The Republic of Palau made its debut as a member of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) with Senate Floor Leader Alan R. Seid representing the Olbiil Era Kelulau at the 116th General Assembly in Bali, Indonesia, which convened on Sunday April 29 and to be concluded on May 4.
On the first day of the Assembly Seid and Legal Counsel David Greenlees attended the 12th Meeting of Women Parliamentarians.
One of the aims of the IPU, through the Meeting of Women Parliamentarians, is to promote the involvement of women in government and international politics.
The afternoon session of the conference involved discussion on the topic of "women in politics" with a panel made up of representatives of Namibia, Cuba and Japan.
"What we (originally) thought was to be a panel discussion turned into a Q$A of Palau by other countries," reported Seid, who was questioned by the panel and other members about being one of 16 countries who did not have women in the National Congress.
Seid discussed, in depth, the role of Senatorial election on May 9 where two women are vying for office.
"It is interesting that the very first issues we dealt with were regarding women’s rights and women in government," Seid noted.
"The IPU and its Secretary General were very curious about Palau," said Seid, who extended a formal invitation to the delegations of Namibia and Cuba to attend the September General Assembly of the Asia-Pacific Parliamentarians’ Union in Palau.
Following the Sunday Conference, the Floor Leader, his wife, and Greenlees were invited to dine with the delegation from Japan, Led by Yoshio Yatsu, a member of the House of Representatives in Japan and a heavy hitter in the Liberal Democratic Party.
Yatsu commented that just prior to dinner, he had seen Palau’s Amabassador to Japan, Daiziro Nakamura on Japanese TV.
"The day was a complete success," Seid told the Senate PIO office via telephone.
"Palau is a very curious topic on many of the delegates’ minds," he said.
"Many (countries) want to know how such a young democracy is handling many hot issues, such as women in politics as previously discussed."
On Monday April 30, the Palau delegation met with His Excellency Susilo Bambang Yuhoyono, President of Indonesia and the Senate Floor Leader, for the first time, officially represented Palau at the official opening of the 116th IPU General Assembly.
Founded in 1889 and based in Geneva, Switzerland, the IPU is the international organization of Parliaments of sovereign States and is made up of 148 member countries and eight associate member organizations. Palau became a member of the IPU in 2006.
The IPU is the international focal point for parliamentary dialogue towards democracy, peace and co-operation among peoples.
The focus of the IPU is to foster contacts, co-ordination and the exchange of experience among parliaments and parliamentarians; consider questions of international interest and concern; express views on issues of concern to bring about action by parliaments and parliamentarians; and contribute to the defense and promotion of human rights as an essential factor of democracy and development