Mekong Ganga Cooperation bloc Ministerial meeting 07/08/2019 – Posted in: Daily News – Tags: ,

MEKONG GANGA COOPERATION (MGC) BLOC

 

For: Preliminary & Mains

Topics covered: About Mekong-Ganga Cooperation, 10th ministerial meeting, Aim and objectives, 2019-2022 Action Plan

 

News Flash

10th Mekong Ganga Cooperation Ministerial meeting recently held in the Thai capital Bangkok.

External Affairs Minister emphasised on better connectivity between the member countries of the Mekong Ganga Cooperation (MGC) bloc for developing a “vibrant economic growth corridor”.

 

Mekong Ganga Cooperation (MGC)

  • MGC is a sub-regional cooperation organisation comprising India and five ASEAN countries- Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Laos.
  • MCG takes its name from the river Ganga and the river Mekong in Southeast Asia.
  • MGC was launched in 2000 at Laos capital Vientiane.
  • It is aimed at facilitating closer contacts among the people inhabiting these two major river basins and enhancing cooperation in tourism, culture, education, transport and communications.

 

Highlights

  • India will look forward to the early completion of the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway and its extension to Cambodia, Lao PDR and Vietnam.
  • The Jakarta-based Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) has been tasked to study the feasibility of “developing the planned highway as a vibrant economic growth corridor”.
  • Moving ahead to finalise the India-Myanmar-Thailand Motor Vehicle Agreement to facilitate the movement of goods and passengers across borders.
  • Foreign External Minister also emphasised on enhancing direct air connectivity between the member nations to facilitate better “business and tourism”.

 

  • Low-cost Indian carrier, IndiGo, will start direct flights on the New Delhi-Ho Chi Minh City sector from October and daily services from Kolkata to Yangon from late September.
  • IndiGo and Vistara have also been designated Indian carriers under the India-Cambodia bilateral Air Services Agreement.

 

MGC Plan of Action 2019-2022

  • The ministers adopted the new MGC Plan of Action 2019-2022.
  • It envisages project-based cooperation in the areas of tourism and culture, education, public health and traditional medicine, agriculture and allied sectors, transport and communication, MSMEs, water resources management, science and technology, skill development and capacity building.

 

Other Ongoing Cooperations

  • Ministers from nations welcomed India’s assistance to Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam under the MGC Quick Impact Projects (QIP) Scheme.
  • In 2019, eighteen QIPs will be implemented in Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos at a cost of USD 900,000.
  • The ministers appreciated India’s pledge of Rs 5 billion (USD 72.5 million) under a Project Development Fund to facilitate Indian investments in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam.
  • The ministers highlighted the importance of water resources management as a new area of cooperation and appreciated India’s offer to conduct training programmes and workshops in water resource management and community farming.

 

Source: Business Standards

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