The ministerial meeting of the ASEAN-Mekong Basin Development Cooperation (AMBDC) was held in the central city of Da Nang on August 27, drawing delegates from ASEAN members and China.
The meeting is part of the fourth ASEAN Economic Community Council Meeting, the 42 nd ASEAN Economic Ministers’ Meeting and related meetings.
Ministers at the meeting exchanged ideas on how to seek new funding methods for AMBDC projects.
By July 13, 2010, 47 AMBDC projects had commenced, while 14 others worth 272.5 million USD were still waiting for finance.
The participants heard that the 12 th meeting of the Singapore-Kunming Rail Link (SKRL) special working group will be held in Siem Reap , Cambodia , in October.
According to the ministers, the implementation of SKRL should match the ASEAN master plan for connectivity.
In their opinions, AMBDC member countries should make more efforts to contribute to strengthening regional links and development.
Earlier, consultations between ASEAN Economic Ministers and partners, including Russia , Japan , China , the Republic of Korea , India , Australia , New Zealand and the EU were held between August 24-27.
The ministers acknowledged the development of trade between ASEAN and its partners. Though reduced in value in 2009 it was still higher than in the years before 2008.
China is currently ASEAN’s largest trade partner, while the EU and Japan continue to be the bloc’s largest foreign direct investors.
ASEAN member countries and those who signed the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the bloc, including China , Japan , the Republic of Korea , India , Australia and New Zealand , have made efforts to implement their FTA commitments.
However, the ministers worried about low application of FTAs and suggested measures to disseminate information on FTAs including publishing related documents and facilitating trade through the simplification of administrative procedures in granting certificates of origin.
They also stressed the importance of regular dialogues with businesses so that the economic officials learn about problems arising during the implementation of the FTAs, as well as economic cooperation programmes on providing technical assistance and building capacity for related parties.
ASEAN and FTA partners pledged further cooperation to build a new regional architecture for economic cooperation in which ASEAN will play a key role.
The Cambodia-Laos-Myanmar-Vietnam Economic Ministers Meeting will take place on August 28./.
The meeting is part of the fourth ASEAN Economic Community Council Meeting, the 42 nd ASEAN Economic Ministers’ Meeting and related meetings.
Ministers at the meeting exchanged ideas on how to seek new funding methods for AMBDC projects.
By July 13, 2010, 47 AMBDC projects had commenced, while 14 others worth 272.5 million USD were still waiting for finance.
The participants heard that the 12 th meeting of the Singapore-Kunming Rail Link (SKRL) special working group will be held in Siem Reap , Cambodia , in October.
According to the ministers, the implementation of SKRL should match the ASEAN master plan for connectivity.
In their opinions, AMBDC member countries should make more efforts to contribute to strengthening regional links and development.
Earlier, consultations between ASEAN Economic Ministers and partners, including Russia , Japan , China , the Republic of Korea , India , Australia , New Zealand and the EU were held between August 24-27.
The ministers acknowledged the development of trade between ASEAN and its partners. Though reduced in value in 2009 it was still higher than in the years before 2008.
China is currently ASEAN’s largest trade partner, while the EU and Japan continue to be the bloc’s largest foreign direct investors.
ASEAN member countries and those who signed the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the bloc, including China , Japan , the Republic of Korea , India , Australia and New Zealand , have made efforts to implement their FTA commitments.
However, the ministers worried about low application of FTAs and suggested measures to disseminate information on FTAs including publishing related documents and facilitating trade through the simplification of administrative procedures in granting certificates of origin.
They also stressed the importance of regular dialogues with businesses so that the economic officials learn about problems arising during the implementation of the FTAs, as well as economic cooperation programmes on providing technical assistance and building capacity for related parties.
ASEAN and FTA partners pledged further cooperation to build a new regional architecture for economic cooperation in which ASEAN will play a key role.
The Cambodia-Laos-Myanmar-Vietnam Economic Ministers Meeting will take place on August 28./.
