President Tran Duc Luong delivers a speech at opening ceremony of 23rd AIPO General Assembly in Hanoi on September 9, 2002 (Source: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam’s National Assembly (NA) has contributedactively and proactively to the development of the ASEAN Inter-ParliamentaryAssembly (AIPA) over the last 25 years.
The country’s legislaturebecame an official member of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Organisation (AIPO) -the predecessor of AIPA - on September 19, 1995, at the 16th AIPOGeneral Assembly in Singapore.
At the first AIPO generalassembly that it attended as an official member, the Vietnamese NA made activecontributions to the assembly’s activities. In his remarks at the openingsession of the event, NA Chairman Nong Duc Manh stressed that the NA joiningAIPO after the country became a member of ASEAN was of great significance,marking a significant change in Southeast Asia for the independence andprosperity of each nation in the region.
Since then, inevery difficult time the region has faced, the legislative body has takentimely action, together with parliaments of other member states, to deal with arisingproblems.
In 1998 - a yearafter the Asian financial crisis rocked Asia - Vietnam proposed organising anAIPO conference on the role of legislative bodies in dealing with the crisis,which was held a year later.
In 2002, Vietnamhosted the AIPO General Assembly for the first time. With its role as AIPOChair in the 2001-2002 tenure, the country’s legislature successfully organisedthe 23rd General Assembly in Hanoi, contributing in a practicalmanner to the organisation’s development.
Among 33resolutions approved at the meeting, 20 were initiated by Vietnam, and thoseideas remain valuable today.
Vietnam again successfullyorganised the 31st AIPA General Assembly from September 20-24, 2010,in Hanoi, fulfilling its responsibility as AIPA Chair in the 2009-2010 tenure, expressingthe country’s efforts to integrate into the region.
The Vietnamese legislaturehas made a great many proposals at AIPA general assemblies over the last 25years and participated in AIPA activities. Such contributions helpedconsolidate Vietnam’s friendship and multifaceted cooperation with ASEAN memberstates and affirmed the legislative body’s position and role in the region andthe world.
Former deputy headof the NA Committee for External Relations Ngo Anh Dung said that since becominga member, the NA has fully taken part in AIPO activities and made suggestionsto help the organisation operate more effectively and substantially.
In the political realm,Vietnam’s initiatives mainly focus on improving the organisation’s role,intensifying intra-bloc collaboration, and building the ASEAN Community.
In the economic field,the country’s initiatives emphasise the urgent need for economic connectivityin the region as well as the role of parliaments in coping with economic crisesand boosting sustainable development.
In terms of socialaffairs and gender equality, the NA has proposed many initiatives, especially onpromoting the role of women in general and female parliamentarians inparticular. Of special note, the first AIPO Women Parliamentarians’ Meeting washeld at the 19th AIPO General Assembly in 1998, followinginitiatives by Vietnam and Malaysia.
Vietnam has made othercontributions in terms of organisational matters of AIPO and AIPA, such asgranting insignias to those making major contributions to the organisation’sdevelopment, and intensifying links between the organisation and ASEAN.
In 2007, toconnect Government heads and top legislators of ASEAN countries, Vietnamproposed a dialogue between ASEAN and AIPA leaders.
When hosting theAIPA General Assembly for the second time in 2010, the country organised thefirst dialogue. Since then, the high-level dialogue has been held within theframework of ASEAN Year and AIPA Year.
This year, as the41st AIPA Chair, the NA has taken the initiative in cooperating withmember parliaments to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Governments in seekingmeasures to promote post-COVID-19 economic recovery, contributing to consolidatingcooperation and solidarity in ASEAN in a spirit of “Parliamentary diplomacy fora cohesive and responsive ASEAN Community”./.
VNA
