Parliamentary delegations attending the 43rd AIPA in Cambodia resumed its First Plenary Session on the afternoon of 21 November 21o22 at Sokha Phnom Penh Hotel and Residence to discuss mainly the continued cooperation between the AIPA member parliaments and observer countries and partner organizations.
The First Plenary Session was chaired by His Excellency Kittisethabindit Cheam Yeap, First Vice President of the National Assembly of Cambodia, with the participation of AIPA delegations, heads of the delegations from fourteen observer parliaments, including guests of the host and partner organizations of AIPA.
On the occasion, the heads of observer delegation and guests of the host highly appreciated the parliamentary cooperation and communication made by each country with ASEAN in the areas of trade, tourism, technical assistance, as well as the nurturing of their diplomatic relations, and mutual understanding among peoples in the region.
They also stressed the importance of the continuation of their good cooperation with AIPA Member Parliaments, enhancing their development partnership and joint cooperation in promoting the post covid-19 socio-economic recovery. The plenary also highlighted the continued enhancement of parliamentary cooperation for peace, unity and community building.
The First Plenary Session were attended by observer delegations from fourteen countries, namely Australia, Belarus, Canada, European Parliament, India, Japan, Republic of Korea, Morocco, Norway, Pakistan, Russian Federation, Timor-Leste and Ukraine, while guests of the host are from three countries and six institutions: Azerbaijan, Nepal, USA, Asian Vision Institute (AVI), Economic Research Institute (ERIA), Global Council for Tolerance and Peace (GCTP), International Association of the Parliamentarians for Peace (IAPP), International Conservation Caucus Foundation (ICCF), Parliamentary Center of Asia (PC Asia).
The ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) is a regional parliamentary organization. It was originally formed on September 2, 1977, as the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Organization (AIPO) by the leaders of the parliamentary delegations of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand attending the Third ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Conference in Manila, Philippines. In 1995, Viet Nam became a member, followed by Lao People's Democratic Republic in 1997, Cambodia in 1999, Brunei Darussalam in 2009, and Myanmar in 2011. At the 27th AIPO General Assembly held in Cebu City, Philippines in 2006, there was a consensus to transform the organization into a more effective and closely integrated institution and to change the organization's name from AIPO to AIPA.