The National Assembly (NA) of Viet Nam pledges to be an active and responsible member of the Assembly of the International Parliamentary Union (IPU) and is willing to work with parliaments of countries to implement IPU resolutions and initiatives, thus contributing to building peace and sustainable development for the benefit of the people around the world.

Vietnamese NA Vice Chairman Uong Chu Luu

NA Vice Chairman Uong Chu Luu made the statement at the 139^th Assembly of the IPU on October 16 in Geneva, Switzerland, which brought together representatives from 178 member parliaments of the IPU under the theme “Parliamentary leadership in promoting peace and development in the age of innovation and technological change”.

Mr Luu, who led the Vietnamese delegation at the event, said that the Vietnamese NA is particularly interested in building mechanisms and policies for the development of science and technology.

Viet Nam’s Constitution  stated that the development of science and technology is a top national policy and plays a key role in the country’s socio-economic development, he said.

The NA of Viet Nam has promulgated specialised laws, such as the Law on Science and Technology and the Law on Technology Transfer; and at the same time, regularly supervised the implementation of policies and laws on scientific and technological development, Luu noted.

He stressed that Viet Nam is ready to continue working with other countries, the IPU, the United Nations and other international organisations to implement collaborative programmes and projects in the field of science and technology.

Viet Nam hopes to continue strengthening international cooperation; to receive support and technical assistance from developed countries; and learn from international experience in promoting the role of the legislature and in supervising scientific and technological policies in connection with ensuring peace, security, and sustainable development, he said.

During the event, participants highlighted science’s role in socio-economic development, emphasizing the establishment of closer links among academia, authorities and international organisations, businesspeople, and leaders in other fields, to ensure that policies and decisions are devised following the consideration of persuasive data, discussions, and scientific research.

They affirmed that parliamentarians could contribute significantly to raising awareness of the importance of science, technology, innovation, education, and mathematics in society, ensuring that science always plays a decisive role in social debates and in the decision-making process.

Parliaments should take the lead in debates on emerging issues that could have a major impact on society, such as artificial intelligence, biotechnology and nanotechnology, metadata management, internet governance, and other public spaces, they said.

Delegates affirmed that the link between parliamentarians and scientists will contribute to addressing global challenges related to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, ensuring smooth conditions for the building and maintaining of peace in the world.

On the sidelines of the event, Luu and the Vietnamese delegation had a meeting with IPU Secretary General Gabriela Cuevas Barron and a working session with Thailand’s delegation.

(Source: VNA/ DA NANG Today)