Vietnam has participated in the first meeting of the Asian Parliamentary Assembly (APA) Executive Council, which opened in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on October 2.

Chairman of the National Assembly’s Committee for Ethnic Affairs Ha Ngoc Chien 

The Vietnamese delegation is led by Chairman of the National Assembly’s Committee for Ethnic Affairs Ha Ngoc Chien.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, President of the Cambodian National Assembly Samdech Heng Samrin, who is also APA President, said the meeting opens up opportunities for the member nations to share viewpoints and experience, contributing to accelerating ratification of measures for the APA’s upcoming plenary meetings and guiding the lawmaking of member nations in line with other countries in the region and in the world.

He highly valued APA achievements and its contributions to regional and global development and peace, as well as the efforts of the member nations in making these attainments.

The meeting will promote mutual understanding among Asian people, reflecting the common aspiration of the member nations to live in peace, stability, prosperity and harmony, he said.

He also expressed his hope that the event will help stop violence, disputes and crises affecting the region and the world.

Regional lawmakers have been discussing financial, political, social and cultural matters during the two-day function. 

Cambodia was elected as APA President at the 8th Plenary Session of the APA in Phnom Penh in 2015. The 9th APA Plenary Session was also conducted in the city.

The APA was established in 2006 at the seventh session of the Association of Asian Parliamentary for Peace. It has currently 42 full member parliaments, including Azerbaijan as the new member, and 17 observers.

The APA plenary session is held every year in December. The APA President is elected from the member parliaments for a two-year term of office.

VNA