KPL
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Thongsavanh Phomvihane led the Lao delegation to the 17th Mekong-Japan Cooperation (MJC) Foreign Ministers' Meeting on July 22, held on the sidelines of the 59th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Manila.
The meeting, co-chaired by the foreign ministers of Vietnam and Japan, brought together representatives from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, and Japan to review progress under the Mekong-Japan Cooperation Strategic Plan 2024.
Ministers welcomed achievements in key areas, including quality infrastructure, digital transformation, green development, disaster risk reduction, human resource development, and people-to-people exchanges. They said these initiatives have supported socio-economic development across the Mekong region while contributing to the implementation of the ASEAN Master Plan on Connectivity and the East-West Economic Corridor.
The meeting also discussed future priorities and preparations for the 13th Mekong-Japan Cooperation Summit, which will be held alongside the ASEAN Summit later this year.
During the discussions, Thongsavanh praised the progress made under the MJC framework and reaffirmed Laos' commitment to strengthening regional cooperation. He highlighted infrastructure connectivity, green development, digital transformation, innovation, human resource development, and greater private sector participation as priorities for future collaboration.
Ministers concluded the meeting by noting the Co-Chairs' Statement and reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening the Mekong-Japan Cooperation framework to promote sustainable, inclusive, and resilient development while delivering tangible benefits to people across the region.
KPL
