Washington D.C (VNA) – ChiefOperating Officer of the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC)David Marchick has stressed that DFC wants to play an active role in thedevelopment of Southeast Asia, with a big priority to the Greater MekongSub-region (GMS).
He made the statement during an online discussion with Ambassadors of ASEAN memberstates in Washington D.C. including Vietnamese Ambassador to the US Ha Kim Ngoc,together with Indo-Pacific Coordinator of the US National Security Council KurtCampbell and Director of the ASEAN-US Business Council Alex Feldman.
DFC will pay attention to climate change, sustainable development, investmentin green energy projects and support for Southeast Asia in handling COVID-19pandemic via strengthening medical system and distributing vaccines, he said.
He added that DFC will also assist small and medium-sized enterprises in thefields of agriculture and education while working with partners such as Japan,the Republic of Korea, Australia and Taiwan (China) to improve the efficiencyof projects.
According tohim, potential of cooperation between DFC and Vietnam remains huge.
Campbell, for his part, highlighted the importance of ASEAN in the US’s policesand the need to enhance linkage between ASEAN ambassadors and the US Government’sorgans. He expressed his hope for an early meeting between US Secretary ofState Antony Blinken and his ASEAN counterparts to talk bilateral cooperationareas in the near future.
VietnameseAmbassador Ngoc hailed the US’s efforts to promote energy development andfacilitate trade and medical assistance for Southeast Asia.
On the occasion, he suggested the US Government continue helping countries inSoutheast Asia and the GMS develop a sustainable supply chain, improve digitaltrade capacity and attract investment in high-quality infrastructure such asLong Thanh international airport in Vietnam, renewable energy and liquefiednatural gas.
He wished that the US would assist ASEAN member states in accessing COVID-19vaccines, stepping up investment in the form of public-private partnership, andapproving US-ASEAN cooperation frameworks./.