APF Parliamentary Affairs Committee meets in Hanoi
(VOV) - The National Assembly (NA) Committee for External Affairs and Vietnamese sub-committee in the Francophone Parliamentary Assembly (APF) co-hosted a meeting of the APF Parliamentary Affairs Committee in Hanoi on April 27.
The meeting was attended by NA Vice Chairman Uong Chu Luu, the APF Secretary General along with parliamentarians of APF members.
The three-day meeting (April 27-29) focuses on the committee’s operations, parliamentary activities and inter-parliamentary cooperation programmes with a view to enhancing the role played by the APF in the Francophone community.
Luu stressed that the Vietnamese NA, with its legislative and supervisory functions and rights over important national issues is the most powerful representative of the people. He also confirmed that the NA is actively renewing its operations in a more efficient and practical manner in the spirit of democracy and law-governed regulations.
With regard to parliamentary diplomacy, the Vietnamese legislative body is set to strengthen multilateral and bilateral activities as a proactive member of many inter-parliamentary organisations such as the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), the Francophone Parliamentary Assembly (APF) and the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA).
“The Vietnamese NA greatly values APF principles and practises. The APF has actively participated in the institutional operations of the Francophone community, initiating and carrying out activities to promote inter-parliamentary cooperation and solidarity between the parliamentary institutions.
In its capacity as APF Deputy Chairman, Vietnam has been actively engaging in the organisation’s activities with a view to boosting the friendship, cultural exchange, and cooperation for mutual development between APF member countries.” Luu said.
He also announced the Vietnamese NA’s hosting of the 132nd Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Hanoi in 2015 and voiced his conviction that the meeting of the ongoing APF Parliamentary Affairs Committee will contribute to reinforcing the ties of friendship, cooperation and solidarity between countries.
APF President Robe Obanh said under the agenda of the meeting, participants will hear reports and discuss parliamentary issues related to Francophone member countries.
Parliamentary cooperation programs, preparation for the APF summit in Senegal and the committee’s strategic issues were also debated, he added.