VietNamNet Bridge - Vietnam , Laos and Cambodia have agreed on the need to develop tourism as a spearhead in boosting economic growth and reducing poverty in the three countries’ development triangle.

Vietnamese Minister of Planning and Investment Vo Hong Phuc joined Lao Minister of Planning and Investment Soulivong Daravong and Cambodian Secretary General of the Development Council Soun Sitthy in chairing the meeting, which brought together both state officials and businesspeople of the 10 localities in the Development Triangle.

Minister Phuc described the three countries’ policy to develop their shared triangle as a right decision that has contributed largely to promoting each country’s socio-economic growth and reinforcing friendship between the three nations.

Following the second meeting of its kind in February this year, the three countries have taken their own initiatives to spur the development of the triangle. In the meantime, mechanisms and policies to facilitate the cross-border flow of people and commodities, investment and trade in the area are being discussed, Minister Phuc added.

At this meeting, the participants focused on assessing what has been done since the two previous meetings and discussed ways to solve difficulties that arise in the process of implementing the reached agreements.

They informed each other of their own countries’ current policies, investment environments and related legal regulations in addition to the potentials and priorities of the localities located in the development triangle and worked on orientations for cooperation in the future.

Established in 2004 by a decision signed by the three countries’ prime ministers, the Development Triangle comprises Vietnam ’s central highlands provinces of Gia Lai, Kon Tum, Dak Lak and Dak Nong, Laos ’s provinces of Attapeu, Sekong and Saravanh, and the Cambodian provinces of Rattanakiri, Strungstreng and Moldonkiri.

The governments of the three countries have high hopes for the effects of promoting the development of the region, which has been highly evaluated for its great potential in the areas of hydro-power industry, mining, industrial crop growing and processing and tourism, to improve the living conditions of local people, the majority of whom belong to ethnic minorities.

(Source: VNA)