APF meeting goes into cooperation against climate change, diseases

Participants mulled over responsible and sustainable international collaboration in climate change, which they considered one of the biggest challenges facing humanity in the 21st century, especially in developing countries.

Nguyen Thuy Anh, Chairwoman of NA Committee for Social Affairs, recommended parliaments of Francophone countries soon incorporate international commitments on climate change into domestic law and practice; and strengthen the monitoring of and allocate budget for climate change response.

The countries need to fulfill their national obligations in joining the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Paris Climate Accords, and other international conventions, she noted.

Concerning the role of parliaments in health crisis control, reconstruction and socio-economic development, representatives of sub-committees proposed that parliaments of Asia-Pacific and Francophone countries strengthen governmental coordination and supervision in the prevention and control of COVID-19, and new diseases in the future; as well as continue to improve their epidemic prevention methods.

The Vietnamese sub-committee highlighted the importance of parliamentary cooperation and support within the Francophone community to push back epidemics, bolster socio-economic growth, complete institutions and laws, and increase the medical system’s sustainability and resilience. It is also necessary to beef up bilateral and multilateral collaboration and experience exchanges between parliaments in disease prevention and control.  

NA Vice Chairman Tran Thanh Man said topics discussed at the conference are pressing ones that are vital for the Asia-Pacific region, especially in the context of countries still being heavily impacted by COVID-19 and the extremely complicated climate change situation.

The conference passed a summary report and a regulation for the operation of the Asia-Pacific region in the APF.