(VOVworld) – The 8th summit of the Development Triangle Area of Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam (CLV) opens in Vientiane, Laos on Tuesday. Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung leads the Vietnamese delegation to the summit, aiming to foster Vietnam’s traditional relations with Laos and Cambodia and enhance coordination in defense, security, and socio-economic development.
Prime Ministers of Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam sign the joint Declaration of the 8th summit (photo: Nhat Bac/VGP)
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The 8th CLV summit on November 25-26 reviews the implementation of socio-economic development planning for the CLV Development Triangle Area until 2020 and the Memorandum of Understanding on special preferential policies for the CLV Development Triangle Area. The three countries will also evaluate socio-economic development programs and set cooperative orientation for the future.
An important cooperative mechanism for Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia
With an area of 14,000 km2 and a population of 7 million people, the Triangle Development Area consists of 13 provinces in 3 countries, including the 5 Vietnamese provinces of Kon Tum, Gia Lai, Dak Lak, Dak Nong, and Binh Phuoc.
The initiative to establish the Development Triangle Area was proposed by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen at the first meeting of the three Prime Ministers in 1999.
The Triangle Development Area has contributed to political and social security on the borders of the three countries. Border trade has been expanded and trade regulations and procedures have been simplified. The average GDP of the Triangle Development Area has grown 10% annually and GDP per capita was 1,340 USD last year.
Vietnam respects CLV Triangle Development Area cooperation
Vietnamese provinces in the Triangle Development Area have enhanced relations with southern Laos and northeastern Cambodia. Besides friendly exchanges, they have broadened trade activities in the border area. Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc spoke at the Development Partnership Forum of the Triangle Development Area in Buon Ma Thuot city in April. “It’s important to upgrade infrastructure and develop border economic zones, trade centers, and markets to generate the best possible conditions for transportation. We should focus on human resources development, particularly vocational training for local residents. Provinces have to effectively implement the development plans approved by their Prime Ministers and integrate them with regional plans. Economic development should be on a par with environmental protection and appropriate natural exploitation.”
The three countries have proactively carried out signed agreements while fine tuning their institutions and resource allocations for optimal results. A plan to establish a Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam Inter-governmental Committee to monitor and assist the implementation of agreements is under consideration. Nguyen Manh Tien, Vice Head of the National’s Commission for External Relations, said: “The NA has strengthened oversight of resolutions implementation, including resolutions relating to the Triangle Development Area. Cooperation among the three countries has not produced the expected results. The Vietnamese NA has initiated coordination measures to benefit people in the Triangle Development Area.”
During the 8th CLV summit, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, Cambodian Prime Minister Hunsen, and Lao Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong will assess special preferential policies for the Triangle Development Area and map out future collaboration orientations.