Geneva, August 18. The new Secretary General of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), Anda Filip, received today at the headquarters of the organization Ambassador Rodolfo Benítez Verson, Permanent Representative of Cuba in Geneva, who was accompanied by Aimé Triana Sevajanes, Second Secretary of the Cuban Mission.
During the cordial exchange, both sides reaffirmed their interest in continuing to strengthen and expand the excellent relations of friendship and cooperation between Cuba and the IPU.
The Cuban diplomat conveyed warm greetings from Comrade Esteban Lazo, President of the National Assembly of People's Power of Cuba, and congratulated Ms. Filip on her election last April, making her the ninth Secretary General of the IPU and the first woman to hold this position in the organization's 137-year history.
The Ambassador recalled that last year the National Assembly of People's Power of Cuba and the Inter-Parliamentary Union signed their first Memorandum of Understanding, aimed at reinforcing regular and effective cooperation and further developing bilateral relations between the two institutions.
The Cuban representative also expressed Cuba's support for the priorities identified in the IPU Strategy for the 2027–2031 period, including those related to increasing the participation of women and young people in parliamentary activities, addressing climate change, and promoting more sustainable development.
He provided an update on the brutal impact on the Cuban people of the tightening of the blockade and the aggressive policies of the US government, and expressed appreciation for the IPU's solidarity with Cuba.
For her part, the IPU Secretary General acknowledged Cuba's significant advances in gender equality. She highlighted as an example to follow the fact that, in the current legislative term, women account for 57.4% of the membership of Cuba's national parliament, placing Cuba second in the world and making it one of only seven countries to have achieved gender parity in their national parliaments.
She also praised the broad participation of young people in the Cuban parliament, who currently account for nearly 30% of its membership. She noted that this figure is twice the global average for youth participation in national parliaments, which does not exceed 15%.
Anda Filip also expressed appreciation for Cuba's important and active contribution to the work of the Inter-Parliamentary Union and conveyed her interest in having Cuba represented at the 12th World Conference of Young Parliamentarians, to be held in Uzbekistan on September 4, as well as at the 153rd IPU Assembly, to be held in Tanzania from October 5 to 9 this year.
The IPU brings together the national parliaments of 183 countries, including Cuba.