Vietnam’s contributions to IPU General Assembly   (VOV) - Vietnam has made positive, creative and effective contributions to the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) General Assembly's operations. A high-ranking Vietnamese National Assembly (NA) delegation led by NA Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung is due to attend the 130th General Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and visit Switzerland and Italy from March 16-22. The visit is made at the invitation of the IPU President, the President of the lower house of Switzerland’s Federal Assembly, and the President of Italy’s lower house of the Parliament. It is seen as an important landmark, aiming to affirm that Vietnam is a pro-active, responsible and reliable member of the IPU General Assembly, promote its image and status to the world and consolidate its relations with Switzerland and its strategic partnership with Italy. Since becoming an IPU in 1979, Vietnam has proved to be a pro-active and responsible member of this forum. The Vietnamese NA twice held the post as the Chair of the Asian Pacific Geopolitics Group and ASEAN+3 Group within the 2006-2010 IPU General Assembly framework. At the 117th IPU in Switzerland in 2007, the Vietnamese legislative was elected to the IPU Executive Committee- the highest level body of the IPU. In 2009, Vietnam was designated as IPU Vice President. In this role, Vietnam has made positive, creative and effective contributions to the IPU’s activities optimising international support for Vietnam and its legislature. In the framework of the trip, the top legislator will visit Switzerland and Italy to reinforce parliamentary cooperation. For Switzerland, Vietnam has enjoyed a comprehensive cooperation across various fields such as politics-diplomacy, economics, trade, investment and education. Switzerland always prioritises the provision of ODA capital for Vietnam, along with preferential trade treatment.. The two countries have maintained a fine relationship for years by exchanging legislative delegations at all levels. The two Friendship Parliamentarians’ Groups have made enormous contributions, boosting Vietnam-Switzerland parliamentary cooperation. Over the past 40 years, Vietnam-Italy diplomatic and political ties have been  consolidated for stronger growth. The establishment of a strategic partnership in 2013 provided a firm foundation for strengthening bilateral parliamentary relations. Italy also prioritizes Vietnam as an ODA recipient and actively supports the country in the EU. Last year’s two-way trade reached a staggering US$3.5 billion. Both countries have conducted regular exchange visits among high-ranking delegations to deepen mutual understanding and support each other at global parliamentary forums. In the era of integration and development, there is hope that NA Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung and his delegation’s attendance at the 130th-IPU General Assembly and their trips to Switzerland and Italy will be a success, helping elevate Vietnam’s international status for mutual benefit and in the interests of peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and wider world. VOV