On December 20, 2014, the 5th Greater Mekong Sub-region Summit (GMS 5) took place in Bangkok, Thailand with the participation of many countries’ Prime Ministers including Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand and China; the President of Myanmar and the President of the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

Addressing the summit, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung stressed that the rapid changes of the regional and world economies, plus non-traditional challenges, require a more comprehensive and flexible approach to the sub-regional cooperation.

He affirmed that over the past nearly two decades, the sub-regional cooperation has reaped significant achievements, contributing to the socio-economic development of the member countries as well as their efforts in reducing poverty and raising people’s living standards.

The Vietnamese leader cited Vietnam’s successful implementation of many important infrastructure projects such as the Hanoi - Lao Cai Highway - part of the North-South Economic Corridor, the southern coastal corridor linking Ca Mau with Kien Giang Province and a network of roads and bridges connecting Mekong Delta localities.

During the development process, the sub-region is facing a host of major challenges regarding the environment, food, water resources and energy security, climate change and natural disasters. The straight acknowledgment of the challenges will help find a suitable solution.

Therefore, it is necessary for the sub-region to accelerate projects on the environment and human development while paying more heed to assisting the member countries in accessing a green growth model, restoring cooperation, and sharing experience in managing urban, rural and fresh water.

Along with the Mekong River Commission, the GMS cooperation, the only mechanism with the participation of all countries along the Mekong River, possibly play an important role in helping the member countries improve their capacity and closely coordinate with each other in the sustainable management and use of the river’s water resources.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung also said that the honest cooperation of the member countries is necessary to build the GMS community spirit and sustainable relations. Therefore, GMS needs to enhance pragmatic dialogues among its members in both opportunities and challenges as well as similarities and differences s in order to raise the efficiency of cooperation in the future.

With the high demand of development, human resources and technology, he suggested the GMS countries establish an open cooperation mechanism to take advantage of development partners and mobilise more sources for sub-regional projects.

Underlying the Mekong River as the connection of GMS member countries, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has called on all GMS member countries to raise the sense of responsibility for managing and using the Mekong River water resources in a sustainable manner while preserving the good value of the river.

VNP