(VOVworld) – A meeting of the Committee on Parliamentary Affairs of the Francophone Parliamentary Assembly opened in Ho Chi Minh City on Friday, bringing together over 50 delegates from 20 the assembly’s sub-committees.

Delegates at the meeting of the Committee on Parliamentary Affairs (Photo: TTXVN)

Speaking at the opening session, National Assembly Vice Chairman Phung Quoc Hien spoke highly of the role played by the APF in promoting and protecting democracy and rule-of-law State, respecting human rights, and developing cultural diversity. He affirmed Vietnam pursues a consistent policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, cooperation and development, multilateralisation and diversification of external relations, and proactive international integration, adding that the country is a friend, a reliable partner and a responsible member in the international community.

Vietnam proactively proposed initiatives and took part in the implementation of strategies and activities of the Community, significantly contributing to strengthening solidarity. Participants to the meeting reviewed the implementation of the strategic framework in 2013-2017 and the inter-parliamentary cooperation programme in 2017-2018, while considering the implementation of initiatives for multilateral inter-parliamentary cooperation in Mali, Haiti, Madagascar, and Burkina Faso.