Phnom penh: Samdech Maha Rathsapheathika Thipadei Khuon Sudary, President of the National Assembly of the Kingdom of Cambodia, received here on May 26 a courtesy call from delegates attending the AIPA-Cambodia National Parliamentary Conference on Climate Governance. The delegation included Honourable Eddy Soeparno, Deputy Speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly of the Republic of Indonesia; Honourable Anna Victoria Veloso-Tuazon, Vice Chairperson of the Special Committee on ASEAN Affairs, Sustainable Development Goals, and Economic Affairs of the House of Representatives of the Philippines; representatives from AIPA Member Parliaments, the AIPA Secretariat, development partners, and climate experts.
According to Agence Kampuchea Presse, welcoming the distinguished delegates, Samdech expressed pleasure in hosting the conference and emphasised the importance of strengthening friendship, solidarity, and parliamentary cooperation within the ASEAN family. She noted that beyond substantive discussions, gatherings like this also strengthen personal friendships, which are vital in building a stronger ASEAN Community.
Samdech highlighted the timeliness of the conference, offering parliamentarians, policymakers, and experts a valuable platform to exchange views and explore practical approaches to strengthening climate governance across the region. Recognising Southeast Asia's vulnerability to climate change, she stressed the need for collective action to tackle challenges impacting people across the region.
She further underscored the critical role of parliaments in addressing climate challenges through legislation, budget approval, oversight, and people-centred policymaking, especially to protect vulnerable communities. Samdech reaffirmed Cambodia's commitment to collaborate with regional and international partners for responsible and inclusive climate action.
During the courtesy call, Honourable Eddy Soeparno conveyed greetings from Indonesia's leadership and praised Cambodia's progress and development. He called on ASEAN member states to enhance cooperation and collective action against environmental challenges affecting the region.
Samdech Khuon Sudary appreciated the Indonesian delegation's reflections and reiterated the importance of shared responsibility in tackling climate-related issues. She highlighted the need for collaboration among governments, parliamentarians, the private sector, development partners, civil society, and local communities to effectively respond to climate change.
Samdech stressed the significance of strengthening resilience against climate-related risks and noted that the conference offered a platform for ASEAN parliamentarians to exchange experiences and seek practical solutions to common challenges. She emphasized the goal of progressing toward a sustainable and resilient future.
The courtesy call concluded warmly, with Samdech extending best regards to the leaders of the participating delegations.