Report on the Implementation of the APA Programs and Activities Following the 16th Plenary Meeting
Report on the Implementation of the
APA Programs and Activities Following the 16th Plenary Meeting
1. Background
The Asian Parliamentary Assembly (APA) successfully convened its 16th Plenary Meeting in Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain, from 24–28 January 2026. The meeting marked the commencement of the one-year presidency of the APA by the Council of Representatives of the Kingdom of Bahrain, covering the period from January 2026 to January 2027.
The 16th Plenary adopted a program for the convening of the APA Standing Committees during 2026 and approved the nomination of member countries to host and chair the respective meetings as follows:
2. Approved Calendar of Events for the year 2026
The 16th Plenary Meeting endorsed the following arrangements for organization of the Standing Committee Meetings:
•Jordan ,May 2026| Standing Committee on Political Affairs|
•Iran, June 2026| Standing Committee on Economic and Sustainable Development|
•Tajikistan, ,September 2026| Standing Committee on Social and Cultural Affairs |
•State of Qatar, December 2026| Standing Committee on Budget and Planning|
These meetings constituted the principal components of the APA's program for 2026 and were intended to ensure the continued implementation of the Assembly's objectives and decisions throughout the year.
3. Impact of Regional Developments on the 2026 Program:
During the first six months of 2026, escalating tensions in West Asia significantly affected the implementation of the APA's regular programs. Due to the prevailing regional circumstances, the meetings of the Standing Committee on Political Affairs and the Standing Committee on Economic and Sustainable Development, originally scheduled for May and June respectively, could not be convened as planned and were consequently postponed.
The postponement affected the regular sequence of APA activities during the first half of the year. Nevertheless, the APA Secretariat continued to monitor developments closely and maintained coordination with the concerned member parliaments with a view to resuming the programs as soon as circumstances permitted.
4. Resumption of Preparations Following Regional Stabilization
Following the return of relative stability in the region in late April 2026, the APA Secretariat intensified its efforts to resume the Assembly's programs. To this end, the Permanent Secretariat maintained close communication with the Parliament of Tajikistan, in its capacity as the APA Vice-President to host and chair the meeting of the Standing Committee on Social and Cultural Affairs. The Tajik side actively shared the invitation letter and other concerned documents with the Permanent Secretariat for circulation.
The Permanent Secretariat's follow-up with Tajikistan has therefore enabled preparations and circulation of the substantive documents for the Standing Committee on Social and Cultural Affairs, scheduled to take place in Dushanbe from 24–27 September 2026.
5. Arrangements for the Postponed Standing Committee Meetings
In parallel with preparations for the Dushanbe meeting, the APA Secretariat maintained official communications with Jordan and Iran, as the designated hosts and chairs of the postponed Standing Committee on Political Affairs and Standing Committee on Economic and Sustainable Development respectively.
Both countries have been requested to undertake the necessary preparations for convening the postponed meetings within the remaining period, preferably between the September meeting of the Standing Committee on Social and Cultural Affairs and the December meeting of the Standing Committee on Budget and Planning.
The objective is to minimize the impact of the earlier postponements and ensure that the substantive work of the APA's Standing Committees can proceed within the 2026 program cycle.
6. Coordination with the Inter-Parliamentary Union
Under the usual practice, the APA Secretariat has also taken the necessary measures to organize a Coordination Meeting on the sidelines of the 153rd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), scheduled to take place in October 2026 in Tanzania.
The proposed coordination meeting will provide an additional opportunity for APA member parliaments and the Secretariat to exchange views, review the implementation of the Assembly's programs, coordinate forthcoming activities, and strengthen parliamentary cooperation among Asian countries.
7. Preparations for the 17th APA Plenary Meeting
With the conclusion of the current presidency of the Council of Representatives of Bahrain in January 2027, preparations are also being undertaken for the next phase of the APA's institutional cycle.
The Permanent Secretariat has communicated with the Islamic Consultative Assembly of Iran and encouraged to make the necessary preparations for hosting the 17th APA Plenary Meeting.
The 17th Plenary is expected to take place in Iran and will mark the commencement of Iran's two-year presidency of the APA for the period 2027–2029. Early coordination with the Iranian side is therefore, important to ensure a smooth transition from the current Bahraini presidency to the incoming presidency.
8. Importance of the Dushanbe Meeting
The forthcoming meeting of the Standing Committee on Social and Cultural Affairs in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, from 24–27 September 2026, will have particular significance as it is expected to constitute the first APA Standing Committee meeting convened during 2026 following the postponement of the meetings originally scheduled for May and June.
The successful conduct of the Dushanbe meeting will, therefore, represent an important step towards restoring the APA's regular programs and strengthening parliamentary cooperation following the disruptions caused by regional developments.
The active participation of all APA member parliaments is strongly encouraged. Their attendance and substantive contribution would constitute an important demonstration of commitment to the objectives of the Asian Parliamentary Assembly, particularly the promotion of Asian solidarity, parliamentary cooperation, cultural dialogue, and the realization of the Assembly's common aspirations.
- 25 August 2026
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- News ID: 4266
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