NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue (middle) and the Vietnamese delegation attend the 42nd AIPA from Hanoi. (Photo: VNA) Fostering inter-parliamentary cooperation for ASEAN people
Ten years after the establishment of the ASEAN, the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Organisation (AIPO) came into being on September 2, 1977, topromote the collaboration among the member parliaments in realising the common goalof the ASEAN in building Southeast Asia into a region of peace, stability,cooperation, and sustainable development.
All regional countries can join the AIPO as a member or aspecial observer following their ASEAN membership.
The organisation was then renamed ASEAN Inter-ParliamentaryAssembly (AIPA) during the 27th General Assembly in Cebu, thePhilippines, in 2006. At the event, the organisation added new regulations onstructure and resolutions affirming commitments of its members in strengtheningintra-bloc trade and investment opportunities, protecting the environment andpeople’s health, and combating terrorism through dialogues among religions andbeliefs. Members of the organisation also agreed to increase the supervisionover the implementation of adopted resolutions through an annual reportingmechanism.
Over the past 46 years, the former AIPO and now AIPA hascontinued expanding with 10 members currently. AIPA’s highest purpose is to promote solidarity, understanding, cooperation and close relationship among theparliaments of the ASEAN member countries and other parliaments and parliamentaryorganisations in the world; seeking solutions to issues of common interest aswell as expressing views on those issues in order to help AIPA members take timelyactions and responses; and upholding the principles of human rights, democracy,peace, security, and prosperity in ASEAN.
In reality, after 46 years, AIPA has become an importantorganisation to peace, stability and security in the region, a dynamic andhighly integrated economy, an inclusive community focusing on the people andputting the people in the centre, and a trustworthy partner of countries andorganisations in the region and the world.
Along with building a common legal foundation for ASEAN,AIPA member parliaments have accompanied ASEAN governments in dealing with difficultiesand challenges by strongly promoting their legislative and supervision role,creating favourable conditions for the allocation of resources and the fosteringof connections with the people. The outcome of the cooperation shows the AIPA’scommitments to implementing ASEAN goals.
During its annual general assemblies, AIPA also holds meetings with itsdialogue partners of Australia, Canada, China, Japan, the Republic of Korea,New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Russia, India, and the European Parliament.
Vietnam - active,proactive, responsible member of AIPA
Since Vietnam officially joined the AIPO on September 19,1995, the country's NA has been playing its active, proactive and responsible roletogether with other members in promoting the central role, solidarity and unityof the organisation, strengthening intra-bloc cooperation, expanding all-roundparliamentary cooperation with countries inside and outside the region.
The Vietnamese NA has contributed manyideas at AIPA general assemblies as well as activities within the AIPAframework. Vietnam has raised the initiative to form the AIPA Advisory Group andan initiative to expand the participants at AIPA meetings, including non-AIPAmembers.
The Vietnamese NA has hosted the AIPA general assembly threetimes in 2002, 2010 and 2020.
Notably, in 2020, despite COVID-19 impacts, Vietnam stillsuccessfully performed the role of the AIPA Chair, during which many activitieswere held, including the 41st AIPA General Assembly from September18-20. At the event, the Vietnamese NA put forth two important initiatives – the organisationof an informal meeting for AIPA young parliamentarians, and linking AIPAactivities with those of the International Parliamentary Union (IPU) aswell as the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda on Sustainable DevelopmentGoals. With this initiative, Vietnam hopes to create an annual forum of AIPA toexchange ideas and find out measures to promote the effective implementation of theSustainable Development Goals in the ASEAN region.
The active engagement in AIPA activities has providedVietnam with helpful experience and interest, contributing to successfullyimplementing the country’s open foreign policy during the integration period,creating a favourable political environment for the realisation of the “DoiMoi” (Renewal) cause.
The inter-parliamentary cooperation mechanism within theAIPA has also contributed to fostering friendship, mutual understanding and trustamong Vietnamese legislators and their peers in the region as well as betweenVietnam and other countries.
The Vietnamese NA’s participation in AIPA has createdopportunities and more conditions for the country to share, advocate and elaborate issues related to Vietnam, overcoming prejudices and differences in politicalinstitutions among countries, thus creating a friendly and open atmosphere of mutual understanding and trust.
The direct engagement in AIPA activities has also providedVietnamese legislators with opportunities to exchange information andexperience in law building and supervision as well as parliamentary activities,enhancing their knowledge and capacity in hosting international cooperationactivities. It has also created a chance for Vietnam to promote its image and popularise the nation and people of Vietnam to regional and internationalfriends.
Vietnam’s initiatives at AIPA-44
According to Vice Chairwoman of the NA Committee forExternal Relations Le Thu Ha, for AIPA-44, Vietnam has actively proposed threedraft resolutions on digital transformation led by women and for women, promoting innovation, transfer, application and development of science andtechnology for sustainable growth and development, and promoting the adoptionof ASEAN guidelines on responsible investment in the food, agriculture andforestry sectors.
Vice Chairwoman of the NA Committee for External Relations Le Thu Ha. (Photo: ttdn.vn) Meanwhile, the draft resolution on promoting innovation,transfer, application and development of science and technology for sustainablegrowth and development gives recommendations on how to promote the acceptingand mastering of advanced technology and boost the transfer of science,technology and innovation achievements for a green and circular economy andresponse to new challenges. It also aims to strengthen cooperation incompleting the legal environment related to innovation as well as the transfer,application and development of science and technology.
At the same time, the draft resolution on promoting theadoption of ASEAN guidelines on responsible investment in the food, agricultureand forestry sectors will be tabled in the context that more than 6% of peoplein Southeast Asia are suffering from food shortage (according to FAO).
Food and agriculture is identified as one of the fivepriority areas in the 4th Work Plan (2021-2025) of the Initiative of ASEANIntegration (IAI), and a priority of the ASEAN Economic Community. Theresolution emphasises the importance of responsible investment in regional foodsupply systems to ensure socio-economic development and environmentalprotection in the region.
According to Ha, the initiatives are important in ensuringthat ASEAN can optimise advantages in science, technology and innovation foreconomic recovery and development, while making full use of its potential forfood, agricultural and forestry development.
At the same time, at AIPA-44, Vietnam will also opine on other draft resolutions given by AIPA committees, and co-sponsor theresolutions, Ha said./.
VNA
