PM urges Mekong countries to reform operational mechanism

From left to right: Myanmar President Win Myint, Vietnamese PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha, Cambodian PM Samdech Techo Hun Sen, Lao PM Thongloun Sisoulith and ASEAN Secretary-General Lim Jock Hoi, Bangkok, Thailand, June 16, 2018. Photo: VGP

Infographics: Brief introduction to ACMECS, CLMV cooperation mechanisms

The summit was also attended by Cambodian PM Samdech Techo Hun Sen, Lao PM Thongloun Sisoulith, Myanmar President Win Myint, Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha, and ASEAN Secretary-General Lim Jock Hoi.

The Vietnamese Government chief said ACMECS cooperation needs to make direct contribution to and become an indispensable part of the process of the ASEAN Community building.

The leaders adopted a five-year master plan, the first of its kinds in ACMECS cooperation history, which focuses on improving infrastructure, harmonizing trade and investment rules, and human resource development.

In his opening remarks, Thailand’s PM Prayut Chan-o-cha asked the member countries to work toward subregional connectivity, saying it would be the key to achieving economic integration and sustainable development as it helps promote free movement of goods, services, investment and people as well as integrate the economies into the global value and supply chains.

During the Summit, the five leaders also discussed on establishment of ACMECS Infrastructure Fund and Trust to help raise funds for their priority projects to fuel development in the region.

ACMECS, established in 2003, stands for Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation, consisting of five member countries in the Mekong sub-region, namely Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Viet Nam and Thailand./.

By Thuy Dung