The delegation included Minster and Government Office Chairman Nguyen Van Nen, Minister of Planning and Investment Bui Quang Vinh and the Deputy Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Transport. Viet Nam’s participation in the event is to illustrate the country’s respect for the GMS mechanism which promotes sub-regional and regional links; and make full use of international support for the joint efforts in the sustainable management and exploitation of the Mekong River water.This is also a good chance for Viet Nam to cement and deepen the Strategic partnership with Thailand. In the GMS framework, Viet Nam serves as an important chain of GMS transport corridors and a gateway for economic corridors. The country also plays a vital role in implementing the GMS’s “Competitiveness, Connectivity and Community Strategy” (3Cs).
It has been conducting main projects in the GMS framework such as an electrical network project worth over US$ 200 million linking Laos’ southern Ban Hatxan province and Viet Nam’s Central Highlands Pleiku province and a nearly US$ 64 billion project on the management and mitigation of flood and drought risks in the sub-region.
By June 2014, the GMS carried out 75 investment projects with a total investment of US$ 16 billion on the development of transport systems, hydropower, tourism infrastructure, contributing to socio-economic development and poverty reduction in the sub-region.
Established in 1992 under the initiative of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the GMS cooperation programme consists of Viet Nam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar and China’s Yunnan and Guangxi provinces.
Vietnam’s attendance at the event is to signify its support for the GMS mechanism and affirm the role and position played by the country in strengthening sub-regional and regional links as well as the relations between Vietnam and other GMS nations. At the mean time promoting ties with regional countries on the sustainable use of the Mekong River water and consolidate linkages with Thailand.
Vietnam will use the occasion to call for support from the international community for combined efforts in the sustainable management and use of the Mekong River water and to foster the strategic partnership with Thailand.
