National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyễn Thị Kim Ngân (l) meets with President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Gabriela Cuevas Barron in Doha, Qatar on April 8 . —  VNA/VNS Photo

DOHA — National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyễn Thị Kim Ngân had a meeting with President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Gabriela Cuevas Barron in Doha, Qatar on April 8 on the sidelines of the ongoing 140th Assembly of the IPU

Congratulating the IPU on its 130th founding anniversary, the Vietnamese NA leader affirmed Việt Nam has been a responsible member of the union.

The Vietnamese NA has sent its high-ranking delegations to IPU Assemblies, while engaging in all activities of the event, she noted.

She expressed thanks to all members of the union for electing Nguyễn Văn Giàu, head of the Vietnamese NA Committee for External Relations, as its Vice President.
She told the IPU President that the Self-Assessment Toolkit for Parliaments, which evaluates the performance of parliaments in implementing Sustainable Development Goals, has been launched in Việt Nam, making the country the first to translate it into its national language and popularise it among localities. 
If the toolkit is successfully applied in Sơn La province, the locality chosen to pilot it, the toolkit will be deployed in all other localities. The UN in Việt Nam will support a project to develop sustainable agriculture to promote livelihood for locals in Sơn La.
Members of the Vietnamese NA will make field trips to supervise the realisation of SDGs basing on the toolkit, which is built by the IPU and the UN.
For her part, Gabriela Cuevas Barron lauded the Vietnamese NA’s active engagement in the IPU’s activities, showing her delight at Việt Nam’s efforts to apply the toolkit at the national and local level.
Việt Nam has become a model in implementing international commitments, she stated.
The IPU leader pointed to a number of challenges in implementing international commitments at the local level, stating that understanding the practical demand of locals is always difficult. She congratulated Việt Nam on its achievements in the field with many effective initiatives.
She said she hopes to receive collaboration from the Vietnamese NA in seeking initiatives and recommendations. She also thanked Việt Nam for the country’s support for her as the IPU President.

Meeting with Chinese delegates

NA Chairwoman Ngân and Vice Chairwoman of the China National People’s Congress (NPC) Standing Committee Shen Yueyue pledged to promote bilateral parliamentary ties at their meeting in Doha, Qatar, on Sunday.
She congratulated China on successfully holding the second session of the 13rd NPC in March.
Ngân also voiced her hope that the two countries will work together more closely to realise common perceptions reached by their leaders and promote bilateral relations in all fields from politics and external affairs to economy, trade and investment.
The NA Chairwoman invited Chairman of the NPC Standing Committee Li Zhanshu and Vice Chairwoman Shen Yueyue to visit Việt Nam soon.

NPC Vice Chairwoman Yueyue agreed that Việt Nam and China should promote their bilateral partnership in the current global context.
The NPC Vice Chairwoman suggested the NPC and the Vietnamese NA diversify their ties, while promoting the role of parliamentary co-operation.

Top legislator meets Qatar’s Shura Council speaker

NA Chairwoman Ngân met with Speaker of the Advisory (Shura) Council of the State of Qatar Ahmed bin Abdullah bin Zaid al-Mahmoud the same day. Congratulating Qatar on hosting the assembly, Ngân expressed her belief that the event will enhance the country’s role at the world’s largest multi-lateral parliamentary organisation.
She stressed the relationship between Việt Nam and Qatar is developing well, pointing to direct flights connecting Doha with Hà Nội, Đà Nẵng and HCM City.
The host congratulated Việt Nam on its development and international integration achievements.
Việt Nam an important Southeast Asian partner of Kazakhstan

Việt Nam is an important partner of Kazakhstan in Southeast Asia, said Chairman of the Mazhilis (lower house) of the Parliament of Kazakhstan Nurlan Nigmatulin.
He made the statement at his meeting with NA Chairwoman of Việt Nam Ngân in Doha on April 8.
He said Kazakhstan is interested in boosting parliamentary ties with the National Assembly of Việt Nam, while saying that he plans to visit Việt Nam at the end of this year.
As the two countries lack a direct flight, Ngân suggested boosting aviation co-operation along with the implementation of the Việt Nam-Eurasian Economic Union Free Trade Agreement.
She also suggested holding of a Việt Nam-Kazakhstan economic forum, exhibitions and fairs during the upcoming visit by Chairman Nurlan Nigmatulin.
Chairman Nigmatulin said he will relay the proposal on aviation co-operation to the Kazakh government as the co-operation would create momentum for the two countries’ partnership.
The NA Chairwoman also met with Speaker of the Iranian Parliament Ali Ardeshir Larijani.
She said she hopes that the two sides will continue co-ordinating closely to organise the 10th meeting of the committee within the year, and work out solutions to boost bilateral affiliation.
The Vietnamese NA leader also proposed the two sides work harder together to complete the target of US$2 billion in trade.
Larijani said banking co-operation is key to a successful partnership. However, Việt Nam and Iran have yet to make any negotiations in the field, he noted, stressing the need for the two sides to develop collaboration. — VNS