Source: New Zealand Parliament
Media Release
21 October 2022
Sustainable development in the wake of COVID-19 to be discussed at 30th Annual Meeting of Asia-Pacific Parliament Forum
Parliamentarians from New Zealand will join their counterparts from the Asia-Pacific region to share experiences about pandemic responses and discuss ways to refocus on national development in a world with COVID-19.
The cross-party delegation of Members of Parliament is heading to Bangkok, Thailand on 25 October for the 30th Annual Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Parliament Forum (APPF). New Zealand is a founding member of APPF and member of the APPF Executive Committee, representing the Pacific region.
The delegation will be led by Teanau Tuiono MP, the APPF New Zealand Chairperson, and includes Shanan Halbert MP, and Terisa Ngobi MP.
Speaker of the House of Representatives Rt Hon Adrian Rurawhe said the 30th APPF Annual Meeting “provides an excellent opportunity for New Zealand to raise key issues for the Pacific in an international forum and further understand Asia-Pacific matters”.
The theme of the 30th Annual Meeting of the APPF is ‘Parliaments and the Post-COVID-19 Sustainable Development’. It aims to encourage discussion about the challenges parliaments are facing as a result of COVID-19 and assess its effect on national development and progress towards the sustainable development goals.
The meeting includes working groups focussed on issues concerning women parliamentarians, political, security, economic, and trade matters, and cooperation in the Asia-Pacific Region.
While attending the APPF, members will also engage in several bilateral meetings with other parliaments in attendance to strengthen relations and discuss APPF resolutions.
ENDS
The 30th Annual Meeting of Asia-Pacific Parliament Forum (APPF) will take place from 26 to 30 October 2022 in Bangkok, Thailand. This is the first in-person forum since the COVID-19 pandemic began.
The inaugural meeting of the APPF was held in 1993 in Tokyo. There are now 28 member countries of the Forum, which acts to promote greater regional identification and cooperation. Of particular interest for APPF members are trade and security issues in the region.
More information on the 30th annual meeting of the APPF can be found here.
Inter-Parliamentary Relations are a way for members of New Zealand’s Parliament to keep Parliament relevant, effective, and innovative. Dialogue between members of different parliaments increases mutual understanding between countries, develops best parliamentary practice, and ensures New Zealand is playing an active part in the international parliamentary community. Members’ active participation in inter-parliamentary activities improves their knowledge and insights as legislators, which in turn improves parliamentary scrutiny of Government. The Speaker of the House of Representatives leads the New Zealand Parliament’s international diplomacy. This includes fostering international contact and exchanges between members of Parliament, in delegations or virtually.
More information on New Zealand’s involvement with the APPF can be found here.
Watch a video recap from the members who attended the 28th APPF in 2020
Contact
For further information, please contact
IPR@parliament.govt.nz
