The Vietnamese delegation, led by Prime Minister Phan Van Khai, consisted of high-level officials of the Government and representatives of several enterprises, including the General Director of Deposit Insurance of Vietnam, Mr. Bui Khac Son. Members of ACMECS warmly welcomed Vietnam’s first participation in the ACMECS Summit and recognized its indispensable role in realizing ACMECS’ vision and goals. The Summit, held on 2 and 3 November 2005, approved plans of cooperation, passed the Chao Phraya Joint Statement and held dialogues with businessmen of member states (Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam) on the relationship between enterprises and the State. The Summit also warmly welcomed Vietnam’s offer to host the Third ACMECS Summit in late 2007.
About ACMECS
Initiated by Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, the Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy – ACMECS – was officially established in November 2003, initially involving Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos and Thailand. Its main goals are to strengthen multilateral and bilateral economic cooperation, improve their competitive edge, and narrow the development gap among these countries, as well as to increase cooperation in their border areas.
The first ACMECS Summit, held in Bagan, Myanmar, in 2003, issued the Bagan Declaration, underlining five priorities for sub-regional cooperation, including (i) trade and investment facilitation, (ii) industrial and agricultural cooperation, (iii) transport linkages, (iv) tourism cooperation, and (v) human resource development. At the meeting, the Economic Cooperation Strategy Plan of Actions (ECSPA), consisting of 46 joint projects and 246 bilateral cooperation programs among ACMECS members, was adopted