Geneva (VNA) – A delegation from the National Assembly (NA) led by Le Tan Toi, Chairman of the NA’s Committee for National Defence, Security and External Relations, are attending the 151st Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU-151) and related meetings in Switzerland from October 19 to 23.
Addressing the general debate, Toi highlighted the complex challenges the world is facing, stressing that protecting humanitarian norms means safeguarding human dignity, the most sacred value of humankind. This is not only a legal obligation but also a moral responsibility shared by the entire international community.
He underscored that the spirit of humanity is a long-standing tradition of the Vietnamese people and a priority in the country’s development policies. Vietnam has always placed people at the centre of all development strategies, considering the protection of human rights and improvement of people’s material and spiritual well-being as the foundation for social stability and progress.
Vietnam has played an active part in global efforts to respond to humanitarian crises, climate change and epidemics, protect vulnerable groups, and promote gender equality, the official added.
To contribute to the global humanitarian agenda, the Vietnamese delegation made several proposals.
First, parliaments should continue to perfect their national legal frameworks on protecting people during emergencies and crises, including issuing and updating laws on disaster risk management, refugee support, protection for women, children, and other vulnerable groups, and access to humanitarian assistance.
Second, resources should be allocated more effectively for relief and recovery programmes while the participation of social organisations, businesses, and local communities encouraged.
Third, countries need to enhance supervision over the implementation of international humanitarian commitments to ensure that global pledges are fulfilled.
Finally, parliaments should strengthen dialogue, cooperation, and experience sharing to improve cross-border humanitarian actions, and ensure that all relief efforts are based on the humanitarian spirit.
The Vietnamese delegation has also actively took part in sessions of the Standing Committee on Peace and International Security and the Standing Committee on Sustainable Development, where its contributions were welcomed and appreciated by other participants.
On October 21, Le Thu Ha, Vice Chairwoman of the NA Office, was elected to the Executive Committee of the Association of Secretaries General of Parliaments (ASGP) for the 2025–2028 term with the highest number of votes among candidates. This is the first time a Vietnamese NA representative has been elected to the ASGP’s leadership, marking a stride in Vietnam’s parliamentary diplomacy and showing the trust and recognition of the international community in the NA's role, prestige, and practical contributions to multilateral parliamentary activities.
On the sidelines of IPU-151, the Vietnamese delegation also held several bilateral meetings to strengthen inter-parliamentary cooperation and prepare for upcoming delegation exchanges./.
