Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has proposed four orientations for the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) cooperation, stressing the need to ensure the balance of economy, human and environment factors in the partnership.

Honesty and sincerity in affiliation among member states are crucial to build a GMS community spirit, said the PM at leaders’ retreat on December 20 as part of the fifth GMS Summit in Bangkok, Thailand.

He also stressed the importance of setting up an open cooperation mechanism to tap all advantages of development partners and mobilise more resources for GMS projects, while encouraging the business circle ad young generations to engage in the sub-regional collaboration.

During the retreat, the leaders discussed ways to boost the rapid and sustainable growth of the GMS, including the effective and sustainable management and use of Mekong River water resources.

They pointed to great challenges facing the sub-region, including development gap among members, international integration level, and matters related to the environment and climate change.

To deal with these challenges, they emphasised the need to implement a Regional Investment Framework (RIF) for the 2014-18 period, integrate GMS cooperation into national development strategy of each member country, and realise strategies and action programmes on GMS economic corridors.

They agreed to promote the development of the sub-region, with the focus on assisting small- and-medium sized enterprises, and strengthening collaboration in climate change adaptation, and natural resources protection.

The leaders also talked about the possibility of cooperation between the GMS and other subregional initiatives, as well as the mobilization of resources for RIF projects.

Concluding the retreat, the leaders approved a joint statement and announced documents on plans to realise the RIF, the establishment of a regional power coordination centre and a GMS railway association, and a report on the 2006-2015 GMS traffic strategy.

Participants agreed that the sixth GMS Summit will be held in Vietnam in 2017.

On the margins of the summit, a series of events were held on December 19, including a GMS business forum, a youth forum, and a meeting of GMS development partners, with the participation of GMS senior officials and representatives of development partners, including the Asian Development Bank.

Before leaving Bangkok , Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung attended the official launching of the Vietjet Thailand Joint Venture. He also had meetings with Chairman of the Thailand-Vietnam Friendship Association Prachuop Chayasan and leaders of some major Thai groups.

VNA/VNN