IPU holds final Geneva meeting ahead of Tanzania’s October Assembly
Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) President Tulia Ackson (left) speaks with Tanzania’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office and other international organisations in Geneva, Ambassador Dr Hoyce Temu (right), after the IPU Executive Committee meeting in Geneva, Switzerland. The meeting concluded the organisation’s current cycle of administrative meetings in Switzerland and officially launched the countdown to the historic 153rd IPU Assembly in Arusha, Tanzania, in October 2026. PHOTO | COURTESY
Geneva. Inter- Parliamentary Union (IPU) President Tulia Ackson chaired the organisation’s Executive Committee meeting in Geneva, Switzerland to finalise key preparations for the 153rd IPU Assembly in Arusha, Tanzania, including the draft agenda, security arrangements, and thematic debates.
The Arusha Assembly, scheduled for October this year, will mark a significant milestone for the 137-year-old organisation.
The recent Geneva meeting also featured a formal handover ceremony during which the newly appointed IPU Secretary General, Ambassador Anda Filip, received the instruments of office from outgoing Secretary General Martin Chungong.
Mr Chungong’s tenure has been credited with expanding the IPU’s global reach and modernising its operations.
The transition signals both continuity and renewal as the IPU prepares for one of its most ambitious gatherings.
For Dr Ackson, who is also the former Speaker of Tanzania’s National Assembly, the Geneva session carried dual significance.
It concluded the IPU’s current cycle of administrative meetings in Switzerland while officially launching the countdown to the historic Arusha Assembly.
It will be the first time Tanzania hosts a full IPU Assembly, positioning the country at the centre of parliamentary diplomacy.
The assembly is expected to attract more than 2,000 delegates, including Speakers of Parliament, MPs, and parliamentary staff from over 180 member parliaments worldwide.
President Samia Suluhu Hassan will host the conference, underscoring the government’s commitment to multilateralism and legislative cooperation.
Key issues expected to dominate the 153rd Assembly include strengthening democracy, climate legislation, gender equality in parliaments, and the role of parliaments in peacebuilding.
Speaking on the sidelines of the session, Tanzania’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office and other international organisations in Geneva, Ambassador Dr Hoyce Temu, said hosting the assembly reflected global confidence in Tanzania’s democratic institutions and its capacity to convene international dialogue.
“This is not just Tanzania’s moment; it is Africa’s moment,” she said during informal discussions with delegates.
“We are ready to welcome the world to Arusha and show how parliaments can shape solutions to shared challenges,” added Dr Temu.
Founded in 1889, the IPU is the world’s oldest international political organisation.
Its assemblies provide a platform for parliamentary diplomacy, enabling lawmakers to build consensus on global issues outside formal government negotiations.
With the Geneva handover complete and Ambassador Filip now at the helm of the secretariat, attention has shifted to Arusha.
For Tanzania, the 153rd IPU Assembly offers an opportunity to showcase its hospitality, infrastructure, and growing influence in international affairs.
The hashtag #ipu153arusha has already begun circulating as parliamentary staff and diplomats prepare for what is expected to be a landmark event in October 2026.
