Vietnamese NA to hold AIPA-41 online from September 8-10

Vice Chairman of the NA’s Committee for External Relations Nguyen Manh Tien at the event (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi – The Vietnamese National Assembly will hold the 41st General Assembly of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA-41) themed “Parliamentary diplomacy for a cohesive and responsive ASEAN Community” via a video conference from September 8-10, said the organising board at a press conference on September 4.

Vice Chairman of the NA’s Committee for External Relations and head of the AIPA 41 information sub-committee Nguyen Manh Tien said it will be the third time the Vietnamese legislature assumes the role of AIPA Chair and holds the assembly.

Tien described the AIPA-41 as an important highlight in external activities of the 14th NA, contributing to highlighting Vietnam's State and parliamentary diplomacy achievements.

About the meeting’s agenda, he said participants are expected to approve several documents electronically, including the AIPA-41’s activities and agenda, the list of guests, host of AIPA 42, time and venue.

As AIPA Chair 2020 and Chair of the AIPA-41, Vietnamese NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan will chair and deliver opening and closing speeches, and present AIPA chairmanship 2021 and AIPA-41 General Assembly Chairmanship to the next host.

In particular, the General Assembly will adopt draft resolutions of committees, establish the conference of AIPA young parliamentarians, admit AIPA’s new observers, present awards of dedication to AIPA, and sign a joint statement via the form of announcement.

Chairman of the NA’s Committee for External Relations and deputy head of the organising committee's standing board Nguyen Van Giau said the conference of AIPA young parliamentarians will take the theme “AIPA young parliamentarians build ASEAN Community”.

About the admission of AIPA’s new observers, Giau said the organising committee has received four dossiers from Norway, Morocco, Pakistan and Georgia and will hold an admission ceremony at the second plenary session and the closing ceremony.

As regards the conference of AIPA female parliamentarians, Giau said Chairwoman of the NA’s Committee for Social Affairs Nguyen Thuy Anh will chair the event, which will discuss female parliamentarians’ role in ensuring jobs and income for female workers.

Members of the organising committee also answered reporters’ questions about the significance and contributions of AIPA to Vietnam’s socio-economic development, the region and the world, advantages and disadvantages in holding AIPA-41 online, among others.