BTC leads other participants in a parliamentary training with the Northern Ireland Co-operation Overseas

From Bangsamoro Online (Bangsamoro Transition Commission) (Nov 7): BTC leads other participants in a parliamentary training with the Northern Ireland Co-operation Overseas  

The Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC) received guests from the Northern Ireland Co-operation Overseas (NI-CO) yesterday, November 3, 2015. NI-CO delegates, in partnership with Politics Plus and with the assistance of the United Kingdom (UK) Embassy, were in Cotabato City to meet different sectors involved in the Bangsamoro peace process for practical training and capacity building. NI-CO is a non-profit, public body dedicated to the pursuit of building efficient, accountable and sustainable public sector institutions.



The delegation included Grame McCammon, Chief Executive of NI-CO and at the same time part of the Ministry of Trade, Enterprise and Investment; Gareth Grath, Director for Clerking and Reporting of the Northern Ireland Assembly (NIA) and the Executive Director of Politics Plus; and Dawn Purvis who was a former Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) of the NIA. Dawn was also involved in in the negotiations of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement, which is the equivalent of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB).

BTC Chairman Mohagher Iqbal led the participants which included members from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) Central Committee, MILF Peace Panel, Bangsamoro Development Agency (BDA), Bangsamoro Leadership and Management Institute (BLMI), United Bangsamoro Justice Party (UBJP) and the Coordinating Team for Transition (CT4T). Discussions covered the short history of Northern Ireland, the peace agreement, the parliament’s structure and the processes involved and how a parliament could effectively deliver the services needed by their constituencies.

It was also emphasized that a parliamentary government has many qualities that could address the diversity in the Bangsamoro such as its more representational character compared to the current setup and that party discipline in the legislature is very strong. The participants were very thankful for the fruitful event as it was much needed in preparation for the Bangsamoro government.

Thomas Phipps of the UK Embassy accompanied the guests while they were in Cotabato. The UK also sits in the GPH-MILF negotiations as a state-member of the International Contact Group (ICG).



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