National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue: The world is facing a 'dual challenge'
Speaking live at the thematic discussion session, National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue emphasized that the world is currently facing the "dual challenge" of both fighting the pandemic and finding ways to recover from the devastation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
On the afternoon of September 7 (local time), in Vienna, Austria, the 5th World Conference of Speakers of Parliament (WCSP5) continued to take place according to the agenda.Chairman of the National Assembly Vuong Dinh Huedelivered speeches at a number of discussion sessions. Speaking directly at the thematic discussion session, National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue emphasized that the world is currently facing the "dual challenge" of both fighting the COVID-19 pandemic and finding ways to recover from the devastation caused by the pandemic; at the same time, facing the increasingly serious impacts of climate change that threaten ecosystems and people's lives globally, requiring countries to innovate their institutions and governance methods.
Perfecting the legal framework, supporting and monitoring COVID-19 prevention and control in parallel with implementing COP-21 commitments
During the discussions, National Assembly leaders had frank and open discussions on issues of mutual concern and urgency in a changing world such as responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, post-pandemic socio-economic recovery, traditional and non-traditional security challenges, demonstrating the role and responsibility of parliaments in addressing global issues.
Discussing the topic “Post-pandemic recovery: Transforming the economy to combat climate change and promote sustainable development”, National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue directly stated that the world is currently facing the “dual challenge” of both fighting the COVID-19 pandemic and finding ways to recover from the devastation of the pandemic; at the same time, facing the increasingly serious impacts of climate change that threaten ecosystems and people's lives globally, requiring countries to innovate their institutions and governance methods.
National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue shared that for Vietnam, recovering from the pandemic, transforming the economy to respond to climate change and promoting sustainable development is a huge challenge. Vietnam is prioritizing the mobilization of resources and the joint actions of all people, resolutely implementing many strong measures in preventing and fighting the COVID-19 pandemic to achieve the dual goal of both controlling the pandemic and recovering and developing the economy, supporting businesses, maintaining supply chains and ensuring social security for all people.
According to National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue, as one of the 10 countries most severely affected by climate change and rising sea levels, Vietnam has implemented many comprehensive response measures, reducing fossil energy, increasing the proportion of renewable energy to 25% of total primary supply by 2030, from April 2021 implementing a program to plant one billion trees by 2025, aiming to absorb an additional 2-3% of emissions by 2030; early sent the United Nations the National Voluntary Commitment (NDC) and the Vietnamese National Assembly has included the NDC in the Law, accordingly, by 2030, with domestic resources, committed to reducing 9% of total greenhouse gas emissions and increasing to 27% with international support.
"Congressmen/National Assembly deputies need to support, accompany and urge the Government to take strong actions, strengthen the review and completion of the legal framework, support and monitor the prevention and control of the COVID-19 pandemic in parallel with implementing the COP-21 commitments, transforming the economy towards green recovery, circular economy, sustainable development, encouraging the development of public-private partnerships, promoting the efforts and creativity of businesses, and the support and actions of the people. Along with that, strengthen international cooperation and parliamentary cooperation to share experiences in preventing the COVID-19 pandemic, support vaccine supply, cooperate in vaccine production, improve public health capacity, ensure social security, maintain production, and stabilize regional and global value chains. Richer developed countries need to take the lead in implementing commitments on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, providing technical and financial support, and improving technological capacity for developing countries" - National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue stated clearly.
At this discussion session, National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue emphasized the importance of enhancing the spirit of solidarity, cooperation, responsibility, and preserving a peaceful and stable environment because this is a prerequisite for sustainable development.
In times of difficulty and challenge, solidarity and warm friendship are shared more brightly.
On the same afternoon, National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue sent two speeches to the Conference.
Regarding the content of "Responding to the COVID-19 pandemic and challenges to multilateral cooperation mechanisms in meeting people's needs", National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue emphasized the role of multilateral organizations in connecting actions to protect people's lives and interests "in the face of difficulties and challenges, the solidarity and warm friendship shared shines brighter", international cooperation through multilateral cooperation mechanisms led by the World Health Organization with the Access to COVID-19 Response Tools (ACT) Accelerator and the COVAX Global Vaccine Partnership to overcome the pandemic together. With the spirit of mutual love, Vietnam has cooperated and shared resources with other countries and received valuable and timely assistance from the people, governments of other countries and international organizations in terms of medical equipment, supplies, and sharing of COVID-19 vaccines, giving the Vietnamese people more strength to fight and repel the pandemic.
National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue called on countries, regardless of their development level or political views, to coordinate actions, contribute their resources, support and revive multilateralism to defeat the COVID-19 pandemic; Parliaments and countries need to continue to support, trust and strengthen multilateral cooperation with the central leading role of the United Nations, based on the principles and values of the United Nations, with the participation of international and regional organizations, thereby ensuring sufficient financial resources to achieve comprehensive and sustainable recovery goals after the COVID-19 pandemic.
National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue emphasized the importance of innovation to improve the effectiveness of multilateral cooperation to accelerate the progress of disease prevention and control, promote the transfer of vaccine production technology, ensure that all countries have fair and equal access to rapid, timely vaccine supplies at reasonable prices; share technology, cooperate in the production of vaccines and treatment drugs; further promote regional cooperation frameworks and initiatives, facilitate market access for businesses and increase support for developing countries to fully and timely implement sustainable development goals.
According to the National Assembly Chairman, parliaments need to proactively take initiatives and take drastic actions within their authority to create the best conditions for the government to promptly implement national programs to respond to global threats.
The motto "taking people as the root" is the guiding principle for all policies and actions.
Regarding the topic “Minimizing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic”, National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue shared Vietnam’s experiences, emphasizing that the motto “taking people as the root” is the guiding principle for all policies and actions, “a task deeply engraved in the mind of every National Assembly deputy”. National Assembly deputies must demonstrate a high sense of responsibility, take strong actions, and the entire Vietnamese National Assembly must be a united bloc, focusing on building a strong rule-of-law state for the benefit of the people, minimizing the impact of the pandemic, moving forward to defeat the COVID-19 pandemic, and recovering and developing the country.
In that spirit, the Vietnamese National Assembly has participated from the beginning with a core role in the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, promptly approved and implemented many decisions on resources, national budget and many measures to fight the epidemic, support businesses, the poor... to achieve the dual goal of both focusing on fighting the epidemic and maintaining economic development, but prioritizing the protection of people's lives and health even if it means sacrificing immediate economic benefits; All people are supported to ensure their livelihood, health care, and equitable access to vaccines... At the same time, Vietnam is determined to implement the social democracy process with the support of the people, successfully organizing the National Assembly election for the 2021-2026 term in a democratic, public, transparent, legal, and epidemic-safe manner, with a voter turnout rate of 99.6% and the first National Assembly session in July 2021 was elected and the new senior leadership of the State immediately carried out its duties.
To minimize the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue said that Parliaments need to play an important leading role in putting people at the center of all decisions, uniting the nation, promoting the internal strength and creativity of all people and businesses. Accordingly, it is necessary to improve the effectiveness of the National Assembly's activities in building and perfecting laws, supervising the implementation of policies, paying attention to women and children, the elderly, people with disabilities and responding to economic instability and re-poverty that are spreading during the pandemic. Parliaments need to actively share information, experience and parliamentary cooperation in preventing and fighting the COVID-19 pandemic to minimize the impact of the pandemic, maintain a peaceful, stable environment and socio-economic development in each country, towards completing the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals SDG-2030.
According to the National Assembly Chairman, due to "social distancing" in epidemic prevention, it is necessary to promote information technology, transform the digital economy, expand the digitalization of information exchange and interaction between voters and parliamentarians, and promote people's active participation in State activities.
On the same day, the leaders of the National Assembly attending the 5th World Conference of Speakers of Parliament focused on discussing the topics: "Towards a Global Compact on Gender Equality" and "Combating misinformation and hate speech on and off the Internet requires stronger regulations"./.