National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan and a high-ranking delegation of Vietnam arrived in Geneva international airport on March 24 morning (local time) to attend the 138th Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly (IPU-138) and related meetings from March 24-25 at the invitation of IPU President Gabriela Cuevas Barron.


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National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan (R) arrived in Geneva international airport on March 24 morning (local time)


The delegation was welcomed at the airport by Ambassador Duong Chi Dung, head of the Vietnamese Mission in Geneva, and Vietnamese Ambassador to Switzerland Pham Hai Bang, among others.

The IPU-138 will open on March 25, focusing on policy solutions to strengthen global mechanisms on migrants and refugees. The Vietnamese NA leader is scheduled to deliver a speech at the plenary session.

Formed in 1889 in Paris, France, the IPU currently has 178 members and 12 associate members.

Since Vietnam joined in April 1979, its active participation has been acknowledged by other members. Over the years, relations between the Vietnamese NA and other parliaments have been strengthened. 

In October 2007 at the 117th IPU Assembly also in Geneva, Switzerland, the Vietnamese NA was elected to the IPU Executive Committee - the forum’s highest body - for the first time. A representative from the Vietnamese NA was designated as IPU Vice President in 2009. 

Notably, in April 2015, Vietnam hosted the 132nd IPU Assembly, where the Hanoi Declaration was adopted, contributing to devising the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development. 

In October 2016, at the 135th IPU Assembly in Switzerland, Chairman of the NA’s Committee for External Affairs Nguyen Van Giau was elected to the IPU Executive Committee for 2016-2019.-VNA