Manila (VNA) – Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh hasstressed the need to boost road, waterways and aviation connectivity in orderto fully tap cooperation potential between Mekong nations and India.

Minhmade the statement at the 8th Mekong-Ganga Cooperation (MGC)Ministerial Meeting held on August 7 within the framework of the 50th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and related meetings in Manila, thePhilippines.

Themeeting also saw the participation of the foreign ministers from Cambodia,Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and India.

Alongwith the transport area, Vietnam also asked the participating countries tofacilitate trade, especially in customs procedures, strengthen cooperation inprotecting the environment, coping with climate change, and using and managingthe Mekong and Ganga Rivers’ water resources sustainably.

Theparticipating countries acknowledged these proposals, agreeing to establish aworking group on transport to seek measures to intensify road, waterway andaviation connectivity, build a Buddhist trail through MGC countries, and boostcoordination between their travel agencies.

Theministers also emphasised the importance of expanding cooperation in new areasto consolidate economic linkage and promote potential in trade and economicties.

Theysuggested developing micro, small & medium enterprises (MSMEs), organisinga global MSMEs Summit, strengthening cooperation among businesses, holding anannual MGC Business Forum with the first to take place in India in January2018, and stepping up cooperation in health care, especially in malariaprevention.

Atthe meeting, participants applauded the achievements the two sides have gainedover the past time, including the Asian Traditional Textiles Museum inCambodia’s Siem Reap, a MGC scholarship programme with over 900 scholarshipsgranted to Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam each year, and a data centre atIndia's Nalanda University.-VNA