The eighth Lower Mekong Initiative (LMI) Regional Working Group Meeting and the first meeting of the Friends of the Lower Mekong (FLM) Working Group were convened in Hanoi on December 15.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh at the eighth Lower Mekong Initiative ( LMI ) Ministerial Meeting in Malaysia last August (Source: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – The eighth Lowerꦬ Mekong Initiative (LMI) Regional Working Group Meeting and the first meeting of the Friends of the Lo𝓀wer Mekong (FLM) Working Group were convened in Hanoi on December 15.
The events brought together senior officials from Lower Mekong countries, including Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam, and those from the FLM which is comprised of the US, Australia, Japan and the European Commission, among others.
The eighth LMI Regional Working Group Meeting is meant to actualise the outcomes of the eighth Lower Mekong Initiative ( LMI ) Ministerial Meeting in Malaysia last August.
The participants looked into the LMI Plan of Action for 2016-2020 and approved the list of specific projects and activities proposed by the LMI countries and the US in service of the realisation of the plan in the next five years.
High on the agenda were issues regarding sustainable preservation of shared natural resources through water, energy and food security, gender equality promotion and women empowerment.
The officials also made proposals for better operation of the LMI and coordination with the FLM in implementing LMI projects and settling challenges in balancing water, energy and food security.
They also discussed how to mobilise resources, including financial resources, for LMI cooperation, and to draw the participation of the private sector in the LMI collaboration.
The two-day events are being jointly held by the Vietnam Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the US Department of State.
The Lower Mekong Initiative was created in response to the July 23, 2009 meeting between the US Secretary of State and the Foreign Ministers of Lower Mekong countries in Phuket, Thailand.-VNA
The Lower Mekong Initiative (LMI) Disaster Management Workshop opened in Ho Chi Minh City on Sept. 12 with the aim to develop the capabilities in disaster management for Cambodia , Laos , Thailand and Vietnam.
Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh led the Vietnamese delegation at the Ministerial Meeting of the Lower Mekong Initiative (LMI) and the Friends of the Lower Mekong (FLM) Ministerial Meeting in Brunei on July 1.
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PM Pham Minh Chinh instructed chairpersons of the People’s Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities to strictly follow the Ministry of Finance's guidelines on handling public finances and budgets, with a focus on preventing wastefulness, misconduct, or corruption.
Knapper reaffirmed the US's commitment to supporting a strong, independent, prosperous and resilient Vietnam, while respecting each other’s territorial integrity, sovereignty, independence and political systems.
Vietnam is deeply concerned about the escalating and complex conflict in the Middle East, which poses a serious threat to the lives and safety of civilians, as well as to regional and global peace and stability.
The Vietnamese Embassy advises the Vietnamese community living, studying, and working in Israel to strictly comply with directions from the Home Front Command and local authorities.
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The State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs (SCOVA) has served as a bridge connecting and uniting the community with the homeland, becoming a trusted source of support for Vietnamese expats in times of hardship.
The programme to eliminate temporary and dilapidated houses has achieved notable results, with nearly 263,000 housing units addressed to date, including 225,000 houses inaugurated and 38,000 under construction. Thirty-eight provinces and cities across the nation have already fulfilled their targets.
Stronger efforts and determination are required to achieve and surpass the set targets, especially in the eradication of makeshift and dilapidated houses nationwide, the acceleration of public investment disbursement, and the implementation of nationally important transport projects, PM Pham Minh Chinh noted.
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Long spoke highly of the dynamic, positive, and comprehensive development of Vietnam – Russia relations in recent years. He affirmed that the Vietnamese Party and State place great importance on further strengthening the comprehensive strategic partnership with Russia in a substantive and effective manner, in line with the development needs of both nations.
At the conference, participants reported that the Government has so far issued 28 decrees on the delegation of responsibilities and powers between the central Government and two-tier local administrations. Several localities have already piloted the new governance model.
Reality is the ultimate benchmark for success, he said, urging drafting agencies to work out policies that foster development, reduce bureaucratic hurdles, and respect practical conditions.
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The Party chief underscored the need for the press to innovate relentlessly, evolve to keep pace with the country's development, transform into a truly professional, humanistic, and modern sector that serves the cause of the Party, the State, and the people on the path to national construction and development.
The UN Secretary-General praised Vietnam’s remarkable achievements in socio-economic development and international integration in recent years, noting that the country has emerged as a model in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), promoting international peace and security, and engaging in key UN processes.
Nghia affirmed that this is a milestone of special significance, affirming and honouring the the Vietnamese revolutionary press’s glorious tradition of 100 years of serving the revolutionary cause of the Party, serving the Fatherland, and serving the people.
The Party and State of Vietnam always attach great importance to and give top priority to the development of Vietnam–China relations. Vietnam is ready to work with the Chinese Party and State to further deepen the Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership and promote the building of the Vietnam-China community with a shared future that carries strategic significance.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh at the eighth Lower Mekong Initiative ( LMI ) Ministerial Meeting in Malaysia last August (Source: VNA)
