Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung reiterated Vietnam ’s strong support for Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) cooperation while attending the 4 th GMS Summit in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar , on December 19-20.

The Vietnamese Government leader emphasised the need to attract investment for infrastructure development, consolidate and complete subregional cooperative institutions, as well as boost coordination between concerned parties and between the government and private sector in developing economic corridors.

To successfully develop economic corridors, it is necessary to strengthen the capacity of policymakers and coordination between central and local agencies, and develop networks linking economic zones and corridors in order to boost trade and investment, he said.

PM Dung called for sustainable use of water sources of the Mekong River for the common development of the region, especially at a time when natural disasters have caused great losses to the subregional countries.

He said that the management and sustainable use of the river’s water resources should be a key issue in the sub-region’s cooperative development strategy for the next decade.

To ensure capital sources for subregional cooperative activities, the governments of GMS countries should have effective measures to attract capital from international organisations and development partners as well as ensuring a fair playing field and an effective business environment, along with a legal framework for private investment utilisation, he said.

At the summit, GMS leaders stressed that the sustainable use and management of Mekong water sources will have a direct impact on the common development of the region.


The summit approved the 2012-2022 GMS Strategic Framework as a foundation and orientation for subregional economic development cooperation.

It also adopted a 2012-2016 cooperative framework of the Core Environment Programme (CEP) – a biodiversity preservation corridor initiative, a new vision and general strategy for the Core Agricultural Support Programme in the 2011-2015 period, and the GMS Tourism Strategy and Roadmap in the 2011-2015 period.

The leaders witnessed the signing of three memoranda of understanding between GMS countries, on coordination of action in minimising HIV impacts on residents, cooperation in developing an information superhighway system, and the establishment of the GMS Forwarders and Transport Association (FRETA).

At the end of the summit, the leaders issued a joint statement affirming the parties’ determination to jointly boost GMS cooperation and overcome challenges and difficulties towards a Mekong subregion of integration, prosperity and harmonious and sustainable development.

They agreed to organise the 5 th GMS Summit in Thailand in 2014.

On the sidelines of the 4 th GMS Summit, the GMS Business and Investment Conference was held on December 19, with the participation of 150 subregional businesses./.