Hanoi(VNA) – Chairwoman of the Vietnamese National Assembly (NA) Nguyen Thi Kim Nganwill attend the 140th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU-140) andrelated meetings in Doha, Qatar.

Invited by IPUPresident Gabriela Cuevas Barron, and Chairman of the Consultative Assembly ofQatar Ahmad Bin Abdullah Al Mahmoud, the top legislator’s attendance at IPU-140aims to affirm Vietnam’s commitment to proactively engage in multilateraldiplomacy.

It will helpVietnam not only enhance its international position by participating in thesettlement of regional and global challenges, but also capitalise oninternational support for and attention to regional security issues thatinvolve the Southeast Asian nation.

Established in1889 in Paris, France, the IPU comprises 178 members and 12 associate members.It aims to enhance exchanges between parliaments and contribute to protectinghuman rights worldwide.

Since Vietnamjoined in April 1979, its active participation has been acknowledged by othermembers. Over the years, relations between the Vietnamese legislature and otherparliaments have been strengthened.

In October 2007,at the 117th IPU Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland, the Vietnamese NA was electedto the IPU Executive Committee – the forum’s highest body – for the first time.

In 2009, arepresentative from the Vietnamese National Assembly was designated as IPU VicePresident.

In April 2015,Vietnam hosted the 132nd IPU Assembly, where the Hanoi Declaration was adopted,contributing to devising the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development.

In October 2016,at the 135th IPU Assembly in Switzerland, Chairman of the NA’s Committee forExternal Affairs Nguyen Van Giau was elected to the IPU Executive Committee for2016-2019.

In May, 2017,Vietnam hosted the IPU’s regional seminar for the -Pacific on responding toclimate change and actions of parliaments to achieve the SustainableDevelopment Goals (SDGs) in Ho Chi Minh City.

At the 138th IPU Assembly in Switzerland, NA Chairwoman Ngan delivered a speech, makingrecommendations and initiatives to address challenges of migration, andaffirmed the need to maintain peace for sustainable development. She also proposedIPU member countries effectively implement the the 2030 Agenda for SustainableDevelopment, and called on IPU member parliaments to review legal policiesconcerning education, healthcare, jobs and equal treatment for refugees.

At the plenarysession of the 139th IPU Assembly in Switzerland, NA Vice Chairman Uong Chu Luustated Vietnam is willing to work with other countries, the IPU, UN and otherinternational organisations on collaborative programmes and projects in scienceand technology.-VN