ASEAN governments, parliaments boost ties to build people-centred community

At the event (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) - The ASEAN Leaders’ Interface with Representatives of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) aims to affirm the close coordination between the governments and parliaments of ASEAN member nations in building a people-centred ASEAN Community, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has said.

Speaking at the event in Hanoi on June 26, he spotlighted the role and effort of the AIPA in harmonising laws between regional countries, adding that the debate is expected to roll out orientations to realising the common goal of building the ASEAN Community.

In her speech, Vietnamese National Assembly (NA) Chairwoman and Chair of the 41st General Assembly of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA 41), Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, said the assembly highly values ASEAN’s joint effort to effectively respond to the unprecedented challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The AIPA supports the implementation of ASEAN initiatives and continues to give assistance to the governments of the ASEAN countries in controlling the pandemic, improving their capacity for readiness in emergencies, recovering post-pandemic economic activities, and maintaining development stability in the region.

As an important factor in the process of ASEAN integration in many areas, the AIPA would like to have more exchanges and coordination activities with ASEAN at all levels, Ngan said.

In the time to come, the AIPA will continue to strengthen cooperation with ASEAN to ensure transparency, openness, and a law-based approach, thus emphasising the bloc’s central role, she added.

Ngan proposed the further strengthening of substantive cooperation between the AIPA and ASEAN, promoting partnerships in regional connectivity, and enhancing the capacity of the ASEAN countries to deal with non-traditional security issues.

The AIPA member parliaments are committed to promoting the ratification of regional agreements on enhancing cooperation to build policies for developing the circular economy, renewable energy, and innovation, towards proactively adapting to the fourth Industrial Revolution.

Attention will be paid to boosting efforts to complete negotiations and shortly sign the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, promote sustainable development in the ASEAN Community, expand the network of smart cities, and strengthen public health systems in the region, she stressed.

In the immediate future, she went on, the ASEAN needs to focus its resources on enhancing its economic resilience following the COVID-19 pandemic, maintaining its commitment to opening trade and investment markets, connecting supply chains, ensuring food security and access to medicines and medical supplies at reasonable prices, preventing economic recession, and supporting people and businesses affected by the crisis.

It is also necessary to promote the development of industries that require high levels of knowledge as well as the digital economy, contributing to enhancing the resilience of regional economies in pandemic situations.

Regarding socio-cultural issues, the AIPA encourages the enhancement of the role of women, children, and the elderly in the implementation of socio-economic development policies, she said.  

Ngan also praised the ASEAN’s efforts in promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women.

The AIPA calls for the bloc to further promote the spirit of friendship, cooperation, responsibility, and respect for the diversity of ASEAN, and at the same time expand exchanges and support for mutual sustainable tourism development, she said./.