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(VEN) - "GMS 16: New Areas of Cooperation" was the theme of the 16th Great Mekong Sub-region (GMS) Ministerial Meeting held on August 20 in Hanoi. The meeting was to prepare a GMS long-term strategic framework for 2012-2022.
The meeting hosted 200 ministers and senior officials of GMS countries, development partners and the Asia Development Bank (ADB).
Vietnamese Minister of Planning and Investment Vo Hong Phuc said that considering that GMS economic cooperation has been in place since 1992, the GMS community had overcome many difficulties and achieved encouraging results in the areas of trade, tourism, transport and agriculture. Specifically, regarding economic cooperation, GMS has set up and enforced cooperative institutions, attracted investment capital, which is more than any other regional cooperative initiative had managed. Cooperation in energy has also been successful. It has been possible to export power from Laos to Thailand to make the most of GMS strengths. Cooperation in tourism had also grown in sub-region tourism through the establishment, capitalizing and operating of the Mekong Tourism Coordination Office.
At the meeting, the ministers of six GMS countries - Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam - discussed and adopted strategies, itineraries and action programs for the near future. They also identified areas of cooperation and priorities in GMS countries, which are to strengthen material facilities and drive towards higher economic cooperation between GMS countries in 2012-2020.
In the joint statement presented at the meeting, GMS ministers adopted six new cooperation strategic initiatives. These are (1) an action program on transport and trade facilitation in GMS, (2) a strategic framework to connect GMS countries by railway, (3) a strategy on environment protection and biodiversity, (4) boosting the development of renewable energy, clean fuel and efficient energy in GMS, (5) a program to support major agricultural areas in 2011-2016, and (6) strategies and action plans for the Southern GMS Economic Corridor.
At the meeting, C. Lawrence Greenwood Jr., the ADB vice president, said that after the GMS program enters a new decade, other factors will also contribute to the need to consider emerging opportunities and challenges to identify new areas of cooperation. On this basis, a GMS new cooperation strategy should be adopted contributing to a new vision on regional cooperation and strategic directions to achieve the goals from the GMS program. He said that new problems of growing importance include climate change & environment, food security, and energy efficiency. For this reason, the theme, "New Areas of Cooperation" is well suited to the GMS program for the next decade.
However, Vo Hong Phuc said that to make achievements in the short run the GMS community will face many challenges due to the low level of development in GMS countries, the high poverty rate, and the low development index. GMS economic cooperation is reflected through many programs, while capital sources are insufficient, making it unable for GMS to develop more deeply. The strategy for cooperation in GMS in connection, competition and community (3C) is being developed in the context that the economies in most GMS countries are undeveloped. In addition, the laws in these countries vary, meaning that ensuring a stable political environment and a sustainable economic climate is a significant challenge to countries at this time./.
By Nguyen Hoa
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