Vietnam highlights humanitarian values at IPU-151, elected to ASGP Executive Committee
VOV.VN - A delegation of the National Assembly of Vietnam, led by Le Tan Toi, member of the Party Central Committee and chairman of the Committee for National Defence, Security and External Affairs, attended the 151st Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU-151) and related meetings held in Geneva, Switzerland, from October 19 to 23.

During the General Debate, the head of the Vietnamese delegation highlighted the complex challenges facing the world today, stressing that the protection of humanitarian norms means safeguarding human dignity and the most sacred human values. He affirmed that such efforts represent a legal obligation, a voice of conscience, and a shared responsibility of humankind.
He underscored that humanitarianism has long been a tradition of the Vietnamese people and a priority in the country’s development policy and orientation. Throughout its development process, Vietnam has always placed people at the centre of its development strategy, considering the protection of human rights and the improvement of people’s material and spiritual life as the foundation for social stability and progress.
Accordingly, the nation has actively joined global efforts to tackle humanitarian crises, climate change, pandemics, the protection of vulnerable groups, and the promotion of gender equality.
To contribute to international efforts in upholding humanitarian standards and promoting more effective humanitarian action during times of crisis, the Vietnamese delegation made several proposals.
First, parliaments should continue improving national legal frameworks for protecting people in emergencies and crises, including enacting or updating laws on disaster risk management, refugee support, and the protection of women, children, and other vulnerable groups, while ensuring the right to access humanitarian assistance.
Second, countries should allocate resources appropriately for relief, recovery, and reconstruction programmes after disasters, and encourage the participation of social organizations, businesses, and localities.
Third, parliaments should intensify supervision of the implementation of international humanitarian commitments. Finally, they should enhance mutual cooperation, promote dialogue, and share experience to improve the effectiveness of cross-border humanitarian action, while ensuring that all relief efforts are carried out in the true humanitarian spirit.
Representatives of the Vietnamese delegation also took part in discussions at the meetings of the IPU Standing Committee on Peace and International Security and the Standing Committee on Sustainable Development. Vietnam’s contributions were welcomed and appreciated by other members, with the IPU Secretariat incorporating them into the General Assembly’s final document.
In the remaining sessions of IPU-151, the Vietnamese delegation is scheduled to attend plenary meetings, sessions of the Governing Council, the Committee on Sustainable Development, the Committee on United Nations Affairs, and the emergency item debate.
Within the framework of the meeting of the Association of Secretaries General of Parliaments (ASGP) held alongside IPU-151, on October 21, Le Thu Ha, Deputy Head of the Office of the National Assembly of Vietnam, was elected to the ASGP Executive Committee for the 2025–2028 term with the highest number of votes among all candidates.
This marks the first time that the National Assembly of Vietnam has a representative elected to the ASGP leadership body, showing the growing proactiveness and engagement of Vietnam’s legislature in international parliamentary affairs. It also demonstrates the trust and high appreciation of the global parliamentary community for the role, reputation, and practical contributions of the Vietnamese legislature to multilateral parliamentary activities in recent years.
In addition, on the sidelines of the IPU Assembly, the Vietnamese delegation held bilateral meetings to discuss inter-parliamentary cooperation and preparations for upcoming delegation exchanges.