IPU Secretary General Martin Chungong (L) and Vietnamese National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan (Photo: VNA)

He made the statement in an interview with the Vietnam News Agency at the outset of the 138^th IPU Assembly (IPU-138) and related meetings in Geneva, Switzerland, this weekend.

He noted that Vietnam is now taking the lead in inter-parliamentary collaboration, as reflected through a series of major IPU events hosted by the country in recent years, particularly the 132th IPU Assembly (IPU-132) in Hanoi in 2015. He added the IPU was pleased with the Hanoi Declaration passed at the IPU-132 on the “Sustainable Development Goals: Turning Words into Action”, saying the declaration was the starting point of current IPU’s actions in contribution to the realization of the SDGs. The Secretary General also mentioned Ho Chi Minh City’s hosting of an IPU regional seminar in the Asia-Pacific Region on climate change in May last year. The seminar enabled participants to discuss opportunities and challenges in responding to climate change and to learn from Vietnam’s experience in the matter. Chungong said the IPU backs Vietnam’s leading role in inter-parliamentary activities.

The IPU-138 is expected to see the participation of 700 parliamentarians and 65 leaders of legislative bodies across the globe. The Vietnamese delegation to the meeting is headed by National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan.