The Kingdom’s National Assembly (NA) and Senate will host the 11th Asia-Europe Parliamentary Partnership Meeting (ASEP11) virtually on November 16 with the theme of Strengthening Parliamentary Partnership for Peace and Sustainable Development in the Era of Covid-19 and Beyond.

The NA’s general secretariat stated on November 11 that this is the first time for the NA to play the role of host country for this international meeting and that it would be a historic one as the largest virtual meeting to ever take place with Cambodia as host.

Senate president Say Chhum and NA president Heng Samrin will serve as ASEP11 co-chairs while Prime Minister Hun Sen will give the opening remarks for the meeting.

“Delegations of the Asia-Europe Parliamentary States will have the opportunity to discuss in detail the ASEP11’s declarations and exchange views with each other in three different panels organised under this year’s theme,” the NA’s general secretariat said.

The ASEP meetings are a forum for diplomacy between the participating Asian and European nations’ members of parliament.

The ASEP meetings are focused on inter-parliamentary relations, enhanced parliamentary diplomacy, strengthening dialogue, mutual understanding and bringing matters to the attention of the leaders of the Asia-Europe Summit the issues that the members of parliament in attendance consider to be a priority as outlined in the final resolutions and declarations as the outcome of the ASEP meetings.

The ASEP11 is attached to the 13th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM13) which will also be hosted by Cambodia this month on November 25-26.

The ASEM13 summit will be attended by the heads of state and government officials from 51 countries in Europe and Asia, as well as the president of the European Commission and the secretary-general of ASEAN.