A Vietnamese delegation, led by Deputy Minister of Finance Tran Quoc Phuong, attended the 27th Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Ministerial Conference held on November 27-28 in Bangkok, Thailand

The meeting reviewed and hailed cooperation activities under the GMS framework to implement the outcomes of the GMS Summit held in Kunming, China, in November 2024 across multiple  areas including transport, energy, trade and investment promotion, agriculture, the environment, health, and urban development.

During the conference, GMS member countries and development partners also discussed and shared information to accelerate regional development projects, with a focus on financing mechanisms.

Participants highlighted key issues affecting the subregion’s development, such as innovation, digitalization, knowledge sharing, and enhancing the role and engagement of local governments and the private sector in stimulating regional growth.

Alongside representatives from other GMS members (Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand), the GMS Secretariat, development partners, and business communities from the subregion, the Vietnamese delegation actively participated in conference events and sideline meetings.

Deputy Minister Tran Quoc Phuong delivered remarks at the high-level policy dialogue between governments and business communities, as well as the official ministerial session on November 28. He updated attendees on Vietnam’s latest socio-economic policies, particularly regarding science, technology, innovation, and private sector development-topics closely aligned with the conference theme.

Regarding the conference’s main theme, Deputy Minister Tran Quoc Phuong proposed specific policy measures to strengthen the participation of local governments and the private sector in the GMS’s shared development.

For local administrations, he suggested establishing regular consultation mechanisms between central and local administrations; ensuring financial resources for local projects through domestic funding or public-private partnership (PPP) models; and enhancing local officials’ capacity in development planning, project management, and resource mobilization. He also emphasized the need for stronger decentralization and direct cooperation between localities.

On private sector development, Vietnam proposed that the GMS establish or expand technical assistance programs for small and medium-sized enterprises in areas such as digital transformation, technology innovation, market connectivity, and access to finance.

Deputy Minister Tran Quoc Phuong also proposed that GMS strengthen its role in connecting public and private sectors, developing suitable PPP models to encourage greater private sector involvement in transport infrastructure, sustainable energy, trade and tourism promotion, and digital transformation, reducing public financial burdens while creating investment opportunities for private enterprises domestically and across the region.

During the ministerial conference, Deputy Minister Tran Quoc Phuong and leaders of three participating provinces met with Scott Morris, Vice President of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), to discuss future cooperation between Vietnam and ADB, focusing on implementing ADB’s financial support for Vietnam’s development projects.

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Vietnam represented at GMS Environment Ministers' Meeting in Cambodia

VOV.VN - A Vietnamese delegation led by Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Le Cong Thanh recently attended the sixth Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Environment Ministers' Meeting (GMS-EMM-6) held in Phnom Penh in Cambodia.