On the afternoon of November 7, the 10th Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy Summit (ACMECS) was held with the participation of Heads of Government/Heads of Delegations from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam. The conference had the theme “Towards seamless connectivity for an integrated Mekong sub-region”.
At the invitation of Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone - Chairman of the Conference, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh led a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation to attend the conference.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Heads of Delegations attending the 10th ACMECS Conference.
At the conference, the leaders emphasized the important contributions of ACMECS cooperation to socio-economic development and improving people's lives in the Mekong sub-region. ACMECS also plays an important role in narrowing the development gap and promoting connectivity within ASEAN, and implementing the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
The leaders welcomed important steps in implementing the ACMECS Master Plan for the 2019-2023 period, especially in trade-investment cooperation, tourism, support for small and medium enterprises, and human resource development.
The Leaders also appreciated the positive results in cooperation between ACMECS and development partners, the establishment of the ACMECS Development Fund and the Interim Secretariat, and the construction of the cooperation's logo and official website.
The leaders assessed that the complex and unpredictable changes in the world are putting the Mekong sub-region in general and ACMECS cooperation in particular in front of multi-dimensional challenges of economic instability, supply chain disruption, energy security, water security, climate change, and natural disasters.
10th ACMECS Conference.
To effectively respond to challenges and seize new opportunities, the leaders agreed to persistently promote balanced, inclusive and sustainable development, strengthen cooperation with other Mekong sub-regional cooperation mechanisms, and jointly build an ACMECS Community of “Solidarity, Strength and Sustainability”.
ACMECS will continue to promote cooperation in transport connectivity, digital infrastructure development, and trade facilitation to turn the Mekong sub-region into a regional logistics hub; while focusing on developing high-quality human resources, digital transformation, and green transformation.
Mekong water resources cooperation was highlighted at this conference. The five leaders agreed to strengthen cooperation in sustainable management of transboundary water resources, especially in coordination with the Mekong River Commission; share hydrological data; and build an early warning system for natural disasters.
The conference adopted the Concept Paper on Water Resources Management in the Mekong Subregion with the aim of enhancing strategic coordination among members in responding to short- and long-term challenges.
Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.
Speaking at the conference, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized the central role of ACMECS in Mekong sub-regional cooperation as an indispensable component of the ASEAN Community, a gateway connecting ASEAN with Northeast Asia and Southeast Asia; and a bridge between the Pacific and Indian Oceans.
Over more than 20 years of formation and development, ACMECS cooperation has achieved outstanding achievements, contributing to promoting socio-economic development in each member country and implementing the ASEAN Community Vision.
The Prime Minister affirmed that Vietnam will continue to actively, proactively and creatively participate in the ACMECS development process, striving to build "a strong ACMECS for an ASEAN of solidarity, unity in diversity and equal development".
The Prime Minister said that the world is entering an era of innovation, opening up new opportunities that are crucial for the development of each country as well as the sub-region. This is the time when ACMECS needs to define a new mission: to work together to build a community of Mekong countries that is united, strong and sustainably developed.
Accordingly, ACMECS cooperation in the coming period needs to converge on the spirit of "5 commons": common aspiration, common vision, common determination, common voice and common action.
With such a view, the Prime Minister proposed 6 linkages for ACMECS cooperation to break through in the coming period, including:
Firstly , the mindset of connecting actions, ensuring smoothness from strategy development to actual implementation. Cooperation plans and programs need to be substantial, focused, and key, avoiding spreading, closely following the development needs of member countries, and at the same time being highly feasible, consistent with the ability to mobilize resources. Accordingly, the Prime Minister announced that Vietnam will contribute 10 million USD to the ACMECS Development Fund.
Second , tradition is linked to modernity, ensuring synchronous and harmonious development between traditional economic sectors and new and modern technological sectors. On the one hand, ACMECS needs to support member countries to renew traditional growth drivers, promote investment, consumption and trade. On the other hand, ACMECS needs to promote new growth drivers to help member countries seize new opportunities and participate more deeply in regional and global value chains.
It is necessary to prioritize comprehensive and extensive digital transformation through mobilizing capital for investment in infrastructure and digital services; supporting start-up and innovative businesses; applying digital technology to the manufacturing and processing industry, information and communications, finance, banking, digital customs, and smart border gates.
Third , rapid growth is linked to sustainability with a focus on promoting green transformation, building a circular economy, and a sharing economy. In response to the urgent need to respond to climate change and promote sustainable development in the sub-region, ACMECS' top priority is to attract green finance for the development of green industry, clean agriculture, and low-emission transport and logistics.
In addition, it is necessary to promote cooperation among the five countries in the management and sustainable use of Mekong River water resources. Share ideas on promoting cooperation between ACMECS and development partners to transfer technology and improve capacity in the sustainable use and management of transboundary water resources, especially the ability to share real-time hydrological data.
ACMECS members are requested to promote the spirit of solidarity, political trust, increase information sharing, and consult each other on plans and projects related to Mekong River water resources. Cooperation in disaster management should be enhanced through capacity building projects, building early warning systems among Mekong countries, and developing resilient infrastructure.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh speaks at the 10th ACMECS Conference.
Fourth , as a regionally and internationally connected country, it is necessary to facilitate the circulation of goods, services and people's travel between the five countries; promote the simplification and harmonization of procedures, focus on developing transport infrastructure to connect intra-regionally and inter-regionally, especially railway and highway systems. It is recommended that the five countries promote information sharing and coordination in the process of building economic development plans and policies to increase mutual complementarity and spread benefits; persuade development partners to co-invest with ACMECS to ensure "uninterrupted connectivity for an integrated Mekong sub-region".
Fifth , connecting the Government with the people and businesses. With the view that resources come from thinking, motivation comes from innovation, strength comes from people and businesses, it is recommended that all strategies, action plans and projects of ACMECS need to take people and businesses as the center, subject, goal and driving force, bringing practical and inclusive benefits and leaving no one behind. Assign Ministers, Senior Officials and the ACMECS Interim Secretariat to develop the next phase of the ACMECS Master Plan, focusing on inclusiveness with projects for people, especially in remote areas, supporting businesses to participate in regional and global supply chains.
Sixth , linking development with maintaining stability and ensuring security. The Prime Minister proposed that ACMECS strengthen cooperation in combating cross-border crimes, especially drug crimes and cyber crimes, and not allowing criminals to use one country's territory to fight another.
The comments and proposals of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh were highly appreciated by the conference and reflected in the conference documents. At the end of the conference, the Leaders adopted the Vientiane Declaration and witnessed the transfer of the ACMECS Chairmanship between Laos and Myanmar.
Source: https://vtcnews.vn/thu-tuong-pham-minh-chinh-de-xuat-6-gan-ket-de-hop-tac-acmecs-but-pha-ar906154.html
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