New measures for promoting Mekong region’s potential

Hanoi (VNA) – The freshly-concluded 7th ACMECS Summit, the 8th CLMV Summit and the World Economic Forum on Mekong Region (WEF Mekong) in Hanoi have underlined the need to promote intra-bloc relations while developing ties with developed countries and partners.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc made the statement at an international press conference on October 26 on the outcomes of the three events which took place on October 25-26.

He said the events called for green and inclusive growth, efforts towards a people-oriented society, and timely response to climate change.

Along with the directions, the events also adopted specific solutions and regional projects to promote connectivity between the ACMECS and the CLMV.

Participants discussed measures to mobilise resources for the full utilization of Mekong region’s potential.

They also pointed to opportunities and challenges that the fourth industrial revolution poses to the industrialisation process in the Mekong region, while seeking solutions for closer connections and stronger cooperation between governments and the business community.

They noted that CLMV countries have lagged behind in development due to historical reasons and disadvantaged natural conditions, requiring them to work harder to improve their investment environment, promote the application of digital economy model, and better tap their potential and strengths in tourism, organic agriculture and information technology, according to PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc.

The PM added that member countries also proposed various measures for the implementation of joint projects.

For Vietnam to make full use of outcomes of the events, PM Phuc said it is important to work out feasible projects to strengthen connectivity, improve business and investment environment, and build a growth-driving government of integrity which serves people and businesses and mobilizes best resources for socio-economic growth to catch up with other countries.

According to Vu Quang Minh, head of the delegation of Vietnamese senior officials to the CLMV 8 and ACMECS 7, the management and use, especially the equal exploitation of Mekong River water resources, was a highlight of the events.

Along with the events, the issue was also discussed at other forums, including the Mekong-Japan, Mekong-Republic of Korea and Mekong-US Cooperation within the framework of the Friends of the Lower Mekong group, and the Mekong-Lancang Cooperation.

Minh added that the Mekong River Commission is an international organisation with binding agreements and regulations which member countries have to abide by when using the water resources of the shared Mekong River.

Therefore, the ACMECS 7 and CLMV 8 attached importance to the sustainable development, preservation and effective, reasonable and equal use of the Mekong River water resource, Minh said, noting that those contents have been included in both the CLMV8’s Joint Statement and the ACMECS 7’s Hanoi Declaration.

The official stressed that commitments in the documents serve as the framework and orientation for countries to build their development plans as well as develop cooperation projects.

The documents also called for strengthening the partnership among countries in using natural resources of the Mekong River, and pledged to make efforts for sustainable development which also covers the effective, economical, fair and equal use of water resources as well as other resources.-VNA