PM wraps up 2nd Mekong-Lancang Cooperation Leaders’ Meeting

PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc at the 2nd Mekong-Lancang Cooperation Leaders’ Meeting, Phnom Penh, January 10, 2018 - Photo: VGP/Quang Hieu

Under the theme “Our river of peace and sustainable development,” the meeting reviewed the cooperation since the first Mekong-Lancang Cooperation Leaders’ Meeting which took place in March 2016 and discussed future orientations for cooperation of the member countriesz

The meeting assessed that after two years, the Mekong-Lancang cooperation have made significant progress in building mechanisms of operation and implementation of specific projects. Noticeably, 130 projects have been implemented. 

Regarding future cooperation, leaders reiterated the goal of building  Mekong-Lancang region in a peaceful, stable, and prosperous manner with sustainable growth. They acknowledged the necessity for Mekong-Lancang cooperation to make more positive contributions to regional socio-economic development process; narrowing the  development gap among member states and supporting the ASEAN community building. 

The leaders passed the Phnom Penh Declaration and the five-year action plan of the Mekong-Lancang cooperation in the 2018-2022 period with key orientations and specifically cooperative measures in three pillars namely security-politics, economics and sustainable growth, society, culture, and people-to-people exchanges. The leaders also welcomed the list of 214 projects proposed by the Mekong-Lancang member states. 

Regarding water resources, they agreed to give water resources a top priority; tighten management and usage of water resources via policy dialogue; share hydrological information and data; technical cooperation, joint researches, and pilot projects, and early establishment of hotlines. 

Addressing the event, PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc called for formation of regulations to manage operation of reservoirs along the Mekong river.

The Vietnamese highlighted Viet Nam’s stance and contributions toward the MLC mechanism over the past time, the Vietnamese Government chief emphasized the major principles and goals that must be ensured so that the mechanism could make positive contributions to socio-economic development in each country and promote peace, stability and prosperity of the whole region.

He asked the relevant countries to enhance cooperation in protecting, managing and using the Mekong water resources in an effective and sustainable manner while developing infrastructure systems to facilitate the movement of goods and services in the region./.

By Kim Anh