<h6><strong>The Diplomat</strong></h6> <h4><strong>Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares spoke on Friday, December 5, at the opening of the preparatory meeting for the Ibero-American Parliamentary Forum, which will be held in Madrid in 2026 and will include on its agenda topics such as the impact of artificial intelligence on parliamentary work and the strengthening of democratic institutions in Ibero-American countries.</strong></h4> The meeting, which took place in the Congress of Deputies, brought together representatives of Ibero-American parliaments in preparation for the Ibero-American Summit to be held in Madrid in 2026. In his address, as reported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a press release, Albares encouraged the parliamentarians to develop a roadmap on issues of common interest, which should be formalized in a working document for the governments of the Ibero-American community. Among these topics, the minister cited the impact of technology and Artificial Intelligence on Ibero-American parliaments, the harmonization of regulations on cutting-edge issues (cybersecurity, organized crime, the environment, and innovation, among others), relations with civil society and the strengthening of transparency systems, the reinforcement of inter-parliamentary cooperation, and the promotion of Ibero-American agreements. During the working session held on the eve of the events commemorating the 47th anniversary of the Spanish Constitution, to which the meeting's attendees were also invited, Albares also emphasized the need to ensure broad participation, at the highest level, from Ibero-American Parliaments at the Ibero-American Parliamentary Forum to be held in 2026. He also urged the strengthening of inter-parliamentary relations in a context of high polarization and called for providing this Forum with content that has a direct impact on citizens and contributes to reinforcing the continuity, relevance, and coherence of its work.
