Morocco Seeks Observer Status at ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly

Morocco looks forward to joining as an observer member the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly, a transnational consultative body gathering over 300 deputies from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

The move was unveiled Monday in Bangkok by Speaker of the House of Representatives Habib El Malki during his participation at the 40th General Assembly of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA).

Taking the floor during the opening ceremony of this event, Malki stressed the importance of Morocco’s participation in this inter-parliamentary meeting, expressing the will of the Kingdom to strengthen its cooperation with this important regional bloc.

Morocco has the status of Mediterranean partner with NATO parliamentary assembly, the status of Partner for Democracy with the parliamentary assembly of the Council of Europe, and is an observer member in several Latin American p0arliamentary assemblies, he said.

On the sidelines of this participation in the Bangkok gathering, the Speaker of the House of Representatives conferred with his AIPA peers on cooperation prospects between the Moroccan Parliament and this regional bloc within the frame of parliamentary diplomacy.

Set up in 1977, the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) seeks a closer cooperation among the region’s parliaments, harmonizing laws, and ensuring peace in the region. It has no legislative powers but plays a major role in the region’s political dialogue on issues of common interest.

AIPA is formed of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Cambodia, Brunei Darussalam and Myanmar.

It also includes observer members from the parliaments of Australia, Belarus, Canada, China, India, Japan, Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, the Russian Federation, Timor Leste and the European Union.