The First Deputy Secretary General of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), Igor Petrishenko, has called on member countries to accelerate the implementation of interstate and government-to-government treaties.

Avesta.tj reports that speaking at a meeting of the Council of the CIS Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (IPA CIS) member states in Dushanbe on November 14, Petrishenko highlighted the slow pace of ratification processes as a major obstacle to the effectiveness of the organization's legal framework.

“While a robust legal foundation has already been established within the Commonwealth, it remains largely underutilized due to incomplete domestic procedures,” Petrishenko stated. He noted that out of 38 international agreements signed in the last five years, only 25 have officially come into force.

According to him, 555 interstate and intergovernmental agreements are currently in effect across the CIS. However, only about 120 of these—roughly 20 percent—are fully implemented by all signatory parties.

Petrishenko urged the IPA Council to support national legislative processes that would expedite the implementation of international agreements signed within the CIS framework. “These efforts are crucial not only for legal alignment but also for enhancing the well-being of our citizens, strengthening collective security, and fostering the cultural and spiritual growth of our peoples,” he emphasized.

The meeting is part of the IPA’s autumn session and brought together delegations from CIS member states including Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Representatives of partner organizations were also in attendance.

The Russian delegation was led by Valentina Matviyenko, Chairperson of the Federation Council (Russia’s upper chamber of parliament) and head of the IPA CIS Council, who will also address the Assembly's 59th plenary session.