Background
A delegation from the National Assembly of Cambodia, led by Lok Chumteav Lok Kheng, Chair of the 8th Commission of the National Assembly and Treasurer of the Cambodian Association of Parliamentarians on Population and Development (CAPPD), participated in regional parliamentary meetings in Japan. The events were the 94th Executive Committee Meeting and the 14th General Assembly of the Asian Forum of Parliamentarians on Population and Development (AFPPD), held on 24 April 2023 at the National Diet of Japan in Tokyo.
AFPPD is a regional parliamentary forum focusing on population and development issues. It operates through three standing committees on women, youth, and older persons. CAPPD serves as the Cambodian parliamentary mechanism engaging with AFPPD in this thematic area.
Scope of Application
The meetings involved member parliaments and national committees on population and development from Asia-Pacific countries that are members of AFPPD. The Cambodian participation related specifically to the work of CAPPD and its cooperation with AFPPD and associated partners.
The discussions covered parliamentary engagement in implementing commitments from the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD25) and efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the Asia-Pacific region.
Key Provisions or Decisions
During the meetings, participants focused on:
- Strengthening the capacity and promoting the activities of national committees on population and development in Asia-Pacific AFPPD member countries.
- Supporting initiatives led by the AFPPD Chair, with backing from the Japan Trust Funds and the United Nations Population Fund Asia-Pacific Regional Office (UNFPA APRO), to advance ICPD25 commitments and SDG implementation.
- Highlighting AFPPD’s three standing committees on women, youth, and older persons as key thematic pillars.
In her capacity as an AFPPD Executive Committee member and as head of the CAPPD secretariat, Lok Chumteav Lok Kheng:
- Outlined the efforts of the CAPPD secretariat to promote AFPPD’s three thematic pillars in Cambodia.
- Requested support for organizing workshops to raise awareness among future Cambodian parliamentarians on population and development issues.
- Requested further support for CAPPD activities related to youth, older persons, and women.
Implications for Investors, Businesses, or Compliance
The meetings indicate ongoing engagement by the Cambodian National Assembly and CAPPD with regional parliamentary mechanisms on population and development. While no specific legal or regulatory measures were announced, the focus on ICPD25 and SDG implementation, and on issues concerning women, youth, and older persons, may inform future parliamentary discussions and policy directions in Cambodia in these social sectors.
Stakeholders working on or monitoring population and development, social policy, and related projects may use this participation as an indicator of Cambodia’s continued involvement in regional parliamentary cooperation and dialogue on these themes.
Official Source
The information is based on an official communication from the National Assembly of Cambodia published on its Facebook page on 24 April 2023.
