Vietnam supports the concerted efforts to reform global economic governance towards more equal, democratic and effective mechanisms, said Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.

The Vietnamese leader made the commitment in a speech delivered at the 8th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit, which wrapped up in the Belgian capital of Brussels on Oct. 5.

PM Dung urged the international community and ASEM to strengthen cooperation to overcome the aftermath of the global economic crisis and prepare for the post-crisis period.

He also requested ASEM member nations work together in building economic and financial policies and step up cooperation in a bid to enhance the operational efficiency of G20.

ASEM needs to encourage regional organisations to make recommendations to the building of global economic governance mechanisms, while the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund must continue reforms and increase the voting rights of developing nations and transitional economies in making decisions, PM Dung said.

On the theme of sustainable development, PM Dung affirmed that Vietnam will join hands with the international community to promote the model of sustainable development, considering it a requirement throughout the socio-economic development process.

Sustainable development is becoming an urgent need of each nation and a global requirement, he said, adding that it encompasses three components – economic development, social development and environmental protection – in which people are the subject and centre of development.

In this spirit, the PM put forth two initiatives, namely the “ASEM forum on green growth” and the “ASEM forum on social security networks” which were highly valued by the UK , Germany , the Netherlands , Finland and the Republic of Korea .

As ASEAN Chair, PM Dung stressed that ASEAN continued to be the most important factor in ensuring peace, security and cooperation for development in the region and the organisation provided the major momentum to boost regional economic and trade linkages through the mechanisms of ASEAN+1, ASEAN+3 and East Asia Summit.

He said that with an important geographical and strategic position in the region, ASEAN had become an essential partner of large countries and big centres in the world, including ASEM members.

During the course of the two-day summit, ASEM leaders also discussed global challenges, regional issues and measures to enhance the efficiency of ASEM cooperation.

The ASEM 8 Summit adopted the “ASEM Chair’s Declaration on happiness and dignity” and the “ASEM 8 Declaration on strengthening the efficiency of global economic governance”.

The summit approved 16 initiatives designed to boost cooperation in a wide range of fields, including food security, transport, forest management, water source research and development, and education.

The summit also welcomed a Laos proposal to host the 9th ASEM Summit in 2012.

After the closing ceremony, European Council President Herman Van Rompuy and the Prince and Princess of Belgium welcomed Asian-European leaders to the cultural exhibition, “Way to Asia – 2,500 years of Asia-Europe Exchange”.

The Vietnamese delegation to the exhibition was led by Minister-Chairman of the Government Office Nguyen Xuan Phuc.

On the sidelines of ASEM 8, on Oct. 5, leaders had an exchange of views with representatives of the 12 th Asia-Europe Business Forum on the contributions of the business circle to the reform of the global financial management system.

At the event, Prime Minister Dung said Vietnam had integrated deeply and comprehensively into the world economy, including finance and banking, and the Vietnamese government encouraged the active participation of organisations and financial institutions of the two continents and ASEM in further developing its national economy./.