At the invitation of Speaker of the Maroccan House of Representatives Habib El Malki, President of the French National Assembly Richard Ferrand, President of the European Parliament (EP) Antonio Tajani, President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Gabriela Cuevas Barron and Chairman of Consultative Assembly of Qatar Ahmad bin Abdullah Al Mahmoud, National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan led a high-level delegation of the National Assembly of Vietnam in official visits to the Kingdom of Morocco, the French Republic, worked with Europe Parliament and attended the 140th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU-140) and related conferences in Doha, Qatar from March 28 to April 8, 2019.

The high-level delegation of the National Assembly also included members of the Standing Committee of the National Assembly, members of the Party Central Committee and leaders of some ministries, branches, provinces and cities.

Strengthening multifaceted cooperation with Morocco

During the official visit to Morocco, National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan held talks with Speaker of the House of Representatives Habib El Malki; met with Moroccan Prime Minister Saadeddine Othmani; received the President of the Morocco-Vietnam Friendship Association; met the Governor of Marrakech and the staff of the Vietnamese embassy and the Vietnamese community in Morocco.

Contents of the visit had been carefully prepared, and the visit contributed to promoting bilateral ties to a new height. Through meetings and working sessions in Morocco, National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan and Moroccan leaders highly valued the development of bilateral political and diplomatic relations. The two countries have many similarities and over the last time have always supported each other at international forums. Morocco has supported Vietnam in its role as a driver of peace and security in the region and the world. The two sides shared their determination to further promote bilateral cooperation; strengthen cooperation in many fields such as economy, trade, investment, industry, tourism, education and people-to-people exchange in line with political and diplomatic relations.

Vietnam considers Morocco a gateway to access North African and African markets. Vietnam is the gateway for Morocco to access Southeast Asian market. Host and guest agreed to maintain visit exchanges of leaders of the two National Assemblies every two years; organize thematic seminars during the visits to study and share useful experiences between the two legislative bodies.

During the visit, representatives of some ministries, sectors and localities signed cooperation documents and established sisterhood in the coming years.

Developing the substantive Vietnam-France strategic partnership

During the official visit to the Republic of France, the Chairwoman laid a wreath at the Monument of President Ho Chi Minh, planted trees and visited Ho Chi Minh Space in Park Montreau, Montreuil City; had talks with President of the French National Assembly Richard Ferrand; met with French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe; received the National Secretary of the French Communist Party Fabien Roussel; met the Secretary-General of the France-Vietnam Friendship Association Jean-Pierre Archambault; attended the ceremony to award the Independence Medal, first class, to the Vietnamese Overseas Association in France; met with the Vietnamese community in France, the Executive Board of the Union of Vietnamese Associations in Europe (UVAE), the organizers and delegates attending the "Influential Vietnamese Forum"; received leaders of the Aerospace and Defense Corporation (SAFRAN) of France. National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan also met with Mayor of Toulouse Jean-Luc Moudenc; witnessed the handover of A350-900 aircraft to representatives of Vietnam Airlines and A321neo aircraft to Vietjet and attended the opening ceremony of FPT Office in Toulouse.

Both sides noted the strong development of Vietnam-France relations in all fields from politics, diplomacy, economy, culture, education to people-to-people exchange. Besides, cooperation between localities of the two countries as well as between the two legislative bodies have obtained outstanding results. The two sides agreed to further promote bilateral ties and parliamentary cooperation. The French leaders affirmed their support for the early signing and ratification of the Vietnam-EU Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), Vietnam's position on resolving regional and world issues in the principle of peace, dialogue and respect for international law.

During the visit, National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan met with French lawmakers and worked with leaders of the top 5 businesses of France to exchange and talk about policies and orientations on economic and commercial development between the two countries. This was also an opportunity to promote and introduce potential and opportunities for businesses of both sides to expand cooperation and investment. Noticeably, National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan met with nearly 700 Vietnamese overseas living in France at the ceremony to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Vietnamese Overseas Association founded by Uncle Ho's in France; attended and addressed the 11th Conference on Cooperation between Vietnam and France in Toulouse city. As far as partnership between localities is concerned, currently 36 French partners have been working with 50 Vietnamese counterparts in 335 projects in many fields. This form of partnership is very successful. The Conference on Cooperation between Vietnam and France is rotatingly organized every three years, this time in Toulouse, France, and the next one will be in Hanoi, Vietnam. The meetings and dialogues between businesses focused on discussing partnership orientations in different fields including tangible and intangible culture; climate change, health, sustainable economic development.

Promoting relations with the European Parliament

In the EP in Belgium, the National Assembly Chairwoman met with President of the European Parliament Antonio Tajani, President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the Senate of Belgium Jacques Brotchi, President of the Chamber of Representatives of Belgium Siegfried Bracke, the Vietnamese community in Belgium, and Minister-President of Wallonie, Belgium.

At meetings and contacts, National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan had frank, open and substantive discussions on relevant contents of EVFTA and Investment Protection Agreement. Though differences between the two sides remain, leaders of the EP, European Council and the Belgian Parliament all affirmed to do their best so that these two important agreements can be signed and ratified soon after the EP starts its new term, considering these two documents priority in the transition between the two terms of the EP for the great benefits and open opportunities that both agreements bring to Vietnam and the EU and EU member countries. The two sides underlined the willingness to openly and frankly talk about differences to reach common understanding and continue to f promote cooperation between Vietnam and the EU in the coming time.

Promoting the role of Vietnam's National Assembly in the Inter-Parliamentary Union

National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan attended the IPU-140 Assembly in Doha, Qatar which brought together 1,600 delegates, 80 of them are heads of parliaments. from 162 countries. She addressed the IPU-140 plenary session under the theme “Parliaments as platforms to enhance education for peace, security and the rule of law.”

In her speech, National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan highly valued the role of the IPU, its guidelines, resolutions, and recommendations which have been successfully implemented by its members. She stated that the issue of highest concern was strengthening the peaceful environment for development, as having peace is having everything. National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan also urged IPU to continue to innovate to make agenda and resolutions go into life and substantive. It would be fair if all member countries organize the implementation, it would not be effective if the implementation is carried out at national level only. Finally, the National Assembly Chairwoman recommended that the parties should regularly exchange important issues and engage in dialogues to reduce tensions and negative phenomena.

On the sidelines of the IPU-140, the National Assembly Chairwoman met with several leaders: Chairman of the Russian State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin; Qatar Prime Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani; Speaker of the Shura Council of Qatar Ahmad Bin Abdullah Al Mahmoud; Sri Lanka Parliament Speaker Karu Jayasuriya; Speaker of the Kazakh Parliament's Lower House Nurlan Nigmatulin; Chairman of the Parliament of Georgia Irakli Kobakhidze; Speaker of the Parliament of Iran Ali Ardeshir Larijani. She received Vice Chairperson of the China National People's Congress Standing Committee Shen Yueyue, IPU Secretary-General Martin Chungong, President of the IPU Gabriela Cuevas Barron. She also met with Speaker of the Micronesian Congress Wesley W. Simina. She visited and worked with staff of the Vietnamese embassy and Vietnamese community in Qatar.

As a result of nearly 50 practical and substantive activities during the mission of National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, we will have many things to do to boost relations between Vietnam and other countries. During working sessions, all parties affirmed the need to increase cooperation and exchange of delegations in the coming time to achieve specific objectives, and substantive outcomes in the National Assembly’s operation, thereby contributing to promoting development cooperation between Vietnam and other countries.