The Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, José Manuel Albares, spoke today, Friday 5 December, at the opening of the preparatory meeting for the Ibero-American Parliamentary Forum, which Madrid will host in 2026 and which will include on its agenda issues such as the impact of artificial intelligence on parliamentary work and the strengthening of democratic institutions in Ibero-American countries.
Albares, who held this meeting in the Congress of Deputies with representatives of the Ibero-American parliaments in the run-up to the Ibero-American Summit to be held in Madrid in 2026, encouraged them to develop a roadmap that would allow a working document to be presented to the governments of the Ibero-American community addressing matters of common interest.
Among the issues identified for this work, Albares highlighted the impact of technology and artificial intelligence on Ibero-American parliaments, the path towards regulatory harmonisation in cutting-edge areas (cybersecurity, organised crime, the environment and innovation, among others) relations with civil society and the strengthening of transparency frameworks, enhanced inter-parliamentary cooperation; and the promotion of Ibero-American conventions that have a direct impact on citizens.
During the working session, held on the eve of the events marking the 47th anniversary of the Spanish Constitution, to which attendees were also invited, Albares also underlined the need to ensure broad, high-level participation by Ibero-American parliaments in the Ibero-American Parliamentary Forum to be held in 2026; to strengthen inter-parliamentary relations in a context of heightened polarisation; and to provide the Forum with content that has a direct impact on citizens, contributing to the continuity, relevance and coherence of its work.
Photos of the meeting are available at the following link
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