Participants at the Mekong-Ganga Senior Officials' Meeting. — VNA/VNS Photo

PHNOM PENH — A Vietnamese delegation joined others from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and India at the Mekong-Ganga Senior Officials' Meeting in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on Monday.

During the event, the Vietnamese delegation proposed that the Mekong-Ganga Cooperation (MGC) in the post-COVID-19 period concentrates on promoting economic recovery; helping micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) to participate in global supply chains; speeding up digital transformation, and developing information technology infrastructure towards smart tourism; strengthening community health capacity and ensuring equitable and sustainable access to vaccines, drugs and medical equipment; and sharing information and experience in sustainable management of water resources.

Participants spoke highly of the positive contributions of the MGC mechanism to peace, development and prosperity in the region, especially as MGC member countries are facing many challenges.

The MGC member countries have implemented a variety of capacity-building projects and programmes in areas such as public health and response to the COVID-19 pandemic, trade and investment facilitation, promoting connectivity, training human resources, preserving cultural heritage and supporting people's livelihoods.

The participants discussed priority areas to accelerate the implementation of the MGC Action Plan for the 2019-2022 period after the interruption due to COVID-19, focusing on expanding the India - Myanmar - Thailand expressway to Cambodia, Laos and Việt Nam; developing human resources in information technology, digital transformation, innovation and advanced science; improving the health system, and vaccine research and development.

They also suggested enhancing mutual understanding among the people of MGC countries through cultural and sports exchange and tourism and communication activities.

The Mekong-Ganga Cooperation (MGC) is an initiative by India and five ASEAN countries for cooperation in tourism, culture, education, as well as transport and communications. — VNS