Azerbaijan to join PACE winter session

The Azerbaijani delegation will participate in a winter session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) to be held in Strasbourg on January 22-26, Azernews reports.

At the opening of the session, the Assembly will elect its president and vice president. The agenda of the session will include recent developments in the Middle East, the situation of children in Ukraine, and allegations of systemic torture in Europe.

Debates on recent developments in the Middle East, including Hamas’ attack on Israel and Israel’s response, allegations of systemic torture in places of detention in Europe, and countering SLAPPs as an imperative for a democratic society will be among the highlights of the 2024 PACE Winter Session. A request has also been made for a debate under urgent procedure on the situation of children in Ukraine.

The Presidents of the Republic of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides, and Montenegro, Jakov Milatovi?, as well as the Prime Minister of Liechtenstein, Daniel Risch, will address the parliamentarians. Liechtenstein’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Education, and Sport, Dominique Hasler, Chair of the Committee of Ministers, and Council of Europe Secretary General Marija Pej?inovi? Buri? will present their communications to the Assembly and will take questions from members.

Also on the agenda are debates on globalisation in times of crises and war and the role of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) after the Russian – Ukrainian war, with the participation of OECD Secretary-General Mathias Cormann, the theme of migration and asylum in the election campaign, and the prevention of child abuse in institutions in Europe.

The Assembly will adopt its final agenda at the opening of the Winter Session.