PM attends Greater Mekong Sub-region Summit

GMS leaders at the summit opening ceremony

PM Nguyễn Tấn Dũng attended the summit together with leaders from Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, China and the host country.

In his speech delivered at the summit, PM Dũng repeated Việt Nam’s strong support for GMS cooperation.

He stressed the need to boost the mobilization of investment capital for infrastructure development,  consolidate sub-regional cooperation mechanisms, and strengthen coordination of parties involved from central to local levels, between government and private sector for economic corridor development.

The Vietnamese PM also emphasized the necessity to enhance capacity building for policy makers and expand networks between economic regions and corridors to bolster trade and investment.

He underlined the maintenance of sustainable use of the Mekong river’s water for regional development, saying this should be a decisive factor in GMS cooperation in the next decade.

PM Dũng called for more efforts to mobilize funds from international organizations and development partners as well as to ensure a level-playing field and an efficient business environment  and build a complete legal framework  for drawing investment from the private sector.

Addressing the event, Myanmar President Thein Sein, for his part, said GMS economic programs have progressed and recorded positive results despite global economic uncertainties.

He expressed his support for the development of the GMS transport corridor as part of the East-West, North-South and Southern economic corridor to serve as a foundation for improving the competitiveness of member countries and regional connectivity.

According to President Thein Sein, in the next decade, nations should make greater efforts for further cooperation and the 2012-2022 Strategic Framework will guide GMS cooperation activities. 

The Summit sought a new decade of GMS strategic development partnership. Regional leaders expressed satisfaction over achievements recorded during the implementation of GMS Strategic Framework 2002-2012, particularly cooperation in transports, energy, information, trade and investment facilitation, agriculture, tourism and environment.

The Summit approved a 10-year GMS Strategic Framework from 2012 to 2022, which will serve as a basis for the development of sub-regional economic cooperation.

Other important documents approved included the 2^nd phase of the Cooperative Framework from 2012 to 2016 of the Core Environment Program (CEP), Biodiversity Conservation Initiative, new Vision and general strategy for core agriculture support program between 2011 and 2015 and the refocused GMS Tourism Strategy over the next 4 years.

GMS leaders witnessed the signing of 3 Memoranda of Understanding among GMS on joint action to reduce HIV vulnerability related to population movement, cooperation to develop a super information highway in GMS and the establishment of the GMS Freight Transporters Association (FRETA).

To close the summit, GMS leaders released a joint statement, confirming their determination to boost cooperation, overcome challenges and look forward to a Mekong region of integration, prosperity, and harmonious and sustainable development. They agreed that the next GMS summit will be held in Thailand in 2014.

On the sidelines of summit, more than 150 representatives attended a conference on GMS investment and business held on Dec.19^th.

            By Ngọc Vân