Samdech Akka Moha Ponhea Chakrei Heng Samrin, President of the National Assembly of Cambodia and President of the 43rd General Assembly of ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA), shared here this afternoon five policy issues for the ASEAN leaders to consider at the ASEAN Leaders’ Interface with Representatives of AIPA, held in Phnom Penh this afternoon. 

First, ASEAN needs to ensure a sustainable and resilient recovery by enhancing climate resilience and investing more in clean and renewable energy transition. “We should utilise the potential of our combined governments’ immense purchasing power to encourage and influence the market in producing green products and using environmentally-friendly processes with policies that acknowledge and support green public procurement. In this regard, it is vital to develop a regional regulatory roadmap on Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) with clear mechanisms and action plans to achieve a resilient green ASEAN include with Samdech Prime Minister Hun Sen’s initiative on the ASEAN Green Deal,” he said.
 
Second, he continued, people must be at the centre of our recovery plan in order to ensure that no one is left behind. In this respect, transportation connectivity and logistic network, digital and financial inclusion, social protection, gender equality, women empowerment and people-centred development are imperative. In this regard, we cannot lose sight of achieving the 2030 UN Sustainable Development Goals, which would also lead us out of the current challenges. 

Third, ASEAN needs to enhance regional mechanisms for cooperation, coordination, technical assistance and resource mobilisation in all aspects of disaster management, especially through the effective implementation of the ASEAN Vision 2025 on Disaster Management, he added.  

“Fourth, there is a strong need for us to deepen our regional parliamentary cooperation and partnerships by sharing knowledge of laws and regulations,” Samdech Heng Samrin said. “We therefore plan to propose the establishment of an AIPA digital Law Library as a regional digital resource centre for AIPA Member Parliaments.”

Fifth, he underlined, ASEAN need to further enhance parliamentary partnership in promoting human rights, democracy, good governance, including Women, Peace and Security Agenda, and accelerating the ASEAN Community building through the harmonisation of regional legal frameworks. 

Source: Agency Kampuchea Press