
Jakarta (VNA) – Speaker of the Legislative Council of Brunei Pehin AbdulRahman Taib has appreciated the Vietnamese National Assembly’s dedication andsteadfast commitment in making it possible to convene the 41st ASEANInter-Parliamentary Assembly’s General Assembly (AIPA-41) this year.
The virtualmeeting is the first of its kind to be held in the history of the AIPA GeneralAssembly due to COVID-19, he told the event’s first plenary session onSeptember 8 morning.
The theme ofthe 41st AIPA General Assembly this year, “Parliamentary Diplomacy for Cohesiveand Responsive ASEAN”, is relevant in the current context as the region facesunprecedented challenges in adapting to the new norm, he said. “The themefurther emphasises the role of national parliaments of ASEAN as the voice ofthe people and the need to stand in solidarity and to respond swiftly topressing issues, in accordance with the international laws.”
“The globalimpact of the pandemic on health, education and economy which fundamentallychanged the way we lead our daily lives, saying despite these challenges, it isessential to maintain a forward-looking approach and carefully adapt to ensurethe continuity of AIPA’s work,” he underscored.
He expressedhis belief that by holding the true ASEAN spirit of “Unity in Diversity”, AIPAwill be able to assist ASEAN to overcome the challenges ahead and respond adeptly to the impending future.
The toplegislator of Brunei moved onto urge AIPA Member Parliaments to continue fostering cooperation amongrelevant stakeholders by encouraging timely exchanges of lessons learned inrelation to mitigating the effects of COVID-19.
“It isimportant for parliamentarians to acknowledge post-pandemic challenges, whichare imminent, and devising pre-emptive measures to safeguard the interests ofour people, especially the most vulnerable members of our nations.”
He affirmedthat the Legislative Council of Brunei will continue to support the endeavoursand efforts by other AIPA Member Parliaments to address global and regionalchallenges through partnerships and diplomacy towards achieving common goalsfor the benefit of the peoplein the region.
He expectedAIPA-41 discussions will further enhance its good cause for parliamentarydiplomacy as ASEAN advancestowards the goal for a cohesive, inclusive and resilient Community./.
VNA