Phnom penh: Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen, President of the Senate of Cambodia, received H.E. Ms. Ar. Siti Rozaimeriyanty Dato Haji Abdul Rahman, Secretary-General of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA), at the Senate Palace this afternoon, on the sidelines of the 16th AIPA Caucus, hosted by Cambodia.
According to Agence Kampuchea Presse, during the meeting, H.E. Ms. Siti Rozaimeriyanty expressed her gratitude for Samdech Techo's continued support and guidance since her appointment as AIPA Secretary-General in 2022. She praised Cambodia's active engagement in AIPA affairs and highlighted the positive impact of Cambodia's digital legal library initiative.
Building on the model of Cambodia's initiative, she shared that AIPA launched "AIPA Lync" in June 2024 - a digital library housing legal documents from ASEAN member states. This platform has already attracted nearly 300,000 users across the region, underscoring its significance and utility.
In response, Samdech Techo Hun Sen welcomed the development of AIPA Lync, calling it a valuable regional resource. He encouraged the continued sharing of experiences and best practices, especially as Cambodia prepares to assume the AIPA Secretary-General position in the near future.
Amid ongoing global uncertainties, Samdech Techo underscored the importance of regional partnerships and cooperation, particularly under frameworks such as the ASEAN Free Trade Agreement, ASEAN-China cooperation, and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). He noted that these mechanisms are crucial in countering unilateral actions and ensuring sustainable growth.
He further emphasized that legislative bodies must work in tandem with executive branches to achieve national visions and serve the best interests of the people. In this spirit, he introduced the Senate Leadership Forum - a platform to enhance dialogue among Senates and strengthen support mechanisms for government policies, with the potential to evolve into a broader ASEAN-level mechanism.