Vietnamese institution signs cooperation agreement with IPU hinh anh 1ICISE Co-Founder and Director Prof. Jean Tran Thanh Van (R) and IPU Secretary-General Martin Chungong sign a cooperation agreement between the two institutions. (Photo: VNA) 
Geneva (VNA) – Vietnam’s International Centre for Interdisciplinary Science and Education (ICISE) and the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) signed a cooperation agreement in Geneva on May 11 to boost collaboration between the two organisations which are both committed to serving as bridges between policy and science.

Attending the signing event were IPU Secretary-General Martin Chungong, ICISE Co-Founder and Director Prof. Jean Tran Thanh Van, and Ambassador Le Thi Tuyet Mai, Head of the Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the United Nations (UN), World Trade Organisation (WTO) and other international organisations, among others.

The signing marks a significant milestone in the two institutions’ mutual cooperation and serves as a testament to their shared goals and vision, said Ambassador Mokhtar Omar, Senior Adviser to the IPU Secretary General.

Under the document, ICISE and IPU will enhance the frameworks, mechanisms and capacity-building for joint cooperation in areas of common interest.

The objectives include strengthening institutional partnership to contribute to the achievement of the common strategic objectives of the two parties; strengthening the tools and mechanisms of multilateral parliamentary science diplomacy through the IPU Working Group on Science and Technology as a vehicle to help ease international tensions and disputes through peaceful means and dialogue; and enhancing the use of technological tools in support of strengthened parliamentary action at international levels in the field of science and technology.

Vietnamese institution signs cooperation agreement with IPU hinh anh 2ICISE Co-Founder and Director Prof. Jean Tran Thanh Van, IPU Secretary-General Martin Chungong, and Ambassador Le Thi Tuyet Mai (R). (Photo: VNA)
ICISE is committed to fostering good governance and trust, as scientific values of rationality and transparency serve as a common language in support of parliamentary diplomacy, Van said, expressing his hope that with this agreement, a number of impactful initiatives that incorporate both institutions’ strengths will be able to unlock the power of collaboration between the scientific and policy-making communities in support for the common good.

ICISE is a unique science and education institution located in Quy Nhon city, the central province of Binh Dinh, with the aim of bringing together scientists from developed and emerging countries to host conferences and to nurture the association’s long-held expertise in designing exceptional cultural and educational projects.

IPU is the global organisation of national parliaments which currently comprises 179 members and 14 associate members.

It facilitates parliamentary diplomacy and empowers parliaments and parliamentarians to promote peace, democracy, and sustainable development around the world./.
VNA