National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan (fouth from left, first line) takes photo with other delegation heads (Source: VNA) Siem Reap (VNA) – The 27th Annual Meeting of theAsia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF-27) officially kicked off in Siem Reap,Cambodia, under the theme “Strengthening parliamentary partnership for peace,security, and sustainable development”.
In his opening remarks, President of the Cambodian National AssemblyHeng Samrin, who is APPF-27 Chairman, affirmed that the meeting allows memberparliaments to consolidate regional cooperation for peace, stability, securityand sustainable development, to intensify mutual understanding, and tosafeguard peace, stability, and sustainable development through the approval ofresolutions to deal with shared concerns.
It also offers member parliaments a chance to link ideas and realize visionsto strengthen collaboration in the current international environment.
Hailing the significance of the meeting’s main theme, Cambodian PrimeMinister Hun Sen said that APPF-27 is essential for member parliaments to joinhands to boost cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region, especially in issuesrelated to security and sustainable development.
He recalled difficulties in the country’s history, including thestruggle against the Pol Pot genocidal regime, and highlighted the significanceof peace and stability in the nation building and development in each country.
The Cambodian Government leader took the occasion to thank theinternational community, including Vietnam, for their assistance. “Vietnamsaved our nation and helped us with post-war rebuilding efforts and the nationaldevelopment cause,” he affirmed.
President of the Cambodian Senate Say Chhum underlined that internationalmigration, poverty, environmental issues and climate change are posing threatsto peace, stability and sustainable development in the region and the world.
He also emphasised the need for parliaments in the Asia-Pacific regionto foster bilateral and multilateral cooperation to exchange information onnational laws and policies, as well as development in the region and around theglobe, and to boost trade, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges to expandharmonious relations in all fields and at all levels.
Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni sent a message to the APPF-27, in whichhe appreciated the forum’s activities over the past times and believed that itsinitiatives will be disseminated to the entire region.
The Vietnamese delegation to the event is led by National Assembly ChairwomanNguyen Thi Kim Ngan.
The APPF was established on March 15, 1993, with the purpose of buildingtrust among parliaments in the Asia-Pacific via the enhancement of dialoguesbetween regional parliamentarians, thus contributing to regional peace,sustainability and prosperity.
It gathers 27 member parliaments: Australia, Cambodia, Canada, China,Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Fiji, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia,the Marshall Islands, Mexico, Micronesia, Mongolia, New Zealand, Papua NewGuinea, Peru, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, Russia, Singapore,Thailand, the US, and Vietnam.-VNA
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