The Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, Donatille Mukabalisa, has been elected as the chairperson of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) assembly taking place in Kigali.

Mukabalisa was elected by a unanimous decision of the assembly's governing council on Wednesday, October 12 during the ongoing 145th IPU assembly.

Her name was suggested by different heads of parliamentary delegations and approved by acclamation.

"I would like to thank my colleagues, brothers and sisters, heads of different delegations...for putting forward my name to be the chair of the IPU assembly,” Mukabalisa said in her speech after assuming the new position.

"I am grateful for the governing council for believing in my capacity to carry out such an important mission.”

It is tradition for the speaker of parliament of the host country to become the assembly’s chairperson.

However, according to Duarte Pacheco, the IPU president, the election for the assembly president is not only based on tradition, but also on merit.

The Kigali parliamentary assembly is convening under the theme "Gender equality and gender-sensitive parliaments as drivers of change for a more resilient and peaceful world.”

Attended by over 1000 delegates from over 100 countries, the assembly will run until Saturday, October 25, where different resolutions will be made.