Sharjah 24 – WAM: Saqr Ghobash, Speaker of the Federal National Council (FNC), participated in the 5th World Speakers of Parliaments Conference, which began in Vienna, with the attendance of over 110 speakers of parliaments.
The event is being organised by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the Parliament of Austria, in close cooperation with the United Nations.
Wolfgang Sobotka, President of the Austrian National Council, Duarte Pacheco, IPU President, Antonio Guterres, United Nations Secretary General, and Volkan Bozkir, President of the General Assembly, addressed the opening session.
In his speech during a panel discussion, entitled, "Countering misinformation and hate speech requires stronger regulations," Ghobash stressed the importance of establishing legislative controls that prevent the broadcasting and promotion of misleading information and hate speech, noting there should be official procedures to ensure the effective implementation of such policies.
The main relevant problem faced by parliaments is how to strike a balance between adhering to constitutional provisions that protect rights and freedoms, most notably the freedom of expression, and preventing the dissemination of misleading information and hate speech to protect social peace and political stability.
"In the UAE, we have a model that may be emulated in this regard, most notably the fact that over 200 nationalities are living together in harmony in the country. This model is related to the issuance of a law combatting discrimination and hate, which criminalised contempt for religions and prevented hate speech and racial discrimination, as well as the cybercrime law that criminalised the broadcasting and circulation of fake and misleading news," he said.
Ghobash noted the presence of the Human Fraternity Document signed in the UAE in 2019, which is a universal reference and an inspiring example of combatting hate speech by respecting diversity and promoting human relations and the values of peace and coexistence.
The UAE also appointed a Minister for Tolerance and Coexistence and launched a national tolerance programme, he said in conclusion.
On the sidelines of the event, the Speaker of the FNC, discussed with Alen Simonyan, President of the National Assembly of Armenia, ways of enhancing the parliamentary cooperation between the two nations.
During the meeting, Ghobash invited Simonyan to visit the UAE and the Expo 2020 Dubai, which begins on 1st October, 2021, to benefit from the ideas and opportunities generated by the global event for supporting development and progress in all countries.
They also agreed to establish a parliamentary friendship committee and exchange visits and expertise, as well as encourage coordination and consultation on parliamentary matters during international events.
Ghobash highlighted the importance of utilising parliamentary diplomacy to advancing cooperation and exchanging expertise between the two friendly countries.
Both sides also highlighted the strong relations between the UAE and Armenia, which are due to the ongoing cooperation between their governments, supported by the signing of over 30 agreements and Memorandums of Understanding.
Simonyan highlighted the strong ties between the two countries and the importance of boosting their parliamentary relations while praising the UAE’s parliamentary diplomacy and its significant global efforts and noting his country’s keenness to reinforce its cooperation with the UAE.
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