Japan Pledges Over US$5 Billion To Mekong Nations

[BERNAMA]

VIENTIANE, July 25-- Japan pledged to provide 500 billion JPY (over US$5 billion) to Mekong nations over three years in implementing projects in all fields within the Mekong-Japan cooperation framework, Lao news agency (KPL), reported.

This announcement was made at the 4 th Meeting of Mekong-Japan Foreign Ministers in Bali, Indonesia on July 21.

At the meeting, Japan also pledged to give about US$20 million to assist the Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam Development Triangle.

Mekong and Japanese FMs discussed a plan to boost cooperation between the two sides and some regional and international issues of mutual concerns.

They agreed to approve the Chairman's Declaration on the spirit of "New Partnership for a Future of Common Prosperity" and committed to boosting cooperation and multifaceted relations, not only in the economic sector, but also in politics, culture and other fields, with a final target to build fine relations among nations.

The third Mekong-Japan Summit will be organised on the sidelines of the Asean Summit, scheduled for November in Indonesia.

The Meeting of Mekong-Japan Foreign Ministers was attended by the FMs from Vietnam, Japan, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand under the Chair of Japanese FM Takeaki Matsumoto.