Where will the 153rd IPU Assembly take place?

The 153rd IPU Assembly will be held in Arusha, TZA.

When is the 153rd IPU Assembly scheduled?

The assembly is scheduled to take place from October 5th to October 9th.

What is the primary purpose of the IPU Assembly?

The IPU Assembly serves as a global forum for parliamentarians to discuss international issues, foster cooperation, and strengthen democratic governance.

153rd IPU Assembly

Name: 153rd IPU Assembly
Start: 2026-10-05T00:00:00Z
End: 2026-10-09T00:00:00Z
Location: Arusha

Oct 5–9, 2026Arusha, TanzaniaIn-person

Registration open

The 153rd Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly is set to convene in Arusha, Tanzania, bringing together parliamentary delegations from around the world. This assembly represents a significant forum for global parliamentary diplomacy, where elected representatives engage in discussions on pressing international issues. The event provides a platform for fostering cooperation and understanding among diverse political systems and cultures. The assembly's agenda typically encompasses a broad range of topics, reflecting the multifaceted challenges and opportunities facing the global community. Participants will deliberate on resolutions and recommendations aimed at influencing international policy and promoting parliamentary action on key global concerns. The gathering in Arusha underscores the IPU's commitment to inclusive dialogue and its role in strengthening democratic governance worldwide.

Committees & topics

Topics
Parliamentary Action for Peace and Conflict Prevention · Advancing Equality Through Parliamentary Legislation · Parliaments and the Implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development · Parliamentary Responses to Climate Change and the Just Transition · Tackling Economic and Social Inequality · Strengthening Democratic Governance and the Rule of Law · Gender Equality and Women's Political Empowerment · Youth Participation in Political and Parliamentary Life

Why it matters

The IPU Assembly is a critical mechanism for multilateral engagement, offering a unique space where parliamentarians, as direct representatives of their constituents, can contribute to global governance. Unlike inter-governmental forums, the IPU provides a parliamentary dimension to international relations, ensuring that the voices of citizens are heard in global decision-making processes. This is particularly important in an era where global challenges often require coordinated legislative responses.

The assembly's outcomes, while not legally binding, carry significant political weight. Resolutions adopted by the IPU often serve as guiding principles for national parliaments and can influence their legislative agendas and foreign policy stances. Furthermore, the networking opportunities at such events facilitate bilateral and multilateral parliamentary cooperation, which can lead to concrete actions on issues ranging from peace and security to sustainable development.

Hosting the assembly in Arusha, TZA, also highlights the growing importance of African voices in global parliamentary discourse. It provides an opportunity for TZA to showcase its commitment to democratic principles and its role in regional and international affairs. The location itself can shape the perspectives and priorities discussed, potentially bringing greater focus to issues pertinent to the African continent.

How to prepare

Delegations preparing for the 153rd IPU Assembly should undertake thorough preparatory work, focusing on both substantive issues and strategic engagement. Understanding the host country's context, TZA, and its regional priorities will be crucial for effective participation. Delegates should review past IPU resolutions and current international political developments to anticipate key discussion points and potential areas of consensus or divergence.

Effective participation requires a clear understanding of national interests and how they align with broader international objectives. Delegates should engage in internal consultations with their respective parliaments and relevant government ministries to formulate coherent national positions. Utilizing frameworks like 'what-is-stakeholder-mapping' and 'stakeholder-workshop' can help identify key actors and their interests, informing 'engagement-strategies' for the assembly. Furthermore, considering 'gender-dynamics-across-cultures' will be essential for inclusive and impactful contributions.

Delegates should also be prepared for 'dynamic-analysis' of emerging issues during the assembly, as discussions can evolve rapidly. Identifying 'hidden-stakeholders' and understanding their influence can provide a strategic advantage in negotiations and coalition-building. The ability to articulate national perspectives while also seeking common ground for international cooperation will be paramount for achieving positive outcomes.

Country perspectives

Where the most-relevant 6 countries stand on the core issues in play. Click through for the full country profile.

Tanzania

Host nation, emphasizing regional cooperation and democratic development.

Role in topic

As the host of the 153rd IPU Assembly, TZA plays a central role in facilitating parliamentary diplomacy and showcasing its commitment to democratic values and regional stability. The nation will likely highlight its efforts in fostering peace and development within Africa and advocate for greater international cooperation on issues relevant to the continent.

United States

Advocates for democratic principles and human rights.

Role in topic

The USA delegation will likely emphasize the importance of democratic institutions, human rights, and good governance. They may advocate for resolutions that promote transparency, accountability, and the rule of law globally, often seeking to build consensus around these core principles.

China

Focuses on multilateralism, development, and non-interference.

Role in topic

CHN's delegation typically promotes a vision of multilateralism that emphasizes national sovereignty and non-interference in internal affairs. They are likely to advocate for resolutions supporting economic development, South-South cooperation, and a more equitable global order, often through the lens of shared prosperity.

Russia

Emphasizes national interests, sovereignty, and a multipolar world order.

Role in topic

The RUS delegation will likely articulate positions that prioritize national sovereignty and a multipolar international system. They may engage in discussions on international security, arms control, and the prevention of external intervention, often seeking to counter what they perceive as unilateral approaches to global challenges.

India

Promotes inclusive multilateralism, sustainable development, and global equity.

Role in topic

IND's delegation often champions inclusive multilateralism, advocating for reforms in global governance to reflect the changing geopolitical landscape. They are likely to contribute to discussions on sustainable development, climate action, and equitable access to resources, representing the interests of developing nations.

Brazil

Advocates for environmental protection, social justice, and regional integration.

Role in topic

BRA's delegation typically brings a strong focus on environmental sustainability, particularly concerning the Amazon rainforest, and social justice issues. They are likely to advocate for policies that promote inclusive growth, combat inequality, and strengthen regional cooperation in Latin America.

Topics & background

The background behind each topic and the actors that shape it.

Parliamentary Action for Peace and Conflict Prevention

Since its founding in 1889, the Inter-Parliamentary Union has positioned parliamentary diplomacy as a complement to state-level negotiation, with peace-building enshrined in its Statutes. The post-Cold War expectation of a stable rules-based order has eroded amid the war in Ukraine since 2022, the Israel-Hamas war and broader Middle East escalation since October 2023, protracted conflicts in Sudan, Yemen, Myanmar and the Sahel, and renewed great-power competition that has repeatedly paralyzed the UN Security Council. Within the IPU, peace work has historically centered on disarmament (notably the 2017 Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which the IPU actively promoted), mediation support, and the protection of parliamentarians in conflict zones through the Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians. Recent assemblies have emphasized cyber-conflict, the weaponization of food and energy, and the erosion of international humanitarian law. Today the debate centers on how legislatures can constrain executive war powers, ratify and implement arms control instruments, scrutinize defense budgets, and create cross-party parliamentary friendship groups to sustain back-channel dialogue when diplomatic ties are frozen. The unresolved question is whether parliamentary diplomacy can deliver concrete de-escalation outcomes, or whether it remains primarily declaratory.

Key players

Advancing Equality Through Parliamentary Legislation

Equality before the law is anchored in Article 7 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and reinforced by the ICCPR, ICESCR, CERD and CEDAW. The IPU has long tracked how national parliaments translate these obligations into anti-discrimination statutes, equal-pay laws, and protections for minorities, indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities and LGBTQI+ communities. Its 2022 report 'Parliaments and the Sustainable Development Goals' identified SDG 10 (reduced inequalities) as one of the most under-legislated targets. The contemporary debate is shaped by a backlash against diversity and inclusion policies in several democracies, restrictions on civic space, and uneven progress on disability rights following the 2006 CRPD. At the same time, courts in South Africa, Colombia, India and elsewhere have expanded constitutional equality jurisprudence, creating templates other legislatures can adapt. IPU members are weighing model legislation on hate speech, equality bodies, reasonable accommodation, and data disaggregation to make discrimination measurable. The central tension is between universal human-rights standards and claims of cultural specificity, particularly on issues of sexual orientation and gender identity.

Key players

Parliaments and the Implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

The 2030 Agenda and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals were adopted by the UN General Assembly in September 2015, succeeding the Millennium Development Goals. Parliaments are explicitly named in Target 16.6 (effective, accountable institutions) and play a central role through budget appropriation, ratification of treaties, and oversight of executive implementation. The IPU and UNDP jointly developed the Self-Assessment Toolkit for Parliaments on the SDGs, used in more than 40 countries. The UN Secretary-General's 2023 SDG Progress Report found that only about 15 percent of targets are on track, with setbacks driven by COVID-19, conflict, debt distress and climate shocks. The 2023 SDG Summit produced a Political Declaration calling for an 'SDG Stimulus' of at least USD 500 billion per year and reform of the international financial architecture, themes carried into the 2025 Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development in Seville (FfD4). IPU debate focuses on how legislatures can mainstream the SDGs in national budgets, conduct Voluntary National Reviews with genuine parliamentary input, and legislate on the interlocking issues of debt, taxation and climate finance that determine whether the 2030 Agenda is achievable.

Key players

Parliamentary Responses to Climate Change and the Just Transition

The UNFCCC (1992), Kyoto Protocol (1997) and Paris Agreement (2015) established the multilateral climate regime, but implementation depends overwhelmingly on national legislation. The IPU's Parliamentary Action Plan on Climate Change, updated repeatedly since Paris, urges legislatures to enshrine net-zero targets in law, scrutinize Nationally Determined Contributions, and align fiscal frameworks with climate goals. As of 2024, over 60 countries had adopted framework climate laws. Recent COPs have shifted the agenda toward implementation and finance: COP27 (Sharm el-Sheikh, 2022) created the Loss and Damage Fund; COP28 (Dubai, 2023) produced the first Global Stocktake and a call to 'transition away' from fossil fuels; and COP29 (Baku, 2024) set a New Collective Quantified Goal of USD 300 billion per year by 2035 for developing countries, widely criticized as insufficient. The 1.5 °C threshold was effectively breached in 2024 on an annual basis. For parliamentarians the debate centers on carbon pricing, fossil-fuel subsidy reform, climate litigation in the wake of the 2024 ITLOS and ICJ advisory proceedings on state climate obligations, and ensuring that the 'just transition' protects workers and communities dependent on extractive industries.

Key players

Strengthening Democratic Governance and the Rule of Law

The IPU's foundational mandate is the promotion of representative democracy, codified in the 1997 Universal Declaration on Democracy adopted in Cairo. Yet successive editions of V-Dem's Democracy Report, Freedom House's Freedom in the World, and IDEA's Global State of Democracy have documented an extended democratic recession: as of 2024, more of the world's population lives in autocratizing than democratizing countries, the first such reversal in decades. Key stressors include executive aggrandizement, disinformation and AI-generated content during elections (2024 was the largest election year in history), shrinking civic space, judicial capture, and unconstitutional changes of government, including a wave of coups across the Sahel (Mali 2020-21, Burkina Faso 2022, Niger 2023, Gabon 2023). The IPU's Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians has registered record numbers of cases involving arbitrary detention and revocation of mandates. Debate at this Assembly focuses on parliamentary autonomy, election integrity, oversight of intelligence and security services, anti-corruption enforcement under UNCAC, and how legislatures can defend judicial independence and free media against majoritarian pressure.

Key players

Gender Equality and Women's Political Empowerment

The 1995 Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action set the benchmark for women's full participation in political life, reinforced by CEDAW (1979) and SDG 5. The IPU has tracked women in parliament since 1995, when the global average was 11.3 percent; by January 2024 it had reached 26.9 percent, with Rwanda, Cuba and Nicaragua leading. At current rates, parity in national parliaments will not be reached before 2063. Progress is uneven: only six countries have parliaments at or above 50 percent women, while some have fewer than 5 percent. The IPU-UN Women 2023 'Women in Politics' map and the 2024 IPU report on sexism, harassment and violence against women in parliaments document widespread psychological and physical abuse, online harassment and threats that drive women out of political life. Beijing+30 in 2025 has also highlighted backsliding on sexual and reproductive health rights and a global anti-gender movement. IPU debate focuses on legislated gender quotas, party-level measures, parental leave and parliamentary sitting hours, codes of conduct against sexist behavior, and the intersection of gender with race, disability and age in political representation.

Key players

Youth Participation in Political and Parliamentary Life

Persons under 30 make up roughly half of the world's population but, according to the IPU's 'Youth Participation in National Parliaments' reports, only about 2.8 percent of parliamentarians are under 30 and 17.6 percent under 40 (2023 data). The IPU established its Forum of Young Parliamentarians in 2013 and adopted resolutions in 2010 and 2016 urging states to lower candidacy ages, harmonize them with voting ages, and adopt youth quotas. The UN Youth 2030 Strategy, the Secretary-General's 2023 'Our Common Agenda' Policy Brief on 'Meaningful Youth Engagement,' and the 2024 Pact for the Future with its accompanying Declaration on Future Generations have placed intergenerational equity at the center of the multilateral agenda. Yet youth participation remains uneven, with restrictions in many countries on the right to stand for election, limited campaign financing, and barriers facing young women and rural youth in particular. Debate at this Assembly focuses on aligning voting and candidacy ages, youth quotas, civic education, digital engagement tools, and structured consultation mechanisms such as youth parliaments and youth advisory councils that move beyond tokenism.

Key players

Resources

News, lessons, and country profiles to prep for 153rd IPU Assembly.

Recent reporting to ground your prep

India's 131st Amendment Bill

Ken Martin's DNC Autopsy Reveals Party Strugg

DNC Autopsy Reveals Democrats' 2024 Failures

Bhagwant Mann Launches Punjab Campaign Summit

Lessons

Bite-sized lessons to build the basics

Dynamic Analysis

Gender Dynamics Across Cultures

Hidden Stakeholders

Engagement Strategies

Courses

Guided courses that go deeper on the topic

Advanced Negotiation

Multilateral Negotiation

Policy Brief Writing

Conflict Resolution

Tanzania October 2026

By committee

Frequently asked questions

153rd IPU Assembly

Oct 5–9, 2026Arusha, TanzaniaIn-person

Registration open

Committees & topics

Topics
Parliamentary Action for Peace and Conflict Prevention · Advancing Equality Through Parliamentary Legislation · Parliaments and the Implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development · Parliamentary Responses to Climate Change and the Just Transition · Tackling Economic and Social Inequality · Strengthening Democratic Governance and the Rule of Law · Gender Equality and Women's Political Empowerment · Youth Participation in Political and Parliamentary Life

Why it matters

How to prepare

Country perspectives

Where the most-relevant 6 countries stand on the core issues in play. Click through for the full country profile.

Tanzania

Host nation, emphasizing regional cooperation and democratic development.

Role in topic

United States

Advocates for democratic principles and human rights.

Role in topic

China

Focuses on multilateralism, development, and non-interference.

Role in topic

Russia

Emphasizes national interests, sovereignty, and a multipolar world order.

Role in topic

India

Promotes inclusive multilateralism, sustainable development, and global equity.

Role in topic

Brazil

Advocates for environmental protection, social justice, and regional integration.

Role in topic

Topics & background

The background behind each topic and the actors that shape it.

Parliamentary Action for Peace and Conflict Prevention

Key players

Advancing Equality Through Parliamentary Legislation

Key players

Parliaments and the Implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

Key players

Parliamentary Responses to Climate Change and the Just Transition

Key players

Strengthening Democratic Governance and the Rule of Law

Key players

Gender Equality and Women's Political Empowerment

Key players

Youth Participation in Political and Parliamentary Life

Key players

Resources

News, lessons, and country profiles to prep for 153rd IPU Assembly.

Recent reporting to ground your prep

India's 131st Amendment Bill

Ken Martin's DNC Autopsy Reveals Party Strugg

DNC Autopsy Reveals Democrats' 2024 Failures

Bhagwant Mann Launches Punjab Campaign Summit

Lessons

Bite-sized lessons to build the basics

Dynamic Analysis

Gender Dynamics Across Cultures

Hidden Stakeholders

Engagement Strategies

Courses

Guided courses that go deeper on the topic

Advanced Negotiation

Multilateral Negotiation

Policy Brief Writing

Conflict Resolution

Tanzania October 2026

By committee

Committees & topics

Why it matters

How to prepare

Country perspectives

Topics & background

Resources

Related conferences

International Conference on Political Ideologies and Policy Making

International Conference on Political Economy and Development Studies (ICPEDS-26)

East African Youth Summer School (EAYSS) 2026

6th International Conference 2026

Arusha Conference 2026 – Peace and Security in EU‑Africa Relations

International Conference on Trade, Industry, and Market Integration in Africa (ICTIMIA-2026)

Frequently asked questions

Committees & topics

Why it matters

How to prepare

Country perspectives

Topics & background

Resources

Related conferences

International Conference on Political Ideologies and Policy Making

International Conference on Political Economy and Development Studies (ICPEDS-26)

East African Youth Summer School (EAYSS) 2026

6th International Conference 2026

Arusha Conference 2026 – Peace and Security in EU‑Africa Relations

International Conference on Trade, Industry, and Market Integration in Africa (ICTIMIA-2026)

Frequently asked questions