Former IPU Secretary General honoured with Friendship Order
Tran Thanh Man, a member of the Politburo and permanent Vice Chairman of the National Assembly (NA), chaired a ceremony on July 24 in Hanoi to present the State President’s Friendship Order to Anders Johnsson, former Secretary General of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).
The honour comes as recognition of Johnsson’s substantive and effective contributions to fostering greater ties between the Vietnamese NA and the IPU.
The Vietnamese legislative body appreciates the sincere sentiments and active support and co-operation shown by Johnsson and his family over the years since the initial days of his working tenure at the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees in Hanoi in the 1980s.
Man expressed his hope that Johnson will continue to share valuable information and experience in order to help the nation further promote its role at the globe’s largest inter-parliamentary forum.
He also used the occasion to thank Johnson's spouse, Kyra Nunez-Johnsson, for her significant contributions to the country’s friendship with Mexico and the Latin American region in general.
Expressing his honour and sincere thanks to the Vietnamese Party, State, and NA for the decoration, the IPU’s former Secretary General affirmed that the country and people always hold a special position in his heart, stressing that there is no greater reward for him than receiving this Order.
He showed his elation at contributing to the development and rising position of the Vietnamese NA in the world parliamentary forum and state that he will continue to be a close friend of the country, hoping to return in the future.
