Vietnamese President Addresses National Assembly in Opening Speech

H.E Vuong Dinh Hue – The President of The National Assembly of Vietnam at The opening session of the 9th Global conference of young Parliamentarians

– Excellencies the Leaders of the Party and State of Vietnam;

– Mr. Duarte Pacheco – the President of the IPU;

– Mr. Martin Chungong – the Secretary General of the IPU;

– Mr. Dan Carden, the President of the IPU Young Parliamentarians Forum;

– Distinguished guests;

– Ladies and Gentlemen.

I am honored to represent the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and extend a warm welcome to Mr. President and Mr. Secretary General of the IPU; the President of the IPU Young Parliamentarians Forum; the delegations of the Member Parliaments and the Observers; and the invited guests to the 9th Global Conference of Young Parliamentarians in Hanoi City – the city for peace, the thousand-year cultural capital of Vietnam.

Vietnam proposed the initiative and is proud to be selected by the Inter-parliamentary Union (IPU) as the host country for the 9th Global Conference of Young Parliamentarians. Following the success of the 132-IPU Assembly in 2015, 26th APPF in 2018, and 41st AIPA Assembly in 2020, the hosting of this Conference by the National Assembly of Vietnam will continue to affirm Vietnam’s active, proactive, and responsible participation in the IPU, as well as demonstrate Vietnam’s special attention and priority to the youth and global common issues of the youth.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Over the past 37 years of DOIMOI (reform) since 1986, Vietnam has achieved important, comprehensive, and historic milestones. Vietnam has made remarkable progress in building the new rural areas model and sustainable poverty reduction, becoming a bright spot in the Millennium Goals and the UN Agenda on Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. Vietnam is committed to reaching net-zero emissions target by 2050. The economy has been growing at a rate of about 6% per year. Vietnam’s GDP scale in 2022 ranks 38th in the world, and its total import and export turnovers in 2022 were around USD 735 billion, among the top 20 countries with the largest foreign trade turnovers in the world. Vietnam has successfully absorbed 37,000 FDI projects from 143 countries and territories, totaling up to USD 450 billion.

Vietnam has set targets for its 100-year development, striving to become a developing country with a modern industry and high middle-income status by 2030 (in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Communist Party of Vietnam). By 2045, on the 100th anniversary of the former Democratic Republic of Vietnam (currently the Socialist Republic of Vietnam), Vietnam aims to become a developed nation with high income.

We are currently facing unexpected challenges as we enter the third decade of the 21st century. The world has experienced the Covid-19 pandemic on an unprecedented scale, causing far-reaching losses. This has presented challenges and difficulties for the global political, economic, and international security environment. The pandemic’s prolonged and complex consequences, coupled with political conflicts, competitions, and uncertainties in various markets, have posed enormous difficulties in the short and long term for many countries. However, we remain optimistic and hopeful for the future. Peace, cooperation, and development continue to be the mainstream and major trends. The world has overcome the Covid-19 pandemic and emerged stronger and more unified. The digital transformation, green transition, and innovation trends are spreading. While globalization may face challenges, new economic cooperation models at regional and global levels are quickly advancing. The collective goals of a world without war and eradication of poverty remain the focus of global cooperation efforts.

Ladies and gentlemen,

The theme of this Conference is “The role of youth in advancing the SDGs through digital transformation and innovation.” The discussion sessions will focus on digital transformation, innovations and start-ups, and enhancing respect for cultural diversity for sustainable development. I encourage all participants to discuss and exchange ideas on the following issues:

Firstly, how can we comply with and ensure international laws and the UN Charter as the fundamental conditions for maintaining and nurturing peace, cooperation, and sustainable development?

Secondly, what is the role of advanced nations, international organizations, the business community, and youth in addressing global issues such as sustainable and safe digital transformation, equitable energy transition, climate change adaptation, and promoting entrepreneurship and innovation?

Thirdly, how can citizens and businesses be at the forefront of decisive policies in the development process? How can we continue to plan and execute laws and actions that prioritize the happiness of citizens?

Fourthly, how can we incorporate cultural and human values into sustainable development? How can we enhance respect for cultural diversity in the context of the 4th Industrial Revolution? How can we strengthen cooperation in reforming economic models, increasing productivity, and creating new drivers for economic growth? How can we support state agencies in working more transparently and effectively in the digitalization process to narrow development gaps and safeguard national sovereignty and people’s privacy in cyberspace?

Fifthly, IPU should establish a network of young parliamentarians globally to promote innovation and facilitate the exchange of experiences.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Our beloved President Ho Chi Minh once referred to the youth as the “Spring of society” and affirmed their role in shaping the future: “The youth will be the master of the country. The prosperity and strength of the country depend mostly on the youth.” The youth, young people, are the key force in the integration and development of every country and the prosperity of the world as a whole. I believe that every parliamentarian from the Member Parliaments will contribute their knowledge, energy, creativity, responsibility, and enthusiasm to make this Conference a success.

With confidence, I declare the 9th Global Conference of Young Parliamentarians open.

I wish all of you good health and happiness.