13th Cambodia – Lao PDR – Myanmar – Viet Nam Economic Ministers’ Meeting held

13th Cambodia-Lao PDR- Myanmar–Viet Nam (CLMV) Economic Ministers’ Meeting chaired by U Aung Naing Oo, Union Minister for Investment and Foreign Economic Relations held via videoconference with an attendance of Economic Ministers from Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Viet Nam, CLMV Senior Economic Officials (CLMV SEOM), Secretary General of ASEAN Secretariat and representatives on 10 September 2021.
At the meeting, Dr Wah Wah Maung, CLMV SEOM Chair, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Investment and Foreign Economic Relations reported to Ministers on the progress of CLMV economic cooperation which was implemented under Myanmar’s Chairmanship. The presentation covers holding of CLMV SEOM meetings, status of completed and ongoing activities under CLMV Action Plans, assistance and capacity building activities provided by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) to CLMV countries, endorsement of Terms of Reference for formulating the implementation plan for CLMV Development Framework.
The ministers provided the guidance on the report of CLMV SEOM Chair on implementation of CLMV Action plan (2021-2022), consideration of adding agro-based activities which have a comparative advantage in the CLMV countries in the Covid-19 Recovery Plan, enhancement of e-commerce cooperation, narrowing the development gap and close cooperation with the other ASEAN Member States and Development and Dialogue Partners. The ministers also noted Viet Nam’s Scholarship Program for Cambodia, Lao PDR and Myanmar (CLM) by offering 20 scholarships for each CLM country annually.
In addition, the ministers exchanged views on the progress of the formulation of the implementation plan for the CLMV Development Framework. The ministers expressed their appreciation to Australia for providing assistance on a project relating to the implementation plan. The ministers also tasked CLMV SEOM to work closely with the ASEAN Secretariat and Mekong Institute for the timely finalization of the implementation Plan for the CLMV Development Framework which aims for CLMV countries to become a sustainable upper-middle-income economy by 2030.
The ministers noted the implementation status of “Promotion of Competitiveness within the Framework of the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (COMPETE)” by GIZ. Under the COMPETE project, GIZ provides assistance to CLMV countries for realizing the commitments on competition and trade in services sectors. The ministers also exchanged views on experiences of prevention, treatment and control measures of COVID–19 pandemic and efforts on economic recovery, promoting digital trade, development of financial service and recovery of the tourism sector. The ministers adopted the Joint Media Statement of the 13th CLMV Economic Ministers’ meeting.
At the meeting, the Union Minister expressed the appreciation to Cambodia, Lao PRD and Viet Nam for their support under Myanmar Chairmanship in 2021, and handed over the chairmanship to Vietnam to lead CLMV economic cooperation in 2022.­—MNA