National Assembly president Khuon Sudary is leading a high-level delegation to the Summit of Women Speakers of Parliament in France on March 02. NA
At the invitation of Yael Braun-Pivet, president of the French National Assembly (NA), Cambodian NA president Khuon Sudary is leading a high-level delegation to the Summit of Women Speakers of Parliament, scheduled to run from March 2-11, in France.
“The visit aims to foster relations between the legislative branches of Cambodia and France, as well as international relations,” said a Cambodian NA press release.
Moreover, the summit will promote gender equality and multilateral principles to maintain and protect peace, social stability and prosperity in a sustainable and inclusive manner, it added.
On the sidelines of the summit, Sudary is set to pay a courtesy call on Braun-Pivet, and meet with the presidents of the Indonesian, German, Belgian and Tanzanian NAs. She will also attend an exhibition dedicated to the political rights of women all around the world.
“In addition to meeting with several women speakers of parliament, she will hold talks with the Parliamentary Assembly of the Francophonie [APF] to enhance the progress of cooperation between the APF and the Cambodian NA. The delegation will also hold separate meetings with the Cambodia-French Parliamentarians Friendship Group, the French Social Affairs Committee and the secretary-generals of the Cambodian and French NAs,” added the statement.
Seun Sam, a policy researcher at the Royal Academy of Cambodia, said on March 3 that this is Sudary’s second formal visit abroad, following a state visit to Vietnam and Laos.
“This trip will help foster the relationship between France and Cambodia, which was formerly a French protectorate,” he noted.
“In my view, it is important that as president of the NA, Sudary pay her visit. Although this trip focuses on the women speakers of parliament summit, she also has a role to play in strengthening bilateral relations, just as earlier visits by the King and the prime minister did,” he added.
The press release said the summit would be attended by women speakers from 25 parliaments around the world, as part of a push for more proactive parliament diplomacy.
The participants will reiterate their commitment to promoting the rights of women and girls, and combating all forms of violence against women. Parliaments play a leading role in promoting equality between women and men, as they create and approve relevant laws.
The summit will feature two roundtable discussions: first on equal education and combating violence against women and their health, and second on equality between women and men in politics and the assurance of women’s role models.
