NA to host 11th Plenary Session of IPTP in Phnom Penh

The 10th plenary session of International Parliament for Tolerance and Peace (IPTP) in Morocco in July 2022. CPP

The National Assembly is set to host the 11th Plenary Session of the International Parliament for Tolerance and Peace (IPTP) in Phnom Penh from November 23 to 26.

Under the main theme “A Quest for Peace, Reconciliation, and Tolerance,” the gathering will focus on two sub-themes: “Advancing the Global Architecture of Peace, Peacebuilding, Reconciliation, and Tolerance: Synergy of Governments, Parliaments, and Civil Society,” and “Solidifying Multilateralism, Cooperation, and Partnership for Coexistence and Inclusive Connectivity.”

The four-day event will be officially opened with a royal message from King Norodom Sihamoni, followed by speeches from the heads of the country’s legislative and executive bodies.

Notable attendees will include Prime Minister Hun Manet, National Assembly President Khuon Sudary, high-ranking government officials, and leaders from various ministries and institutions.

This significant gathering will see participation from approximately 100 countries, with the closing ceremony presided over by Senate President Hun Sen, who also serves as the President of the Supreme Privy Council of the King.

The International Parliament Assembly for Tolerance and Peace includes representatives from approximately 100 countries spanning Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America, and North America, with Cambodia having joined as a member in 2021.

Suos Yara, Chairman of the NA’s Commission on Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation, and Information, and Deputy Chairman of the organizing committee for the IPTP, highlighted that the assembly represents a legislative body of the Global Council for Tolerance and Peace (GCTP).

He emphasised that the council’s mission is to enhance the values of tolerance and peace through international cooperation and diplomatic engagement.

According to Yara, Cambodia’s hosting of the assembly will showcase the nation’s commitment to fostering a culture of peace both regionally and globally through parliamentary diplomacy, civil society, and community engagement.

He added that Cambodia’s peace diplomacy, spearheaded by former Prime Minister Hun Sen, has adopted a win-win policy, unifying the nation after ending decades of conflicts, building a peaceful ASEAN community, and achieving significant successes in the Khmer Rouge Tribunal to ensure justice for victims.

In June, the National Assembly Secretariat announced that one of the assembly’s main objectives is to release a statement adopting the “Peace Constitution” to promote peace, tolerance, and sustainable development by encouraging dialogue and multilateral cooperation. The “Peace Constitution” is envisioned as an international legal framework grounded in the principles of the United Nations Charter, aiming to establish a vision of peace through various mechanisms such as conflict prevention, peace building, post-conflict reconstruction, and providing humanitarian security and justice.

The “Peace Constitution” will support Mr Hun Sen’s Mekong Asia Pacific Initiative (MAPI), proposed at the World Summit in Seoul in February 2022, aimed at enhancing cooperation and sustainable development in the Mekong region across economic, trade, and cultural spheres.