Vietnam's Mekong Delta to boost economic cooperation

The Mekong Delta Economic Cooperation Forum (MDEC) 2011 wrapped up on Friday in Vietnam's southern Ca Mau province after three days of working, reported Vietnam News Agency. Nearly 500 delegates representing ministries and sectors, and localities in the Mekong delta provinces and southern Ho Chi Minh (HCM) City agreed to join hands to develop the Mekong delta to its full potentials and establish economic connectivity between local provinces and HCM City, on the basis of unity and cooperation, with efficiency and support from the central agencies. A joint statement was released at the closing ceremony, in which four major tasks were set to be done in 2012, including building a master plan to attract more investment in the Mekong delta and submitting to the Prime Minister for approval; setting up a project to develop tourism in the Mekong delta; establishing the Information Centre on the Mekong delta located in HCM City; and setting up a plan of actions for the Mekong delta provinces to respond to climate change and sea water rising, aimed at reducing its impacts to the poor community. MDEC 2011 was evaluated as a turning point in economic connectivity between the Mekong delta provinces and HCM City, and a good chance for local enterprises to popularize their products' brands to foreign countries, said the report. Established in 2007 under the Vietnamese Prime Minister's decision, MDEC, held annually and hosted by a local province, has proved to be useful glue for economic connectivity and cooperation among localities in the Mekong delta and HCM City.