National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan (R) receives the token of the AIPA 41 Chairmanship from Speaker of the House of Representatives of Thailand Chuan Leekpai, Chair of AIPA 40, on August 29, 2019 (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) - With the supportof other members of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA), Vietnam, as theAIPA Chair, will make every effort to successfully organise activities withinAIPA Year 2020 as well as the upcoming 41st General Assembly of AIPA(AIPA 41), the top Vietnamese legislator has said.
According to Chairwoman of the NationalAssembly (NA) Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, the success of AIPA Year and AIPA 41 willcontribute pragmatically to advancing the AIPA-ASEAN partnership and enhancingcoordination in action between the legislative and executive channels, thus pushingahead with the building of an ASEAN Community of peace, stability, safety,prosperity, and happiness.
In an article published prior to AIPA 41,slated for September 8-9, Ngan highlighted the significance of the year 2020, withVietnam simultaneously serving as a non-permanent member of the UN SecurityCouncil (UNSC), the ASEAN Chair, and the AIPA Chair.
“This allows Vietnam to continue affirmingits role, position, and prestige in the international arena,” she said. It alsorequires the country to make more contributions to maintaining peace, stability,and sustainable development in the region and the world at large.
Themed “Parliamentary Diplomacy for aCohesive and Responsive ASEAN Community”, AIPA 41 will be held as ateleconference for the first time.
AIPA 41 and activities in the AIPA Yearhave demonstrated the Vietnamese legislature’s responsibility and practical contributionsto AIPA, while helping to strengthen solidarity and lead joint efforts so thatAIPA can assist ASEAN in building the ASEAN Community, Ngan emphasised.
Central tasks now lie in overcoming the adverseimpact of COVID-19, maintaining economic development, and ensuring socialwelfare for all, she said.
Recalling the 43-year history of AIPA,Ngan said it has become an open and useful forum where regional parliaments andparliamentarians can exchange views and candidly discuss issues of sharedconcern.
The enhanced mutual understanding, respect,and trust have helped build a firm foundation for regional cooperation, shecontinued.
AIPA attaches great importance tointensifying its collaboration with partners outside the ASEAN, she went on, sayingthat since 1979, the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Organisation (AIPO - the predecessor of AIPA) has established dialogue mechanisms with theparliaments of Australia, Japan, and the Republic of Korea (RoK).
AIPA has now set up annual dialogue mechanisms with 12 observer member parliamentsfrom Australia, Belarus, Canada, China, the EU, India, Japan, Papua New Guinea,New Zealand, the RoK, Russia, and Timor-Leste.
Regarding Vietnam’s AIPA membership over the last 25 years, Ngan saidthe country has proven itself to be an active, proactive, and responsiblemember, adding that it has fully participated in activities within AIPA whilecontributing many result-oriented ideas and initiatives in order to revamp theorganisation and the operations and agenda of AIPO/AIPA, and promoting the roleof AIPO/AIPA as well as its connectivity with ASEAN in addressing regionalissues.
In security and politics, the Vietnamese legislature has upheld the significanceof solidarity among regional countries and affirmed the key principles inbuilding the ASEAN Community for peace, stability, and prosperity on the basisof solidarity, unity, observance of international law, and respect for the legitimateinterests of each other, in harmony with the grouping’s interests.
In the economic arena, Vietnam has called on AIPA member parliaments toincrease domestic legal reviews in an effort to remove trade and investmentbarriers and ensure transparent and effective mechanisms, for a dynamic andintegrated ASEAN.
As for social affairs, Ngan said, Vietnam has contributed to andco-sponsored resolutions on gender equality, women’s empowerment, and support forpeople with disabilities, for sustainable environment in AIPA.
The country has also proposed many initiatives to promote the role ofwomen in general and female parliamentarians in particular.
Notably, the NA has been one of the most active members in boosting theAIPA-ASEAN relationship, with marked initiatives.
Ngan said AIPA 41 takes place in the context of ASEAN working hardtowards the goal of cohesion and to affirm its centrality in maintaining peace,stability, and development in Southeast Asia.
ASEAN countries are also making efforts to contain the pandemic and materialisepolicy packages in order to enhance post-pandemic economic recovery, maintaincommitments to opening trade and investment, connect supply chains, ensure foodsecurity, prevent economic downturn, and ensure social welfare.
At the same time, countries are grappling with a host of difficultiesand challenges, including the adverse impact of COVID-19, Ngan said, pointingto the rapid and unexpected changes in the global situation, and policy adjustmentsand relations among powers tending to influence peace, security, cooperation,and development in the region.
Hot spots such as the East Sea and new political developments in certaincountries will also impact ASEAN’s centrality in maintaining peace andstability in the region, she added.
Given this, Vietnam, in its capacity as the AIPA Chair, will do itsbest to ensure the success of the activities in AIPA Year and AIPA 41, Nganpledged./.
VNA
