Hanoi (VNA) - The timely response toCOVID-19 by the parliaments of ASEAN member countries has played a significantrole in accelerating goals and programmes for regional sustainable developmentin the future.

Chairwoman of Vietnam’s National Assembly Nguyen ThiKim Ngan, who is also Chair of the 41st General Assembly of theASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA 41), sent a letter in March to chairpersonsof AIPA member parliaments calling for joint efforts in protecting ASEAN fromthe pandemic.

She highlighted solidarity, sharing, and mutualsupport within the bloc in the face of the coronavirus.

Each AIPA member parliament should join hands with governmentsin the fight by promoting their role and approving relevant measures andpolicies proposed by governments, Ngan said.

Vietnam’s NA, together with the support of other AIPAmember parliaments, will make every effort to ensure the success of the 2020AIPA Year, for peace, safety, and happiness of the people and the sustainabledevelopment and prosperity of all ASEAN countries and the world, she pledged.

In that spirit, at the ASEAN Leaders’ Interface withRepresentatives of AIPA within the 36th ASEAN Summit in June, Nganlauded ASEAN’s joint efforts in coping with the unprecedented challenges posed byCOVID-19.

She backed the implementation of ASEAN initiatives andsupport to governments in rolling out solutions to bring the pandemic undercontrol.

In the short term, ASEAN should focus resources onimproving economic recovery post-COVID-19, maintain commitments made to openingup trade and investment and connecting supply chains, ensure food security andaccess to medicines and medical supplies at reasonable prices, and assistpeople and businesses affected by the pandemic, she suggested.

In culture-society, AIPA encourages the timelyissuance of policies on education, unemployment, and public health improvements,including the public’s capacity to access vaccines and essential goods, Nganstressed.

At a meeting on the role of parliaments ininternational cooperation against COVID-19 in April, Chairman of the VietnameseNA Committee for External Relations Nguyen Van Giau called on AIPA memberparliaments to take a more active role and accompany governments in the pandemicfight through the issuance of relevant polices and measures.

At the 11th AIPA Caucus on August 14,Vietnam urged AIPA member parliaments to continue review and perfect legalframeworks to facilitate trade and ensure the distribution of goods and the smoothoperation of regional supply chains.

Member parliaments have committed to accelerating theratification of regional trade agreements and prioritising efforts to completenegotiations and sign the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP)agreement.

The countries have also stepped up parliamentarysupervision over the implementation of investment and trade commitments, bothregionally and internationally, considering this a major tool in promotingeconomic connectivity within the ASEAN Economic Community and between ASEAN andits partners.

They also focused on infrastructure development,digital connectivity, digital data safety, and digital knowledge and skills,while making the best use of Industry 4.0 to overcome the consequences ofeconomic closures and social distancing amid COVID-19.

At the same time, AIPA member parliaments haveintensified regional infrastructure and transport connectivity and cooperation inthe Mekong Sub-region and other sub-regions in ASEAN, especially inenvironmental protection, the development of smart agriculture, and thesustainable use of cross-border natural resources, so as to ensure food, water,and energy security in sub-regions during and post-COVID-19.

Given the adverse impact of COVID-19 in many countriesand around the world, coordination between governments and parliaments will contributeto fighting the pandemic and ensuring social welfare, for the peace, safety,and happiness of the people and the sustainable development and prosperity ofASEAN member countries and also the world./.