Representatives of ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) met here this afternoon with ASEAN leaders in an interface as part of the 40th and 41st ASEAN Summits and Related Summits being hosted by Cambodia.
 
Samdech Akka Moha Ponhea Chakrei Heng Samrin, President of the National Assembly of Cambodia and President of the 43rd AIPA General Assembly, said this is part of the ASEAN’s collective efforts in striving for peace, stability and prosperity in the region, particularly in the block’s collective efforts to advance the post-COVID-19 recovery. 

In this context, AIPA fully supports Cambodia’s proposed theme of ASEAN this year, “ASEAN A.C.T.: Addressing Challenges Together”, stressing that it is more relevant and timelier than ever before. 

“The theme seeks to build a harmonious ASEAN Community that is peaceful, stable and prosperous, underpinning ASEAN’s engagement with the wider region and regional responses to the impacts and uncertainties posed by regional and global challenges,” he said.  

Samdech Heng Samrin continued that now the parliamentary diplomacy is becoming even more crucial in forming this multi-stakeholder approach to address emerging complex regional and global issues, based on the common values of the AIPA as enshrined in its statute, inter-alia to promote the principles of human rights, democracy, peace, security and prosperity in ASEAN.

More importantly, AIPA needs to be more actively and proactively engaged in the ASEAN Community building, the promotion of ASEAN Centrality in the evolving regional architecture, and its contribution to addressing regional and international issues. Therefore, he added, cooperation among AIPA Member Parliaments need to be further broadened and deepened. 

Source: Agency Kampuchea Press