HE the Speaker of the Shura Council Ahmed bin Abdullah bin Zaid al-Mahmoud yesterday welcomed Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) president Daniel Pacheco and expressed appreciation of his choice in selecting Qatar as the first destination of his official visit.
HE the Speaker stressed the council’s commitment to co-operating with the IPU president in all fields related to the union’s future event, particularly those related to enhancing parliamentary work in establishing peace and security, as well as solving global problems like poverty, terrorism, and climate change to help all countries achieve sustainable development
On the occasion, Pacheco’s experience in the parliamentary field was praised along with his important role in implementing the goals of the IPU when chairing the Portuguese delegation and the IPU’s 12-Plus Geopolitical Group which includes parliaments from European nations, Australia, Canada and New Zealand.
For his part, the president of the Inter-Parliamentary Union praised the wise policy of Qatar under the leadership of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani in helping brotherly and friendly countries resolve disputes through diplomatic means. 
He welcomed the announcement of Shura Council election to be held next October, praising the renaissance Qatar is witnessing in various fields and the influential role it plays at the regional and international levels for peace and development and defending people’s issues.
Pacheco also praised the fruitful efforts of HE the Speaker of the Shura Council to promote joint international parliamentary work and achieve the goals of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, pointing to the election of HE al-Mahmoud as president of the Global Organisation of Parliamentarians Against Corruption, and to the United Nations choosing Qatar to be the headquarters of the Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) Programme Office, which is concerned with parliamentary engagement in preventing and combating terrorism.
The IPU president appreciated the role of the Qatari Shura Council and its distinguished efforts in the meetings and conferences of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, adding he chose his first official visit to Qatar to express his thanks and appreciation for these efforts.