NA Chairwoman works with IPU Secretary General in Geneva

Chairwoman of the Vietnamese National Assembly (NA) Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan had a working session with Secretary General of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Martin Chungong on the side-lines of the 138th IPU Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland, on March 25.

Delegates at the working session (Photo: daibieunhandan.vn)
Delegates at the working session (Photo: daibieunhandan.vn)

Secretary General Chungong highly valued the Vietnamese delegation’s participation in all IPU events, which has demonstrated the country’s role as an active member of the IPU.

NA Chair Ngan noted with satisfaction the outcomes of their concrete cooperation in realising the parliamentary partnership between the IPU, the Vietnamese NA and the United Nations representative in Vietnam.

She thanked the IPU Secretary General for supporting the UN Development Programme (UNDP) in Vietnam and the Vietnamese parliament to introduce the sustainable development self-assessment tool (SDAT) to NA deputies.

The top Vietnamese legislator also appreciated Chungong’s contributions to the IPU, especially in reforming the IPU Secretariat’s activities, supporting the implementation of IPU programmes and strategies, and enhancing the IPU’s cooperation and partnership with the UN, thereby helping to improving parliaments and the parliamentarians’ voice.

Chungong expressed his delight at Vietnam’s development, including its efforts to realise the Sustainable Development Goals.

He thanked Vietnam for successfully organising the 26th Annual Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF-26) last January, adding that the country has shown itself to be an active and responsible member of the IPU.

The IPU Secretary General hoped the SDAT will soon be introduced to ministries, sectors and localities in Vietnam.

At the meeting, Chungong also talked about the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products, which is within the framework of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and will take effect after it is ratified by 40 countries. He expressed his hope that Vietnam will ratify this protocol soon.

For her part, Ngan affirmed Vietnam’s determination to prevent the harms and illegal trading of tobacco, which is reflected in the promulgation of the Law on Prevention and Control of Tobacco Harms. The country is ready to ratify the protocol, she added.

The working session with the IPU Secretary General was the last activity of the Vietnamese delegation while staying in Geneva to attend the IPU-138 before leaving for an official visit to the Netherlands.