*ACMECS: enhancescooperation, narrows development gap
TheACMECS, also known as the Economic Cooperation Strategy (ECS), was set up inNovember 2003, named after the three main rivers in the Mekong River basin. Vietnamjoined the framework at its first ministerial meeting in November 2004. It nowconsists of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam, aiming to strengthenbilateral economic collaboration, tap comparative advantages of member regionsand countries and narrow development gaps.
TheACMECS now covers eight cooperation fields of trade-investment, agriculture,industry-energy, transportation, tourism, human resources development, healthcare and environment.
Eachcountry coordinates at least one field. Thailand coordinates joint efforts intrade-investment and health care, Vietnam directs workforce development, industry-energyand co-coordinates with Cambodia in environment.
Cambodiacoordinates tourism collaboration while Laos and Myanmar direct transportationand agriculture, respectively.
Thebiennial ACMECS Summit is held alternately in each country. During the ACMECS 2in 2006, countries agreed to hold a mid-term review on the sidelines of ASEANhigh-level meetings.
Vietnamhosted the ACMECS 3 in Hanoi from November 4-7, 2008, which adopted a joint statementon trade, investment, tourism facilitation and prioritised economicconnectivity, especially promoting internal trade and investment to cope withchallenges and established a working group on the environment.
ThePhnom Penh Declaration and ACMECS Plan of Action were adopted during the AMCECS4 in the Cambodian capital city in 2010.
Duringthe ACMECS 5 in Vientiane, Laos in 2012, leaders adopted the VientianeDeclaration and ACMECS Plan of Action for 2013-2015 which specifies plans for cooperationin industry-energy, tourism, trade-investment, agriculture, workforcedevelopment, transport connectivity, health care, social welfare and the environment.
TheACMECS 6 in Myanmar in 2014 passed the Nay Pyi Taw Declaration and Action Planfor the 2016-2018 period with a view to turning ACMECS into a top destinationfor investment and tourism.
TheACMECS 7, held in Hanoi in 2016, was themed “Towards a Dynamic and ProsperousMekong Sub-region”. It adopted the Hanoi Declaration and pledged to boostpriority collaboration in transportation, trade-investment, industry, tourism,agriculture and environment.
*CLMV:Promotes integration in Mekong sub-region and ASEAN
Duringthe ASEAN-Japan Summit in December 2003 in Tokyo, leaders of Cambodia, Laos,Myanmar and Vietnam agreed to hold the first CLMV Summit on the occasion of the10th ASEAN Summit held in Vientiane in November 2004.
TheCLMV cooperation is based on the idea of narrowing development gap between CMVLand other countries in the region, thus facilitating their integration into theregion’s development. It is also a channel to call for support from other ASEANcountries and development partners for CLMV countries as well as a forum forCLMV to coordinate stances, thus protecting their interests during the processof economic connectivity in ASEAN and between ASEAN and its partners.
CLMVcooperation covers trade, investment, agriculture, industry, energy, transport,tourism and human resources development. The countries agreed to establish sixworking groups and Vietnam coordinates three of them, namely trade-investment,information technology and human resources development.
The CLMV 1 in 2004 ratified the VientianeDeclaration on enhancing economic partnership and integration within MekongSub-region, ASEAN and regional cooperation frameworks.
The CLMV 2 in 2005 adopted theAction Plan that mentioned joint work with Thailand to consider the possibilityof combining CLMV with ACMECS coordination to avoid overlapping and improvecooperation efficiency.
The CLMV 3 in 2007 saw thesigning of agreements on combining CLMV and ACMECS action plans.
The CLMV 4 in 2008 set orientationsfor regional collaboration in trade, investment, transport, agriculture,industry, energy, tourism and human resources development. It committedfavourable conditions for partnerships across processing industry, mining,hydropower, infrastructure, services and logistics.
Vietnambuilt the CLMV Scholarship Fund from which tens of scholarships are offered toCambodia, Laos and Myanmar each year, which will continue till 2020.
The CLMV 5 in 2010 adoptedJoint Statement on enhancing cooperation to narrow development gap with otherASEAN members.
The CLMV 6 in 2015 pledged toimprove cooperation efficiency and facilitate trade, investment and tourism andstrengthen connectivity via developing economic corridors and human resources.
The CLMV 7 in 2016 vowed toreinforce trade-investment ties among the four countries, devise new policiesto facilitate trade and signed bilateral and multilateral agreements.
The CLMV 8 in Hanoi in 2017 agreedon work to launch projects in transport, trade and investment facilitation,industry, tourism and human resources development./.