Development Triangle Area expands cooperation

PM Nguyen Tan Dung, Lao PM Thongsinh Thammavong and Cambodian PM Hun Sen on November 25 in Vientiane, Laos, co-chaired the 8th CLV Summit to review the implementation of the Master plan for socio-economic development of the CLV Development Area until 2020 and the memorandum of understanding on special preferential policies for the Area.

Improving cooperative efficiency

CLV leaders highly valued the cooperative outcomes especially in the areas of basic infrastructure development; trade, investment and tourism promotion and encouragement of the youth for the development of the Triangle Area; security, safety, as well as regional stability.

The Summit approved the initiative raised by the Vietnamese PM in upgrading and expanding the cooperative framework and assigning the CLV Joint Coordination Committee to build a project on economic connectivity among the three countries and submit it at the next CLV Summit.

Other specific measures were reached to improve cooperative efficiency including the listing of prioritized projects in the Development Triangle Area; specific preferential policies for the Area; building of tourism development plan for the Area;perfection of the rubber development plan; security and diplomatic cooperation, particularly in the prevention of human and drug trafficking, anti-transnational crime, response to infectious diseases and natural disaster, unexploded ordnance clearance, environmental protection and management of natural resources.  

Four cooperative directions

Addressing the event, PM Dung hailed the effort of the Joint Coordination Committee in deploying the Master plan for socio-economic development of the CLV Development Area until 2020 and the close coordination of the three countries in spurring cooperation in the Development Triangle Area.

Mr. Dung also took the occasion to propose four cooperative directions including:

Firstly, continuing to forge an open legal corridor via tax policies and investment procedures for enterprises especially in the areas of transport, mining, rubber and coffee planting and processing, electricity, telecommunication and tourism;

Secondly, fulfilling the targets set in the Master plan by 2020; striving for a GDP growth rate of 10% per year and a GDP per capita of US$ 1,500-1,600 by 2015;  

Thirdly, paying attention to sustainable development issues including environmental protection, education and training, human resources development, social welfare in the Area;seeking and building long-term solutions to sustainable management and exploitation of natural resources;  working together to develop projects on meteorological and ydrographic fields, climate change, geology, water and land management, and human resources development; strengthening information sharing; handling security at border areas;

Fourthly, making use of resources from development partners such as Japan and the Republic of Korea, international organizations including the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank.

On the occasion, the three PMs inked a Joint Declaration on Development Triangle Area and agreed to host the next Summit in Cambodia in 2016./.

By Kim Loan