37th General Assembly of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly opens

Friday, September 30, 2016 | 19:36:42

(VOVworld) – The 37th General Assembly of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA-37) opened on Friday in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar.

37th General Assembly of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly opens - ảnh 1

National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan and other delegations at the 37th General Assembly of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (Photo: VNA)

The Vietnamese delegation led by National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan attended the event. The event attracted the participation of parliamentary delegates from the 10 AIPA member countries.

Opening the event, Speaker of Myanmar’s Parliament and Upper House and President of AIPA-37 Mahn Win Khaing Than said ASEAN countries are now facing a number of challenges, including the balance between the use and protecting rights of foreign workers, the fight against human trafficking, and gender inequality. He expressed his belief that an active AIPA in the ASEAN Community will help seek out measures to deal with regional challenges.

Meanwhile, Myanmar’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of President's Office Aung San Suu Kyi said Myanmar hoped that AIPA member countries will expand further cooperation and actively contribute to AIPA.

Vietnam’s National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan said in Asia, ASEAN Community has officially established and become a decisive factor to the regional structure, enhancing connectivity and connecting benefits. ASEAN community needs to be more united and shows its central role in the region: “Despite the diversity in the bloc, we need to respect common development trend and ideas of majority of ASEAN members, respect international laws, build and enhance trust and respect mutual benefits in harmonization with those of ASEAN countries. It should be based on principles of peace, prosperity and sustainability. In another development, it is essential to acknowledge achievements of ASEAN countries in keeping peace, stability, national integrity, socio-economic development and international integration. We also need to express our concern about common challenges such as terrorism, East Sea issue, environmental issues and climate change”.