(Vientiane Times) Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) ministers have endorsed several important documents as a part of a plan for better cooperation in the sub-region in the future.

The agreements were reached at the 16th GMS Ministerial Meeting held in Hanoi last week after the GMS senior officials' meeting with development partners on August 19.

The documents approved included a strategic framework for connecting GMS railways, strategy and action plans for the GMS southern economic corridor, core agriculture support programme phase II for 2011-15, and a programme for promoting renewable energy and energy efficiency in the GMS.

During the event, development partners expressed their support for the action plan of GMS cooperation especially in the areas of finance, capacity building, technical assistance and exchange of professional experiences.

They also expressed their interest in continuing to support the GMS nations in the areas of transport, trade facilities, environment, mitigation of climate change, development of water resources in the Mekong Basin, commercial productivity and food security, renewable energy and migration.

More then 200 people attended the 16th GMS Ministerial Meeting including the Lao Minister to the Prime Minister's Office and President of Water Resources and Environment Authority Mrs Khempheng Pholsena.

The theme of the meeting was ‘GMS in the Next Decade: New Frontiers of Cooperation'.

The aim was to review the progress of the implementation of the Vientiane Plan of Action for GMS Development for 2008-12 and give broad direction and identify key elements for the next GMS long-term strategic framework (2012-22).

The progress made in the Vientiane Plan of Action included the areas of transport, telecommunications, tourism and the environment.

Mrs Khempheng said GMS programmes were helping to transform Laos from being a landlocked to a land-linked nation, enabling Laos to integrate its economy with the region and the world

She said the transition from transport corridor to economic corridor was very important in improving the living standards of the Lao people.

The minister stressed the need to protect the environment, as effective environmental management helps nations reduce the cost of business operations and improve the efficiency of investment.

She pointed out that environmental protection also contributed to poverty reduction and economic growth. “The economic corridor will not be accomplished without proper and sustainable management of environmental and human resources,” she said.

The GMS comprises Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar and China.