The economic ministers of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam (CLMV) metfor the first time in Vietnam’s coastal city of Da Nang on Aug. 28 toseek ways to boost their countries’ economic and trade ties.
They also sought to work more closely in sub-regional, regional andglobal forums, maximize their countries’ potential, narrow thedevelopment gaps among the four and with other countries in the regionand around the world, and push up the implementation of the agreementsreached at previous CMLV summits.
The ministers acknowledged thatthe four countries have attained considerable developments in economicand trade ties in recent years and there are still high potentials formaking these gains bigger by promoting the development of border marketsand cross-border trade.
On trade, they agreed to focus onfacilitating trade exchange, enhancing trade promotion activities, andboosting investment flows among the four countries in line with thejoint declaration of the fourth CLMV Summit in Hanoi on November 6,2008.
The ministers agreed to encourage investment into specialeconomic zones (SEZs) and export processing zones (EPZs) lying alongtheir borders with preferential treatments in infrastructure andadministrative procedures targeting CLMV investors.
Debatinghuman resource development, they underscored the important role ofprogrammes to provide vocational training and enhance the capacity ofpublic administrative officials.
They shared the view that theircountries need to boost their policy coordination at sub-regional,regional and international cooperation forums to attract resources fromdeveloped partners for narrowing the development gaps between the CLMVand other ASEAN member countries.
The ministers proposedreinforcing their cooperation in making and implementing projects withinthe framework of the second IAI Working Plan, cooperating closely intailoring prioritised projects within the sub-regional cooperationframeworks, and stepping up cooperation with regional and internationalorganisations and dialogue countries.
The ministers alsodiscussed the conduct of research and assessments to figure outchallenges and shared potentials as well as measures to boost trade andinvestment among their countries, and the further enhancement ofcooperation in FTA negotiations and other negotiations for benefits ofeach country and the entire group as a whole.
They agreed tocontinue to study the establishment of a CLMV Development Fund assuggested by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, which aims at gainingfinancial assistance from other countries for shortening theirdevelopment gaps.
The ministers decided that their meeting willconvene twice a year along with the ASEAN Economic Ministerial Meetingand that their countries will rotate in playing the coordinating role.
Theyhighly valued the ASEAN Secretariat’s assistance in preparing andorganising their first-ever meeting and expressed hopes to see theattendance of the ASEAN Secretary General or Deputy Secretary General intheir future meetings./.
They also sought to work more closely in sub-regional, regional andglobal forums, maximize their countries’ potential, narrow thedevelopment gaps among the four and with other countries in the regionand around the world, and push up the implementation of the agreementsreached at previous CMLV summits.
The ministers acknowledged thatthe four countries have attained considerable developments in economicand trade ties in recent years and there are still high potentials formaking these gains bigger by promoting the development of border marketsand cross-border trade.
On trade, they agreed to focus onfacilitating trade exchange, enhancing trade promotion activities, andboosting investment flows among the four countries in line with thejoint declaration of the fourth CLMV Summit in Hanoi on November 6,2008.
The ministers agreed to encourage investment into specialeconomic zones (SEZs) and export processing zones (EPZs) lying alongtheir borders with preferential treatments in infrastructure andadministrative procedures targeting CLMV investors.
Debatinghuman resource development, they underscored the important role ofprogrammes to provide vocational training and enhance the capacity ofpublic administrative officials.
They shared the view that theircountries need to boost their policy coordination at sub-regional,regional and international cooperation forums to attract resources fromdeveloped partners for narrowing the development gaps between the CLMVand other ASEAN member countries.
The ministers proposedreinforcing their cooperation in making and implementing projects withinthe framework of the second IAI Working Plan, cooperating closely intailoring prioritised projects within the sub-regional cooperationframeworks, and stepping up cooperation with regional and internationalorganisations and dialogue countries.
The ministers alsodiscussed the conduct of research and assessments to figure outchallenges and shared potentials as well as measures to boost trade andinvestment among their countries, and the further enhancement ofcooperation in FTA negotiations and other negotiations for benefits ofeach country and the entire group as a whole.
They agreed tocontinue to study the establishment of a CLMV Development Fund assuggested by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, which aims at gainingfinancial assistance from other countries for shortening theirdevelopment gaps.
The ministers decided that their meeting willconvene twice a year along with the ASEAN Economic Ministerial Meetingand that their countries will rotate in playing the coordinating role.
Theyhighly valued the ASEAN Secretariat’s assistance in preparing andorganising their first-ever meeting and expressed hopes to see theattendance of the ASEAN Secretary General or Deputy Secretary General intheir future meetings./.
