Addressing the conference which opened on July 20, Nguyen Van Son, head of the Vietnam National Assembly Committee for External Relations, noted that the conference is the first step towards developing new ways of cooperating between the three countries. He said that the forum creates a chance for lawmakers to share information and experiences and put forward initiatives aimed at effectively implementing bilateral and multilateral cooperation agreements in the triangle.

During the three-day event, delegates will discuss special preferential policies, the investment environment and the allocation of capital to poverty reduction programmes. They will also look at policies to help farmers develop commodity-based economies and small- and medium-sized enterprises, train human resources and boost cooperation in tourism, health care, culture and environmental protection.

This is the first time the committee has hosted a conference to put into action cooperation agreements between the governments of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. These projects focus on poverty reduction, human resources development, health care and socio-economic infrastructure development, as well as on the development of power, transport and services for ethnic groups in the Development Triangle.

The Development Triangle comprising of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia was established 10 years ago. Since the three countries approved a joint plan on socio-economic development in the area, Vietnam has carried out many key projects to generate hydro-electricity, exploit mineral ores and grow food and cash crops of high economic value. The three countries have handed over a list of 12 priority projects to Japan, calling for US$300 million to be invested in these projects, mostly in transport, education and health care.

Recently, Japan agreed to provide US$20 million and 2 billion Yen for the triangle to carry out 16 projects on education, training, health care, public welfare and rural development.