Senior officials prepare for regional summits in Hanoi

Senior officials from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam met in Hanoi on October 24 for their Senior Official Meetings (SOMs).

The SOMs were held to prepare for the 8th Cambodia-Laos-Myanmar-Vietnam Summit (CLMV 8) and the 7th Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy Summit (ACMECS 7), which will take place in Hanoi on October 26.

Participants to the SOMs reviewed the implementation of six prioritised fields for cooperation within CLMV countries, and eight priotised areas in the ACMECS Action Plan in 2016-2018 approved at the last year summit.

They also discussed ways to boost cooperation and address difficulties in implementing joint projects and how to mobilise resources for prioritised cooperation projects among the countries.

The SOMs agreed on recommendations to expand trade and investment links among the countries, towards facilitating the exchange of goods and services in the region, developing transnational economic corridors, improving productivity and competitiveness of labour force, and in managing and developing common water resources in the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) in a sustainable manner.

The meetings reached agreement on the agenda for both summits and draft documents that will be adopted at the summits.

Senior officials of Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Myanmar spoke highly of Vietnam’s thorough preparation and initiatives for the summits, expressing their belief in the events’ success.

As scheduled, the CLMV 8 will focus on opportunities and challenges for the economic development of the four countries and measures to boost their cooperation in improving competitiveness and promoting regional integration.

Meanwhile, the ACMECS 7 will discuss how to step up cooperation among ACMECS member countries for sustainable development and narrow development gaps in the Mekong sub-region.

Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc will chair both events.

Senior officials highlight regional cooperation mechanisms

Senior officials highlighted the outcomes of the senior officials meetings (SOMs) for the 8th Cambodia-Laos-Myanmar-Vietnam Summit (CLMV 8) and the 7th Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy Summit (ACMECS 7), which will open in Hanoi on October 26.

Assistant to Foreign Minister Vu Quang Minh, head of the Vietnamese SOM delegation to the event, said at the SOM on October 24, participants agreed on the draft CLMV 8 Joint Statement, which underlined the orientations for cooperation development in the next two years.

They also had in-depth discussion on enhancing the efficiency of cooperation mechanisms, especially in the fields of economics, he added.

Vietnam initiated to invite representatives from development organisations relating to the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) development such as the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific ( ESCAP), he noted.

Kyaw Zeya, head of the Myanmar SOM delegation, said the SOMs create a good occasion for senior officials to discuss measures to increase cooperation and promote economic growth in the border shared areas and increase competitiveness.

He emphasised on strengthening collaboration in various fields such as economics, investment, agriculture, industry, energy, tourism, human resources development, health, and environment.

Meanwhile, head of the Lao SOM delegation Songkane Luangmunithome, hailed Vietnam’s thorough preparation for the two summits.

Vietnam will also host the World Economic Forum on Mekong (WEF-Mekong) on October 25, which offers a good chance for countries to increase cooperation.

VNA