As a valuable and long-term partner of the ASEAN Inter-parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) and the AIPA Secretariat, Parliamentary Centre of Asia (PCAsia) Executive Director Mr Dararith KIM YEAT was asked to deliver the opening remarks at the AIPA 2023-2025 Strategic Planning Workshop. The event was attended by parliamentarians from across the region, advisors, and technical staff from the AIPA Secretariat, who were asked to provide input on the first draft of the 2023-2025 AIPA Strategic Plan. It was supported by the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI) and PCAsia, and organised from 24-25 January 2023 in Jakarta, Indonesia. The Workshop was also an occasion for PCAsia and the AIPA Secretariat to sign a renewal of the MOU between the two organisations, as recommended by resolution Res 43GA/2022/Org/10 of the AIPA General Assembly on 23 November 2022.
During the opening remarks, Mr KIM YEAT described how for more than 10 years, PCAsia, previously called the Parliamentary Institute of Cambodia (PIC), has engaged in activities aligned with AIPA objectives and the needs of AIPA Member Parliaments through trainings, research and technical support for staff and MPs. He described the importance of the Workshop in shaping the AIPA workplan, and PCAsia’s plan and activities, as the Centre will align its efforts to the priorities of beneficiary Parliaments. He noted that it was also an opportunity to shift the actions of both organisations into impact for a more sustainable and inclusive ASEAN, aligned with the 4 themes of AIPA’s Strategic plan. The Executive Director emphasised that PCAsia stands ready to align its programme to support the Strategic themes, through the development of training programmes and knowledge exchange tools and mechanisms, with a focus on the specific skills and information needed for parliamentary work.
