Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh addresses the ASEAN high-level forum on sub-regional cooperation for sustainable development and inclusive growth, Ha Noi, November 30, 2021

This is the first ASEAN forum on this topic, which creates a chance for ASEAN member states, partners, international and regional organizations and business community to look into opportunities, challenges, potentials and measures to promote sun-regional development cooperation.

Lao Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh, Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Prak Sokhonn, Secretary-General of ASEAN Lim Jock Hoi and representatives from international and regional organizations joined the event.

Addressing the forum, Prime Minister Pham emphasized that given the diversity of ASEAN, the development of sub-regions needs the bloc’s attention.

Together with stepping up regional connectivity, it is important to connect areas and zones and ensure that they catch up with the common development of the region, he said.  

Pham called for enhanced solidarity and close cooperation among regional countries, which he said is a prerequisite to ensure inclusive and sustainable growth, strengthening infrastructure, economic and cultural connectivity to narrow development and facilitate economic growth.

In this process, people should be the center, target and driver of development while international and regional cooperation should be fostered to improve capacity for sustainable sub-regional development, said Pham.

He also called for financial support and technological transfer, especially high and green technologies from ASEAN member states, partners, regional and international organizations and business community to help sub-regions preserve natural resources and deal with challenges./.