ID :
237300
Tue, 04/24/2012 - 07:27
Auther :

Mekong-Japan cooperation promoted

VIENTIANE 24.04.2012 (KPL) - H.E Thongsing Thammavong, Prime Minister of the Lao PDR and his delegation attended on 20-21 April the 4th Mekong-Japan Summit in Tokyo, Japan. The summit was attended by leaders from the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Myanmar and Thailand, and Japan. The summit expressed its satisfaction over the progress of the relationships and cooperation between Mekong region countries and Japan, especially the results of the implementation of Mekong - Japan Action Plan 63 adopted at the first Mekong-Japan Summit held in 2009. The leaders of the Mekong region countries also expressed their deep gratitude to Japan for its commitment to steady implementation of the Action Plan since the First Mekong-Japan Summit in 2009, and reaffirmed that Japan is a long-lasting, reliable, and indispensable partner for the Mekong region. The summit also adopts a new strategy in place of the ‘’Tokyo Declaration,’’ which was adopted at the First Mekong-Japan Summit. This new strategy puts forward a future vision for the region and establishes new pillars of Mekong-Japan cooperation. The new pillars will develop a ‘’New Partnership for the Common Flourishing Future’’ between the Mekong region countries and Japan and will contribute to the establishment of ASEAN Community. Through this strategy, the summit will instruct relevant ministers to establish new Action Plan in place of the ‘’Mekong Japan Action Plan 63’’ at a ministerial level meeting, which will adopt concrete actions and meawsures of Mekong-Japan cooperation. The summit also exchanged views on regional and global issues of common concern. On the occasion, Japanese government announced to commit 600 billion Yen in official development assistance (ODA) to GMS countries in 2013-2015, and support these countries in meeting millennium development goals. The Government of Thailand will also provide 883 million Yen for infrastructure projects in the GMS countries. The summit agreed to support the cooperation between Mekong-Japan, cooperation framework between Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam and the cooperation framework of triangle development between Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. At the summit, the PM Thongsing Thammavong has actively worked to discuss with other leaders on the significance of the cooperation framework between Mekong-Japan, particularly the cooperation on infrastructure and human resource developments. PM Thongsing Thammavong and leaders from GMS countries met with Japanese Emperor Akihito during the tea party held at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo. He also met with new President of JICA and some of Japanese companies who are investing in Laos.

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