GMS countries to focus on economic corridor development in next ten years

GMS countries to focus on economic corridor development in next ten years
The economic corridor approach to subregional development will continue to have a central role on GMS economic cooperation in the next decade, leaders of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) countries agreed at the Fourth GMS Summit held here Tuesday.

As "concentrating efforts and limited resources on identified strategic geographical areas is the most manageable way to attain significant and lasting results," the economic corridor development should be pushed forward, said the Nay Pyi Taw Declaration endorsed by GMS leaders at the summit.

The economic corridor development in the next decade will emphasize the need to broaden and deepen existing transport corridors, according to the GMS Ten-Year Strategic Framework (2012- 2022) endorsed by GMS leaders earlier in the day.

The declaration pointed out that to achieve this goal, the GMS countries should take account of inter-linkages across sectors, ensure that benefits are spread extensively along and around the corridors (such as through the development of border and corridor towns), and accelerate and vigorously implement transport and trade facilitation measures.

They should also promote logistics and investments along the corridors, strengthen the role of small and medium enterprises, pay due attention to social and human resource concerns (including ensuring regulated cross-border movements of people and promoting food and energy security), and appropriately address climate change concerns, the declaration said.

Three economic corridors, namely, the North-South Economic Corridor, the East-West Economic Corridor and the Southern Economic Corridor, are being developed by the GMS on the base of its transport corridors.

Under the theme "Beyond 2012: Towards a New Decade of GMS Strategic Development Partnership," the Fourth Greater Mekong Subregion Summit was held at the Myanmar International Convention Center here.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, Lao Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong, Myanmar's President U Thein Sein, Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and Chinese State Councilor Dai Bingguo as well as ADB President Haruhiko Kuroda attended the meeting.

The Greater Mekong Subregion Economic Cooperation Program was started from 1992 by the six countries sharing the Mekong River -- Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam.

The Asian Development Bank initiated the program and acts as GMS's coordinator, financing bank and technical supporter.

Editor: Xiong Tong

English.news.cn   2011-12-20 20:45:21