This is the first time the Mekong-Japan Foreign Ministers' Meeting for Cooperation and the Foreign Ministers' Meeting for Mekong-South Korea's Cooperation have been interrupted after three years.
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| Under the authorization of Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Do Hung Viet, Head of Vietnam's ASEAN SOM, led the Vietnamese delegation to attend the Conferences. |
On July 26, within the framework of the 07th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting and related conferences in Vientiane, Laos, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Do Hung Viet, on behalf of Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son, led the Leading the Vietnamese delegation to attend the 57th Mekong-Japan Foreign Ministers' Conference on Cooperation and the 15th Mekong-South Korea Foreign Ministers' Conference on Cooperation.
The Mekong-Japan Cooperation Ministerial Conference (MJC) marked 15 years of establishment of the cooperation mechanism between Mekong countries and Japan. At the conference, member countries highly appreciated the successful implementation of the Tokyo Strategy 2018, even during the Covid-19 pandemic.
MJC cooperation has contributed to enhancing connectivity, digital transformation, supply chain, developing high-quality human resources, environment, water resource management and climate change adaptation. The conference approved the Mekong-Japan Cooperation Strategy 2024 with cooperation directions for the next 5 years.
Speaking at the conference, Deputy Minister Do Hung Viet proposed solutions to implement the three pillars of the MJC Cooperation Strategy for the new period.
First, Promote a connected society through developing transportation and logistics networks along the East-West economic corridor and the Southern economic corridor. Special focus on high-quality infrastructure projects connecting seaports, border gates, economic centers, building sustainable supply chains, and supporting micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to participate. join the global supply chain.
Monday, on digitalization, focusing on developing digital infrastructure, quality digital human resources, supporting MSMEs in digital transformation, and applying high technology to industries. Third, effective cooperation in managing transboundary water resources, ensuring food-energy security, reducing natural disasters and responding to climate change.
At the Mekong-South Korea Cooperation (MKC) Ministerial Conference, members recognized that cooperation continues to achieve substantive results through the implementation of the MKC Action Plan 2021-2025. The Mekong-South Korea Cooperation Fund (MKCF) has supported Mekong countries in implementing many projects on capacity building, environmental protection, agriculture and rural development, climate change response...
The MKC Business Forum is held annually and has contributed to building and developing a network connecting businesses from Mekong countries and South Korea.
Mekong countries appreciate South Korea's commitment to gradually increase support for the MKCF Fund, to reach an annual contribution of 10 million USD by 2027.
Deputy Minister Do Hung Viet proposed a number of cooperation priorities in the coming time to promote the potential of MKC cooperation.
First, promoting green growth through mobilizing funding for clean energy conversion projects, reducing carbon emissions, smart agriculture, responding to climate change, and investing in infrastructure development; At the same time, strengthen cooperation between the Mekong River Commission and the Mekong-South Korea Water Center.
Monday, Promote the digital transformation process of the Mekong subregion, strengthen cooperation on e-commerce, develop digital technology, and deploy the Mekong-South Korea Digital Forum. Third, develop human resources for digital and green transformation, projects to retrain and improve skills for the sub-region's workforce.
This is the first time the Mekong-Japan Foreign Ministers' Conference on Cooperation and the Mekong-South Korea Foreign Ministers' Conference on Cooperation after three years have been interrupted.
