The French Senate and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have launched a new global partnership aimed at strengthening democratic governance through more effective, accountable, and inclusive parliamentary institutions. This initiative comes at a time when democratic systems are increasingly under pressure worldwide. The partnership will utilize UNDP’s extensive global experience—currently supporting 65 parliaments—and the French Senate’s recognized legislative expertise to respond to the growing needs of parliaments striving to fulfill their roles in upholding democracy, promoting accountability, and advancing sustainable development.
The collaboration will provide demand-driven support to enhance core parliamentary functions, including lawmaking, oversight of the executive, and fostering inclusive public participation. Additionally, it will assist parliaments undergoing political transitions or decentralization, and address thematic challenges such as climate governance and digital transformation. The initiative will also focus on institutional strengthening through capacity-building programs, peer exchanges, and parliamentary networking opportunities.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) formalizing the partnership was signed at the French Permanent Mission in Geneva, witnessed by Ambassador Céline Jurgensen. The MoU offers a flexible and non-binding framework that can evolve in response to shifting democratic landscapes and the specific priorities of national parliaments. The agreement builds upon a history of cooperation between the two institutions, originally established under a 2005 framework.
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