lessons of global experience in law making, promoting mutually beneficial relations and the CIS interests at the global stage.

Since 2012 the CIS has informed the Council of the Heads of State about the IPA CIS activities on a regular basis. Chairperson of the IPA CIS Council Valentina Matvienko takes part in the sessions of the Council.

The IPA CIS has made significant progress throughout its 24-year history. Its parliamentarians and experts are working on model laws and other documents. Since its inception the IPA CIS has adopted 475 documents. Members of the CIS parliaments recognize that these model documents have proved instrumental in the legislative efforts across the CIS contributing to the harmonization of laws across the Commonwealth.

In 2006, the International Institute for Monitoring Democratic Development, Parliamentarism and Suffrage Protection of the Citizens of IPA CIS Member Nations (IIMDD IPA CIS) was established under the umbrella of the IPA CIS Council Secretariat. It provides expert and information support for IPA CIS international observers at elections and referendums. This year IIMDD IPA CIS celebrates its 10th anniversary.