Building a connected, self-reliant, people-centered ASEAN Community

On the same afternoon, the 45th AIPA General Assembly held its first plenary session with the theme "The role of Parliament in enhancing ASEAN connectivity and comprehensive growth" under the chairmanship of Lao National Assembly Chairman and AIPA 2024 Chair Saysomphone Phomvihane.

National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man led a high-ranking delegation of the Vietnamese National Assembly to attend the meeting and delivered a speech on the conference's theme with many important messages.

National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man at the First Plenary Session of the 45th AIPA General Assembly

Promoting connectivity and self-reliance

The National Assemblies/Parliaments of the countries highly appreciated the significance of the theme of AIPA-45, which is closely linked to the common efforts of the region in promoting connectivity and self-reliance. Especially in the volatile and unpredictable regional and global environment, such as conflicts breaking out in many places, increasing strategic competition, declining trust, eroding the international order based on rules, and the fierce emergence of many challenges, posing many consequences for peace, security, stability and development in the region.

In the above context, delegates from all countries emphasized the need to strengthen solidarity, unity, and the central role of ASEAN, promote multilateralism, and improve the effectiveness of ASEAN-led mechanisms to engage partners in regional cooperation in a spirit of responsibility and friendship, and respond to challenges together with ASEAN, and consolidate an open, transparent, and inclusive regional structure with ASEAN at the center.

Parliaments/Assemblies of the countries affirmed the need to promote comprehensive and sustainable connectivity in all aspects of infrastructure, institutions, digitalization, and people. In these joint efforts, parliamentary cooperation plays an important role, putting ASEAN's commitments into concrete implementation, promoting institutional and policy harmonization, firmly consolidating the legal foundation, supporting the process of regional connectivity and integration. Thereby, creating favorable conditions for cooperation in trade, investment, transportation, energy, and people-to-people exchange, contributing to promoting inclusive and equitable growth, leaving no one behind.

Delegates also agreed to strengthen cohesion and coordination between ASEAN and AIPA in realizing common goals, building a more connected, resilient, people-oriented and people-centered ASEAN Community.

5 priority directions in the coming time

Speaking at the meeting, affirming that ASEAN is entering an important moment in the process of building the Community, with the basic completion of the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 to transition to the ASEAN Community Vision 2045, the National Assembly Chairman emphasized: "This is the time for us to make strong changes for a strong, self-reliant, dynamic, cohesive ASEAN that is the center of growth."

With the desire to further promote the role of parliaments in enhancing connectivity, the National Assembly Chairman proposed five priority orientations in the coming time.

Firstly, AIPA needs to make more efforts with ASEAN to strengthen solidarity, cooperation, unity in diversity, uphold ASEAN's spirit of independence, self-reliance, and strategic autonomy; and promote compliance with international law, especially the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Second, review and evaluate the implementation of the 2025 master plans, deploy cooperation strategies until 2045, promote harmonious, sustainable, comprehensive, inclusive development, leaving no one behind, focus on and give appropriate priority to sub-regional cooperation, and narrow the development gap.

Third, AIPA needs to further promote its role in strengthening the complementarity of parliamentary diplomacy in the overall state diplomacy between ASEAN member states as well as with ASEAN partners, and support and assist governments more effectively with highly feasible solutions to successfully implement the goals set by ASEAN.

Fourth, promote cooperation in the field of natural disaster prevention and climate change response; ensure harmony between development and environmental protection, ensure food security and water security.

Fifth, encourage the enhancement of digital transformation, green transformation, and energy transformation; promote innovation and startups, creating new and sustainable growth drivers for ASEAN in the coming time.

Message of General Secretary and President To Lam to the 45th AIPA General Assembly

On behalf of the Party, State and people of Vietnam, General Secretary and President To Lam sent a message to the 45th AIPA General Assembly.

In his message, General Secretary and President To Lam emphasized that over the past 50 years, AIPA, as a legislative and supervisory body, has made many contributions to the process of building a united, united ASEAN Community for peace, cooperation and prosperous development, bringing benefits to all people. ASEAN is currently entering an important moment in the process of building the Community, with the basic completion of the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 to transition to the ASEAN Community Vision 2045. In that process, AIPA plays a very important role as a bridge between the people and the Government; promoting legal harmonization; removing institutional barriers, creating favorable conditions for the investment and business environment; building a regional order based on rules; promoting the internal strength of each member, together maintaining solidarity and unity; Increase intra-bloc economic connectivity and exchange, mobilize external resources and take advantage of the benefits of the 4.0 industrial revolution for development; increase competitiveness, effectively respond to non-traditional security challenges for the goal of sustainable and comprehensive development in the Southeast Asian region.

The General Secretary and President also affirmed that the Vietnamese National Assembly has been and will participate proactively, positively and responsibly in AIPA activities, contributing to building a united, strong and prosperous ASEAN Community.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/xay-dung-cong-dong-asean-ket-noi-tu-cuong-lay-nguoi-dan-lam-trung-tam-185241019234627344.htm