Monday, March 31, 2008
VIENTIANE, Mar 31, 2008 (Xinhua via COMTEX) -- -- Prime ministers of the six countries sharing the Mekong River here on Monday endorsed a comprehensive five-year Plan of Action that aims to spur growth, reduce poverty, promote social development and enhance environmental protection in the subregion.
The prime ministers from the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) -- Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam endorsed the Vientiane Plan of Action for GMS Development for 2008-2012 before wrapping up the Third GMS Summit. The theme of the Third GMS Summit is "Enhancing Competitiveness through Greater Connectivity".
Under the Plan of Action for 2008-2012, the six nations have committed themselves to accelerating the construction and improvement of the remaining sections of GMS transport corridors, including a rail link joining Singapore and the Chinese city of Kunming.
The six nations have committed themselves to devoting more resources to rural communications development; to implementing new biofuel and rural renewable energy development initiatives; to intensifying efforts to protect forests so as to reduce environmental risks; to strengthening the sustainable management of natural and cultural tourism sites.
The six nations also have committed themselves to implementing a new strategic action plan for cooperation in education, health and labor; enhancing the prevention and control of communicable diseases in border areas; and harmonizing trade procedures, and facilitating border crossing formalities.
They agreed that raising economic competitiveness and accelerating socioeconomic development process through the greater use of improved and expanded connectivity will be the key focus of the six countries' cooperation in the coming years.
"The new GMS Plan of Action we have adopted today will help us transform the Mekong subregion into a hub of development in Asia," said Lao Deputy Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith.
Since its inception in 1992, the GMS has developed into one of the fastest growing regions of the world, with an average gross domestic product growth of over 6 percent in recent years.
Over the past 15 years, approximately 10 billion U.S. dollars in investments have been made in 34 regional development projects.
"Fifteen years ago, when many Mekong nations were mired in conflict and poverty, few would have dared to predict that these countries would make such unprecedented progress in alleviating poverty and enhancing economic prosperity," said ADB Vice President C. Lawrence Greenwood, Jr. here on Monday.
Exports from GMS countries, excluding the People's Republic of China, have quadrupled from 37 billion U.S. dollars in 1992 to 179 billion U.S. dollars in 2006, and foreign direct investment in the GMS has more than tripled from 2 billion U.S. dollars in 1992 to 7 billion U.S. dollars in 2005.
Annual tourist arrivals have also risen dramatically, from 10 million in 1995 to over 22 million in 2006, according to statistics from the Asian Development Bank.
"The GMS program is an important part of that success story, and a testament to the role regional cooperation and integration can play in helping drive growth and reduce poverty," he said.
The leaders were joined by Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Haruhiko Kuroda. The ADB has been the lead supporter of the Greater Mekong Subregion Economic Cooperation Program since 1992.
In addition to agreeing on the Plan of Action, the leaders witnessed the signing of agreements to facilitate cross border power trade, and promote development along major regional transport corridors.
They also celebrated the completion of a new subregional telecommunications backbone -- the foundation of a GMS Information Superhighway Network that will help spur growth and development -- and officially opened an overland highway connecting China and Thailand via Laos.
The leaders held a flurry of bilateral meetings on Sunday and also met with youth and business representatives from the six countries before going into Monday's summit.
The Summit is the highest forum in the GMS Program, serving as the venue where the GMS Leaders can review the progress of, and agree on future directions, for the GMS Program.
The First GMS Summit was held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia in November 2002, while the Second GMS Summit was held in Kunming, China in July 2005.
The leaders agreed that the 4th GMS Summit will be held in Myanmar in 2011.
VIENTIANE, Mar 31, 2008 (Xinhua via COMTEX) -- -- Prime ministers of the six countries sharing the Mekong River here on Monday endorsed a comprehensive five-year Plan of Action that aims to spur growth, reduce poverty, promote social development and enhance environmental protection in the subregion.
The prime ministers from the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) -- Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam endorsed the Vientiane Plan of Action for GMS Development for 2008-2012 before wrapping up the Third GMS Summit. The theme of the Third GMS Summit is "Enhancing Competitiveness through Greater Connectivity".
Under the Plan of Action for 2008-2012, the six nations have committed themselves to accelerating the construction and improvement of the remaining sections of GMS transport corridors, including a rail link joining Singapore and the Chinese city of Kunming.
The six nations have committed themselves to devoting more resources to rural communications development; to implementing new biofuel and rural renewable energy development initiatives; to intensifying efforts to protect forests so as to reduce environmental risks; to strengthening the sustainable management of natural and cultural tourism sites.
The six nations also have committed themselves to implementing a new strategic action plan for cooperation in education, health and labor; enhancing the prevention and control of communicable diseases in border areas; and harmonizing trade procedures, and facilitating border crossing formalities.
They agreed that raising economic competitiveness and accelerating socioeconomic development process through the greater use of improved and expanded connectivity will be the key focus of the six countries' cooperation in the coming years.
"The new GMS Plan of Action we have adopted today will help us transform the Mekong subregion into a hub of development in Asia," said Lao Deputy Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith.
Since its inception in 1992, the GMS has developed into one of the fastest growing regions of the world, with an average gross domestic product growth of over 6 percent in recent years.
Over the past 15 years, approximately 10 billion U.S. dollars in investments have been made in 34 regional development projects.
"Fifteen years ago, when many Mekong nations were mired in conflict and poverty, few would have dared to predict that these countries would make such unprecedented progress in alleviating poverty and enhancing economic prosperity," said ADB Vice President C. Lawrence Greenwood, Jr. here on Monday.
Exports from GMS countries, excluding the People's Republic of China, have quadrupled from 37 billion U.S. dollars in 1992 to 179 billion U.S. dollars in 2006, and foreign direct investment in the GMS has more than tripled from 2 billion U.S. dollars in 1992 to 7 billion U.S. dollars in 2005.
Annual tourist arrivals have also risen dramatically, from 10 million in 1995 to over 22 million in 2006, according to statistics from the Asian Development Bank.
"The GMS program is an important part of that success story, and a testament to the role regional cooperation and integration can play in helping drive growth and reduce poverty," he said.
The leaders were joined by Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Haruhiko Kuroda. The ADB has been the lead supporter of the Greater Mekong Subregion Economic Cooperation Program since 1992.
In addition to agreeing on the Plan of Action, the leaders witnessed the signing of agreements to facilitate cross border power trade, and promote development along major regional transport corridors.
They also celebrated the completion of a new subregional telecommunications backbone -- the foundation of a GMS Information Superhighway Network that will help spur growth and development -- and officially opened an overland highway connecting China and Thailand via Laos.
The leaders held a flurry of bilateral meetings on Sunday and also met with youth and business representatives from the six countries before going into Monday's summit.
The Summit is the highest forum in the GMS Program, serving as the venue where the GMS Leaders can review the progress of, and agree on future directions, for the GMS Program.
The First GMS Summit was held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia in November 2002, while the Second GMS Summit was held in Kunming, China in July 2005.
The leaders agreed that the 4th GMS Summit will be held in Myanmar in 2011.
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