AIPA 2023 in Jakarta Was a Success, the Lao Parliament Wants to Learn From Indonesia

Deputy Speaker of the Indonesian House of Representatives Lodewijk F. Paulus during a bilateral meeting with Parliament Lao PDR at the DPR RI Building, Jakarta (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Deputy Speaker of the Indonesian Parliament Lodewijk F. Paulus said the Laotian and Indonesian parliaments exchanged views on Indonesia's experience in successfully holding several parliamentary meetings, such as the IPU, P20, and the 44th AIPA.

This was conveyed by Lodewijk after a bilateral meeting with the Lao PDR Parliament at the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI) Building, Jakarta, last Wednesday.

"It looks like the (Lao Lao Parliament) is new, they (hosting the 45th AIPA) of course have limited resources so they ask us how to do it, the principle of the DPR RI is ready to provide assistance if they ask for it, of course it will be given," said Lodewijk quoted by ANTARA, Thursday, August 10.

In addition to discussing preparations for Laos to host the 45th AIPA, the two countries also discussed the recovery of trade, commodities, defense, and security cooperation, to the aviation industry in Indonesia and the investment potential of Indonesia and Lao PDR.

"Obviously there are other things about exchanges, one of which they also convey is how Indonesia wants to invest in Laos because they are planning to build railroad infrastructure," he explained.

Previously, on Wednesday, Puan Maharani, Chairperson of the Indonesian Parliament and President of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) 2023, hoped that the agreements produced at the 44th ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) General Session could be continued at the 45th AIPA General Assembly. which will be held in Laos in 2024.

"The agreements that have been produced at the 44th AIPA Session will be followed up again, discussed again. Matters that have not reached an agreement, of course, must be discussed again," said Puan during a press conference after closing the 44th AIPA General Assembly in Fairmont Hotel, Jakarta, Wednesday.

He also hopes that AIPA will be able to become a bridge that unites the various differences of AIPA member countries. "So that an agreement can be reached which will indeed be agreed together as a joint commitment of ASEAN countries," he said.

Regarding Laos which will host the upcoming AIPA, Puan said that Indonesia has hopes that it will be held before the end of September 2024, because there will be a replacement for the Indonesian parliament right after the 2024 election.

"Because in October 2024 the new government in Indonesia is approaching, we hope that Indonesia can still actively participate in the 45th AIPA in Laos," he said.