Hanoi Declaration - IPU's historic milestone

Q: Could you tell us about the meaning of the Hanoi Declaration recently adopted at the IPU-132?

A: The IPU-132 Assembly adopted the Declaration, made by Vietnam as host of the event. The document is an important milestone in the the development processes as Vietnam is fulfilling the millennium development goals and moving into a new 15-year development phase. The IPU-132's theme "Sustainable development goals: Turning words into action" links closely with the country's socio-economic development policy.

The adopted Declaration and the honour of NA Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung to be elected as the IPU-132 Assembly President were significant, marking the country's position in the international arena and affirming the IPU-132's results and strong commitments of member parliaments (MPs), including the Vietnam NA, to the discussed theme.

The Declaration is a significant historic milestone of the IPU, creating a higher value for the organisation. The document will be considered at the United Nations General Assembly's September session marking the 70th anniversary of the UN's establishment and adopting a post-2015 development agenda and sustainable development goals (SDGs).

It is an important official document which the IPU will send to a conference of top legislators, planned to take place in New York at the end of August and the beginning of September. The document will then be sent to the UN Summit on SDGs on the threshold of the 70th UN General Assembly. The Declaration showcases the IPU's positive contributions to issues of common concern at the UN and in the international community.

The Declaration proves the IPU-132's success and affirms that parliaments will contribute to supporting governments of MPs in realising effectively SDGs to respond to people's expectation for a peaceful, stable and prosperous world.

The document affirms that human-centred sustainable development should be based on the realisation of human rights, hunger eradication, poverty reduction and gender equality, which require international peace, security and respect of the UN Charter and international laws.

With international incidents experiencing complicated developments, including tense disputes over sovereignty and territory in the East Sea and other regions, affecting regional and international security, the Declaration reaffirms the significance of conforming fundamental principles in the UN Charter and international laws in maintaining international peace and security, ensuring equality in national sovereignty, respecting territorial integrity and national political independence, prohibiting threats of the use of force or the use of force in international relations, making no interferences in countries' internal affairs and resolving international disputes through peaceful means.

The Declaration also shows that all MPs, big or small, rich or poor, developed or developing, and their people love peace, thus all countries should respect and implement those principles of the UN Charter and international laws.

Q: What can you say about the outcomes of the event's organisation?

A: The IPU-132 attracted a large number of international delegations, Presidents and Vice Presidents of parliaments as many MPs sent both their President and Vice President to the event. This reflects the concern of parliaments, parliamentarians and people around the world to the theme suggested by the host country.

Parliamentarians bought with them their people's expectations and suggestions to Hanoi, exchanged and shared experiences, enhanced co-operation, learned lessons from each other, and made contributions to building and adopting resoltions.

During sessions of the IPU Assembly and Standing Committees and related meetings, delegations' representatives actively involved themselves in discussions. Meetings on gender equality and women's role in political participation received nearly 100 ideas. Many delegations devised detailed plans for their parliaments and relationships between parliaments and governments in realising development goals in the future.

For Vietnam, the adoption of the Declaration shows the NA's pro-activeness in international integration for national interests, peace, co-operation and development, reflects the open foreign policy of multilateralisation and diversification of international relations, and contributes to elevating the position the NA and the country in the international arena.

The IPU-132's successful conclusion and the adoption of the Hanoi Declaration are the result of the efforts, contributions and directions of the Party, the State, the Government, the NA and Vietnamese people, including organisation, logistics work, information, communication and security. All work was done responsibly and professionally to show respect, hospitality and sincerity to the guests in a collective and friendly spirit.

During the IPU-132, international delegates from around the world, especially IPU President Saber Chowdhury, IPU leaders and many top legislators, expressed their gratitude to Vietnam and gave objective evaluations while congratulating the country on successfully hosting the event. They recognised that Vietnam is a peace-loving country and an active member of the IPU.

Thank you very much!

(Source: Nhandan Online)