RABAT, Nov 24, (KUNA): Democracy in Kuwait is practiced on solid grounds due to transparency distinguishing relationship between MPs and citizens, said visiting Kuwaiti legislator Dr Odah Al-Ruwaiee on Tuesday. Kuwait National Assembly is one of parliaments in the world with real representation of people, elected in free elections, said MP Al-Ruwaiee in remarks to KUNA, on sidelines of a regional forum on parliamentary strategic planning, hosted by the Moroccan parliament.

Such an unwritten contract, based on transparency, between Kuwaiti voters and their representatives has become basis for parliamentary election and practice of democracy, he said. In each new legislative term, a large number of new figures join the parliament, the Kuwaiti MP said, alluding blood renewal in the legislative authorities to effective supervision, transparency and accountability.

Participants in the forum have examined Canadian, Scottish and Moroccan parliamentary experiences, in terms of strategic planning, accomplishments and challenges. MP Al-Ruwaiee elaborated saying clear goals, parliamentary committees’ performance, laws’ amendment and follow-up on governmental work constitute fundamentals that ensure successful assessment of parliaments’ actual performance.

Moreover, sound parliamentary representation is conditional to securing transparency in parliamentary work, attainable through activating mechanisms of accountability, supervision and follow-up. Criticizing parliamentary status in Arab world, he said Arab parliaments still depend on ballot boxes as a criterion for assessing parliamentary performance, without strategic planning for the assessment and its methods.

The Kuwaiti parliament has taken a qualitative stride at level of backing State diplomacy at international and regional quarters, defending national, Arab, Muslim and humanitarian causes, he elaborated. MP Al-Ruwaiee affirmed that he was looking forward, through his participation in the gathering, to “expanding expertise, cooperation ties at bilateral and multilateral levels, particularly with the Moroccan parliament.”

The forum, co-organized by the higher chamber of the Moroccan parliament and Westminister Foundation got underway on Monday. It groups parliamentarians and experts from Arab and western nations, particularly those known for parliamentary strategic planning. They are expected to issue recommendations calling for adoption of strategic planning at parliamentary level.