Brief Introduction
The
International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP) was launched in
Manila, Philippines in
September 2000 to promote exchanges and cooperation among political parties
with various ideologies
in Asia and Oceania.
The
ICAPP seeks to enhance mutual understanding and deepen trust in the region and
in doing so, promote peace
and prosperity through the unique role and channel of political parties.
At
first, few people thought it would be possible to bring together competing
governing, opposition and independent political parties of Northeast Asia,
Southeast Asia, Central Asia, West Asia, the Middle East, and Oceania. However,
since its inception, the ICAPP has grown steadily in both membership and
influence.
Now
more than 300 political parties in the region with diverse political and
ideological backgrounds are eligible to participate in the ICAPP activities. By bringing together leaders of
political parties in Asia at regular
assemblies, the ICAPP has become a positive force for mutual understanding
among Asian countries and peoples. The ICAPP meetings have been visionary,
cordial, constructive and successful.
The ICAPP has also become institutionalized through
wide-ranging programs and a sophisticated
structure. The General Assembly, which welcomes
all eligible political parties across Asia and Oceania, is held biannually. The
Standing Committee, which is composed of political party representatives from
23 countries, meets semi-annually to address general matters of the ICAPP. Special Conferences are held on timely topics upon
recommendations from the Standing Committee, and small-scale workshops are also held targeting specific
audiences and topics. Themes of previous
Special Conferences and workshops include, among others, prevention of
political corruption, green development, migration and refugees and promotion
of business opportunities. The ICAPP Youth Wing and
Women’s Wing have also been established and their annual meetings focus on issues related to education, employment, human
rights, and equal opportunities.
The
ICAPP has also established channels of dialogue with political parties in Africa, Europe, and the Americas. This
is manifested through the partnership among the ICAPP, the Permanent Conference
of Political Parties in Latin America and the Caribbean (COPPPAL), and the Council of African Political Parties (CAPP). The
CAPP is the product of coordinated efforts by the ICAPP and COPPPAL to help political parties in
Africa establish a forum. The ICAPP and COPPPAL
have been holding joint sessions annually since 2009 and the trilateral
meetings among the ICAPP, COPPPAL and
CAPP have been held since 2016.
The
Asia Europe Political Forum (AEPF), which is regularly co-organized by the
ICAPP and European Conservatives and Reformists Group (ECR), is also a product of
such intercontinental cooperation. The 1st meeting of the AEPF was held in 2017
after discussions between the ICAPP and political groups of the European
Parliament to enhance mutual understanding and cooperation between Asia and
Europe. The 2nd AEPF meeting was held in London, United Kingdom in 2018 and the
3rd AEPF meeting was held in Colombo, Sri Lanka in 2019.
In
recognition of the ICAPP’s role in bringing together various political parties
to promote understanding and friendship among countries not only in Asia, but
also in Africa,
Europe
and
Latin America, a number of governments in the region, including those of
Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Iran, Kazakhstan, the Republic of
Korea, Mongolia, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Vietnam, have signed the
inter-governmental “MOU on Cooperation to Support the Activities of the ICAPP”
since 2013. More governments are expected to join in signing the MOU.
The ICAPP
strives to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals by raising awareness on
key issues and fostering dialogue on the design and implementation of policies that can bring positive
change. In 2018, the UNESCO acknowledged the
ICAPP as an international organization of political parties of independent
states and signed the “Cooperation Agreement between the UNESCO
and the ICAPP.” The ICAPP will continue to play
its role not only in building a cohesive community in Asia, but also in
contributing to the global quest for peace and prosperity.
The 5th General Assembly held in 2009 decided to establish the
ICAPP
Secretariat in Seoul, Republic of Korea. Thanks to the support of
many governments
in the region, the Secretariat has been
able
to
develop and expand the scope of
the ICAPP activities.
The
ICAPP Secretariat can be reached by email at secretariat@theicapp.org. More detailed
information on the ICAPP and its activities can be found on its website at www.theicapp.org.