Contribute to strengthening cooperation between the Vietnamese National Assembly and parliaments of member countries of the Inter-Parliamentary Union

The working trip of National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man to attend the 6th World Conference of Speakers of Parliament in Geneva, Switzerland is a very important parliamentary diplomacy event. This is an opportunity for Vietnam to continue to make active and responsible contributions to the common activities of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).

National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man attended the 6th World Conference of Speakers of Parliament and conducted bilateral activities in Switzerland.

That is the assessment of Ambassador Mai Phan Dung, Head of the Permanent Delegation of Vietnam to the United Nations, the World Trade Organization and other international organizations in Geneva (Switzerland) on the significance of the working trip of National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man to attend the 6th World Conference of Speakers of Parliaments and conduct bilateral activities in Switzerland.

Parliamentary foreign affairs events are of great significance.

Ambassador Mai Phan Dung said that the World Conference of Speakers of Parliament is the most important parliamentary foreign affairs forum on a global scale. This is an event held every five years, a very special frequency, in addition to the Inter-Parliamentary Union General Assembly held twice a year. Notably, this Conference is only held in rotation at the three largest multilateral centers in the world, including New York (USA), Vienna (Austria) and Geneva (Switzerland), which are where key agencies of the United Nations and leading global multilateral institutions are concentrated.

According to Ambassador Mai Phan Dung, if the Inter-Parliamentary Union General Assembly is a regular forum, the World Conference of Speakers of Parliaments is considered the "Summit" of the parliamentary diplomacy channel, because this is the place where the largest number of parliamentary leaders from all continents gather to discuss strategic policies, shaping global parliamentary cooperation to respond to the major challenges of the times, from peace-security, sustainable development, to promoting human rights and equality.

The theme of the 6th World Conference of Speakers of Parliament in Geneva this time is "A world in turmoil: Parliamentary cooperation and multilateralism for peace, justice and prosperity for all people". This theme is considered very appropriate and urgent in the context of the world witnessing many profound and complex changes. From geopolitical conflicts, climate change, to non-traditional security challenges and increasing development gaps - all require more comprehensive and effective cooperation between countries.

Ambassador Mai Phan Dung, Head of the Permanent Mission of Vietnam to the United Nations, the World Trade Organization and other international organizations in Geneva (Switzerland).(Photo: Permanent Mission of Vietnam to the United Nations)

The theme of the Conference emphasizes the role of national parliaments in promoting multilateralism, dialogue and cooperation to build a world of peace, justice and prosperity for all people – the common aspiration of the people of the world. This is also the vision and commitment that Vietnam has been persistently pursuing, with the motto of “proactive, positive and responsible” in all foreign affairs activities, especially parliamentary diplomacy.

Emphasizing the significance of the working trip of National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man to attend the 6th World Conference of Speakers of Parliaments in Geneva, Ambassador Mai Phan Dung said that this is a very important parliamentary foreign affairs event; an opportunity for Vietnam to continue to make active and responsible contributions to the common activities of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, contributing to promoting the cooperative relationship between the Inter-Parliamentary Union and the United Nations.

“Participating in the Conference at the highest level strongly demonstrates Vietnam’s commitment to multilateralism, especially in the context of the United Nations and multilateral mechanisms facing many challenges, as well as the responsibility of the Vietnamese National Assembly to contribute to common efforts to respond to global challenges. This is also an opportunity for Vietnam to continue affirming its foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, multilateralization, diversification and deep international integration,” Ambassador Mai Phan Dung emphasized.

Ambassador Mai Phan Dung attended and spoke at the meeting of the G77 Group and China at the United Nations headquarters on January 28, 2025. (Photo: Permanent Mission of Vietnam to the United Nations)

Vietnam actively and responsibly contributes to the common activities of the Inter-Parliamentary Union.

Affirming that parliamentary diplomacy is an important pillar in Vietnam's overall foreign policy, Ambassador Mai Phan Dung emphasized that, in addition to Party diplomacy and State diplomacy, parliamentary diplomacy helps expand the network of partners and gain international support for Vietnam's cause of national defense and development.

The National Assembly's foreign affairs activities not only contribute to strengthening and consolidating bilateral and multilateral friendship and cooperation, but also affirm Vietnam's proactive, positive and responsible position and role in the international community.

In the context of a volatile world, Vietnam has always maintained its stance of supporting the resolution of disputes by peaceful means, respecting international law and the United Nations Charter. Through multilateral mechanisms such as the IPU, ASEAN, and the United Nations, Vietnam has actively contributed to building international consensus and promoting cooperation for a world of peace, justice, and sustainable development. This is also a testament to Vietnam's foreign policy of peace, cooperation, and development...

Ambassador Mai Phan Dung, Head of the Permanent Delegation of Vietnam to the United Nations, the World Trade Organization and other international organizations in Geneva (Switzerland)

Sharing some information about the program of the 6th World Conference of Speakers of Parliament, Ambassador Mai Phan Dung said that the Conference has a comprehensive agenda with many important discussion sessions. In addition to the plenary session on the general topic, there are also 5 group discussions on issues that are attracting great attention from the international community such as: promoting the participation of women and youth in parliament, innovation to respond to global fluctuations, the role of parliaments in shaping the digital future, protecting and promoting the rights of vulnerable people, and international cooperation to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.

At the conference, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man is expected to deliver a speech at the plenary session, emphasizing Vietnam's contributions to promoting peace, sustainable development and multilateral cooperation.

The Vietnamese delegation will also participate in discussions at thematic sessions on promoting the participation of women and youth in parliament and international cooperation to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.

At the same time, the Vietnamese delegation will actively contribute opinions to the Conference's Joint Statement, affirming Vietnam's stance and viewpoint on important international issues.

On the sidelines of the Conference, the leaders of the Vietnamese National Assembly will hold bilateral meetings to promote parliamentary relations with strategic partners, important partners and traditional friends.

Ambassador Mai Phan Dung hopes that this working trip will contribute to strengthening the cooperative relationship between the Vietnamese National Assembly and the parliaments of the Inter-Parliamentary Union member countries and promoting the Vietnam-Switzerland Comprehensive Partnership. At the same time, this is also an opportunity for Vietnam to learn from other countries in law-making and national policy supervision, share experiences in the process of national development, building a socialist rule-of-law state and implementing the Sustainable Development Goals, thereby gaining the support of the international community for Vietnam's development and integration priorities.

Khanh Lan

Source: https://nhandan.vn/gop-phan-cung-co-quan-he-hop-tac-giua-quoc-hoi-viet-nam-voi-nghi-vien-cac-nuoc-thanh-vien-lien-minh-nghi-vien-the-gioi-post896266.html