(VOVworld) – The 132nd General Assembly of the Inter-parliamentary Union (IPU-132) will open in Hanoi on March 28. Allowing Vietnam to host an IPU General Assembly for the first time shows the international community’s trust in Vietnam and acknowledgement of Vietnam’s active role in the IPU during its 35-year membership.
Vietnamese National Assembly Nguyen Sinh Hung and IPU President Abdelwahad Radi introduce a logo of the IPU-132
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The Vietnamese National Assembly became a member of the Inter-parliamentary Union in April, 1979. Other countries have praised Vietnam’s participation in all IPU activities and initiatives and its fulfillment of national development targets.
Proactive in IPU’s activities
The Vietnamese National Assembly has determined that engaging in IPU activities is the ultimate task of its external efforts to promote and protect Vietnam’s interests, present Vietnam’s viewpoints on global issues, and elevate the status of Vietnam and the Vietnamese National Assembly internationally.
The IPU is a place for the Vietnamese National Assembly to study the experience, and good practices of other parliaments to improve its own performance.
During its 35-year membership, the Vietnamese National Assembly has been actively involved in and has contributed to the IPU’s annual General Assemblies and topical conferences. The Vietnamese National Assembly has hosted several IPU events, including Asia-Pacific seminars on enhancing parliament’s role in child protection in 2006 and on HIV/AIDS prevention and control in 2009. Ngo Duc Manh, Vice Chairman of the NA’s Committee for External Affairs and Head of the IPU-132’s Sub-committee for Information and Communications, says: “The Vietnamese National Assembly has strengthened its role and position in the IPU through the organization of several seminars, including seminars on health and gender equality issues. The Vietnamese National Assembly has been a pro-active and effective member of the IPU.”
The Vietnamese National Assembly was elected President of the Asia-Pacific geo-political group in 2006 to coordinate the activities of 27 IPU regional members. Vietnam contributed practical initiatives to the implementation of millennium goals on universal primary education, enhancing gender equality, and improving the role of women. Former Chairman of the NA’s Committee for External Affairs, Ngo Quang Xuan, says: “We proudly say that the Vietnamese National Assembly has been an active and responsible member of the IPU. We have engaged in all activities, put forward recommendations, and shared experience with other countries. These are the basis for Vietnam to be elected to IPU’s managerial mechanisms.”
IPU-132 – a highlight of Vietnam’s legislative affairs
Vietnam’s contributions to the IPU have been acknowledged when it was authorized to host the 132nd General Assembly of the IPU on March 28. The Vietnamese National Assembly will propose specific initiatives, together with other IPU members, to the overarching theme “Sustainable development goals: turning words into action”. The General Assembly will adopt draft resolutions on: cyber warfare – a serious threat to peace and global security; identifying a new mechanism for water management: promoting parliamentary action on water; and international law related to national sovereignty and non-interference into other nation’s internal affairs.
The IPU-132 will issue a Hanoi Declaration, a political, and diplomatic statement on global issues and a message of peace and friendship from the National Assembly and people of Vietnam to parliaments and people worldwide. Chairman of the Vietnamese National Assembly Nguyen Sinh Hung says: “We want to create a good impression of Vietnam’s people, history, and culture at this event. It’s also an opportunity for us to demonstrate global integration. Vietnam’s opinions in topical discussions will show a viewpoint favoring peace, friendship, and cooperation in external affairs.”
Hosting IPU-132 will be a highlight of the external legislative affairs of the Vietnamese National Assembly which realizes the Vietnamese Party and State’s foreign policy of peace, friendship, openness, diversification, and multilateralization in international relations and integration.