Chairman of the National Assembly Vương Đình Huệ on Tuesday delivers remarks at several panel discussions on responding to COVID-19 and climate change at the Fifth World Conference of Speakers of Parliament. — VNA/VNS Photo

VIENNA — Chairman of the National Assembly Vương Đình Huệ on Tuesday made a contribution to several panel discussions on responses to COVID-19 and climate change at the Fifth World Conference of Speakers of Parliament (WCSP5) underway in Vienna, Austria.

During the panel discussion “The post-pandemic recovery: Transforming the economy to combat climate change and promote sustainable development,” Huệ said the world was facing twin challenges – containing COVID-19 and recovering from the heavy toll it was taking, as well as dealing with the adverse impacts of climate change – which necessitates countries making institutional and governance reforms.

Việt Nam has been prioritising its resources and engaging all people to drastically fight the COVID-19 resurgence so as to fulfil its “twin goals” of keeping the virus at bay and reviving the economy. The country has been striving to provide assistance to businesses, keep the supply chain going and ensure social welfare, he said.

As one of the 10 countries most vulnerable to climate change and sea level rises, he said Việt Nam had taken a comprehensive set of measures to tackle these issues.

He said the country was working to cut consumption of fossil fuels and increase use of renewable energy by 25 per cent by 2030. It launched a project to plant up to one billion additional trees nationwide by 2025 in April, and is also committed to reducing greenhouse gas emission by 9 per cent using domestic resources or by 27 per cent with international assistance.

Legislators must back the government in taking strong actions in these matters while strengthening inspection and improving legal framework to step up COVID-19 response efforts and at the same time realise the COP-21 commitments and transform the economy towards a green and circular economy and sustainable development, the NA Chairman said. 

Lawmakers should also facilitate public-private partnerships and encourage businesses’ innovative ideas, he noted, adding that developed countries needed to play a pioneering role in fulfilling greenhouse gas emission reduction commitments; and provide technical and financial support for developing nations to help them improve technology capacity.

The Vietnamese top legislator later delivered remarks at the Interactive General Debate’s motion “The global response to the COVID-19 pandemic challenges multilateralism’s ability to deliver for the people.”

He underscored the role of multilateral organisations in coordinating actions to protect people’s lives and rights and the importance of international partnership via multilateral cooperation mechanism, citing the World Health Organisation (WHO) as an example.

WHO has led multiple COVID-19 response initiatives, such as the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator and the global vaccine-sharing scheme COVAX Facility.

He called on all nations to work together and contribute their resources to revive multilateralism in order to win the battle against the coronavirus.

He also urged enhancing the effectiveness of multilateral cooperation to keep the virus at bay; facilitating transfer of vaccine production technology and ensuring all nations have equal access to COVID-19 vaccine supply; promoting collaboration in COVID-19 vaccine and medicine manufacturing; and increasing assistance to help developing countries fully and timely realise sustainable development goals.

At the panel discussion “Mitigating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Huệ shared the experience of Việt Nam in adopting a people-centred approach to formulating COVID-19 policies.

The Vietnamese NA has played a key role in the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control and acted fast in approving and implementing measures to aid affected businesses and people, he said.

He stressed that it was crucial for parliaments to further improve legal frameworks for the protection of women and children, the elderly and people with disabilities and the response to economic uncertainty and poverty relapse caused by the pandemic. 

Parliaments should also bolster information and experience exchange and beef up cooperation in the COVID-19 fight to mitigate its impact and maintain peace, stability and economic development in each country towards fulfilling 2030 sustainable development goals. — VNS