NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) - With several initiatives, the 41st General Assemblyof the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA 41), hosted by Vietnam underthe theme of ‘Parliamentary Diplomacy for a Cohesive and Responsive ASEAN’ fromSeptember 8 to 10, is a significant milestone of the 14th National Assembly’sforeign relations during its term as the AIPA chair, as the COVID-19 pandemicis raging on in the region and the world.
First online General Assembly in AIPA’s history
Accordingto Chairman of the National Assembly’s Committee for External Relations NguyenVan Giau, organising the AIPA 41 is among the crucial tasks of the VietnameseNA during its chairmanship term in 2020.
The General Assembly of the AIPA is the biggest event in the chairmanship termof any AIPA member parliament, which gathers legislative leaders of all the ASEANmember countries.
However, as the COVID-19 pandemic has been raging the whole world, it was impossibleto organise a physical AIPA General Assembly. Therefore, the Vietnamese NA, as theAIPA Chair in 2020, actively switched to teleconference in response to thepandemic.
Nguyen Manh Tien, Vice Chairman of the NA's Committee for External Relations andhead of the AIPA 41 information sub-committee, said the timely switch showed theVietnamese NA’s flexibility, responsibility and determination in fulfilling itsrole as the AIPA Chair in 2020.
Also, by successfully hosting all meetings within AIPA-41 via teleconference,Vietnam has proved its technical capacity, in particular digital and internetrequirements, Tien added.
This initiative was warmly welcomed by AIPA members.
Chuan Leekpai, President of the National Assembly of Thailand, said the COVID-19pandemic has posed a global health security threat to humanity throughout theregion. “In the most difficult moment, the Vietnamese parliament has made everyeffort not only to deal with the spread of COVID-19 but also to hold threesignificant AIPA conferences,” he said, adding that the success of AIPA wouldnot have been possible without excellent management by the AIPA staff of the VietnameseNA.
Chairman of the Lao National Assembly's External Relations Committee EksavangVongvichith spoke highly of this initiative, saying that the Vietnamese NA hasbeen exerting all-out efforts to prepare for the AIPA General Assembly. He saidthough the pandemic has been posing a remarkable challenge to the organisationof AIPA 41, hosting the General Assembly in the form of teleconference was atimely and wise initiative by the NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan and otherleaders of the Vietnamese NA.
Deeper engagement of young parliamentarians to AIPA
A resolution on organising annual meetings of young parliamentarians ofAIPA under an initiative by Vietnam was approved by the Committee on OrganisationalMatters of the AIPA 41 on September 9, 2020.
Previously, such an idea was first initiated by NA Chairwoman Ngan in herremarks when assuming the role of the AIPA 41 chair. It had been reiterated inASEAN Leaders' Interface with Representatives of the ASEAN Inter-ParliamentaryAssembly as well as ASEAN Leaders’ Interface with Representatives of ASEANYouth within the 36th ASEAN Summit.
During the first ever unofficial meeting of young parliamentarians of AIPA onSeptember 8, young parliamentarians contributed valuable ideas on promoting theparticipation of young parliamentarians in building the ASEAN Community in thecontext of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the COVID-19 pandemic’s impacton all spheres of the socio-economic life in the ASEAN member countries.
The meeting proved effectiveness of an official forum for youngparliamentarians within the AIPA.
Permanent Vice Chairwoman of the Vietnamese NA Tong Thi Phong highlighted theimportant role of young parliamentarians who represent nearly 220 million youngpeople in ASEAN.
The young parliamentarians are an important factor to connect youngsters andpromote their participation in building the ASEAN Community and realising thegoals of the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 through the ASEAN Work Plan on Youthfor 2016-2020 and the following years, Phong said.
Secretary General of the Cambodian National Assembly Leng Peng Long spokehighly of Vietnam’s initiative to include the discussion of the establishmenton the agenda of AIPA-41.
He stressed the necessity for parliaments to issue policies dedicated to youthsso as to create favourable conditions for them to get engaged in their nationaldevelopment.
Delivering a speech at the unofficial meeting of AIPA young parliamentarians,Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN Kung Phoak expressed appreciation to the VietnameseNA for initiating the meeting.
The official stressed that it is essential for young parliamentarians to leadthe people to gain from the regional integration.
2020 marks the third time that the Vietnamese National Assembly has assumed thechairmanship of the AIPA and organised its General Assembly. This is anoccasion for Vietnam to perform its role and responsibility in the AIPA and forthe country’s NA to enhance its reputation as an active and responsiblelegislative body. It also promotes Vietnam’s position in the region and theworld, especially in the context of the unprecedented pandemic./.
First online General Assembly in AIPA’s history
Accordingto Chairman of the National Assembly’s Committee for External Relations NguyenVan Giau, organising the AIPA 41 is among the crucial tasks of the VietnameseNA during its chairmanship term in 2020.
The General Assembly of the AIPA is the biggest event in the chairmanship termof any AIPA member parliament, which gathers legislative leaders of all the ASEANmember countries.
However, as the COVID-19 pandemic has been raging the whole world, it was impossibleto organise a physical AIPA General Assembly. Therefore, the Vietnamese NA, as theAIPA Chair in 2020, actively switched to teleconference in response to thepandemic.
Nguyen Manh Tien, Vice Chairman of the NA's Committee for External Relations andhead of the AIPA 41 information sub-committee, said the timely switch showed theVietnamese NA’s flexibility, responsibility and determination in fulfilling itsrole as the AIPA Chair in 2020.
Also, by successfully hosting all meetings within AIPA-41 via teleconference,Vietnam has proved its technical capacity, in particular digital and internetrequirements, Tien added.
This initiative was warmly welcomed by AIPA members.
Chuan Leekpai, President of the National Assembly of Thailand, said the COVID-19pandemic has posed a global health security threat to humanity throughout theregion. “In the most difficult moment, the Vietnamese parliament has made everyeffort not only to deal with the spread of COVID-19 but also to hold threesignificant AIPA conferences,” he said, adding that the success of AIPA wouldnot have been possible without excellent management by the AIPA staff of the VietnameseNA.
Chairman of the Lao National Assembly's External Relations Committee EksavangVongvichith spoke highly of this initiative, saying that the Vietnamese NA hasbeen exerting all-out efforts to prepare for the AIPA General Assembly. He saidthough the pandemic has been posing a remarkable challenge to the organisationof AIPA 41, hosting the General Assembly in the form of teleconference was atimely and wise initiative by the NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan and otherleaders of the Vietnamese NA.
Deeper engagement of young parliamentarians to AIPA
A resolution on organising annual meetings of young parliamentarians ofAIPA under an initiative by Vietnam was approved by the Committee on OrganisationalMatters of the AIPA 41 on September 9, 2020.
Previously, such an idea was first initiated by NA Chairwoman Ngan in herremarks when assuming the role of the AIPA 41 chair. It had been reiterated inASEAN Leaders' Interface with Representatives of the ASEAN Inter-ParliamentaryAssembly as well as ASEAN Leaders’ Interface with Representatives of ASEANYouth within the 36th ASEAN Summit.
During the first ever unofficial meeting of young parliamentarians of AIPA onSeptember 8, young parliamentarians contributed valuable ideas on promoting theparticipation of young parliamentarians in building the ASEAN Community in thecontext of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the COVID-19 pandemic’s impacton all spheres of the socio-economic life in the ASEAN member countries.
The meeting proved effectiveness of an official forum for youngparliamentarians within the AIPA.
Permanent Vice Chairwoman of the Vietnamese NA Tong Thi Phong highlighted theimportant role of young parliamentarians who represent nearly 220 million youngpeople in ASEAN.
The young parliamentarians are an important factor to connect youngsters andpromote their participation in building the ASEAN Community and realising thegoals of the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 through the ASEAN Work Plan on Youthfor 2016-2020 and the following years, Phong said.
Secretary General of the Cambodian National Assembly Leng Peng Long spokehighly of Vietnam’s initiative to include the discussion of the establishmenton the agenda of AIPA-41.
He stressed the necessity for parliaments to issue policies dedicated to youthsso as to create favourable conditions for them to get engaged in their nationaldevelopment.
Delivering a speech at the unofficial meeting of AIPA young parliamentarians,Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN Kung Phoak expressed appreciation to the VietnameseNA for initiating the meeting.
The official stressed that it is essential for young parliamentarians to leadthe people to gain from the regional integration.
2020 marks the third time that the Vietnamese National Assembly has assumed thechairmanship of the AIPA and organised its General Assembly. This is anoccasion for Vietnam to perform its role and responsibility in the AIPA and forthe country’s NA to enhance its reputation as an active and responsiblelegislative body. It also promotes Vietnam’s position in the region and theworld, especially in the context of the unprecedented pandemic./.
VNA
