Myanmar leader addresses regional integration and connectivity at 8th GMS Summit (8 November 2024)

State Administration Council Chairman Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing attended the Eighth Greater Mekong Subregion Summit at Haigeng Convention Centre in Kunming, China, on the 8th of November 2024.
The Chinese Premier, the heads of government of Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand and Vietnam, and the Asian Development Bank president attended the summit. The summit was held under two sessions, “Leaders’ Summit” and “Plenary Session”.
The Chinese Premier then made an opening speech for the Leaders’ Summit, and respective leaders discussed proper work plans and preparedness for regional integration under “Towards Development through Innovation”.
At the event, the Senior General appreciated the attendance of GMS leaders. He added that measures to create a promising subregion through innovation will be discussed during the Leaders’ Summit. Technology and innovation play a vital role in the economic growth and socioeconomic development of a nation. The countries or regions that support innovations in the global economy can improve social quality by promoting their economic status, creating job opportunities, and accelerating the innovations in the global economy can upgrade social quality such as promotion of their economic status, creation of job opportunities and acceleration of competitiveness.
Concerning the participation of regional business people, the Senior General said, “At the same time, innovations should be tailored to the natural environment and geographical features of a country, and intellectuals, experts, startups and entrepreneurs in addition to governments, development partners, private and local governments should work together.”
He continued that access to resources is also crucial, and the Research and Development (R&D) is an essential resource for innovation and the assistance of government, private, local and foreign investments and development partners also play a crucial role in bringing about innovation.
He urged the GMS countries to accelerate the agricultural economy and food security through innovation as they are formed of agriculture-based countries. Moreover, all the sectors of GMS programmes should be connected with innovative strategies, and agriculture, tourism and investment should be prioritized according to the strategy.
In addition to these prioritized sectors, it should be ready for energy, health, urban development and transport sectors, especially, in the health sector, treatment and modern treatment should be discovered through public health services, health and human resources connections and medical universities level connections, and also through technology transfer centres and knowledge sharing centres. The Senior General also highlighted the intellectual property laws and enactment of laws for each sector in each country.
During the plenary session held under the theme of “Towards a Better Community through Innovation-driven Development”, Chinese Premier Mr Li Qian made an opening speech, and the leaders and the Asia Development Bank president made remarks, respectively. Speaking at the occasion, the Senior General said that many countries, including Myanmar, faced flooding and landslides in September due to Typhoon Yagi. The country conducted rehabilitation activities together with governments, ASEAN, international communities and people, and extended wishes to the Typhoon Yagi-affected people in GMS countries to be able to return to their normal conditions.
He continued that the GMS programme, which has been running for over three decades since 1992, has achieved significant achievements.
Regarding the approval of the Concept Paper, the Senior General said, “The special focus is placed on the innovation sector internationally, and the Innovation Strategy that will be approved at the summit held under “Towards a Better Community through Innovation-driven Development”, is suitable for GMS. Technology and innovation are the main driving forces for the promotion of manufacturing, technology enhancement, new industries and job creation in regional countries. As all are aware, the Innovative Strategy 2030 of GMS intends to accelerate the cooperation in implementing the GMS Strategic Framework 2030, and the Concept Paper was approved at the 26th GMS Ministerial Conference held in December 2023 in Myanmar.”
He then mentioned the 3 Cs – Connectivity, Competitiveness and Community – in solving challenges such as climate change, food security, natural disasters, financial inflation, global health crisis, increasing energy prices, migrant workers and an unbalanced economy.
He added that public healthcare of a nation plays a vital role in building a modern and developed nation. Therefore, it should estimate the increasing population and changing socioeconomic and environmental conditions for the future and should employ the existing resources. In such doing, the healthcare system will be qualified, and the national-level activities will be conducted by connecting with the health strategies of GMS and regional governments.
Regarding food security, the Senior General said that the global population is 8.3 billion now and will reach 8.6 billion in 2030 and 8.9 billion in 2035. Therefore, the food security crisis might be huge, and regional cooperation plays a crucial role in food production. Trade and distribution cannot be done just in the territory of a country. So, all should share knowledge regarding innovative plans in the agricultural sector, create regional food markets and promote investments, including technology transfers.
He then mentioned the special efforts of the government to ensure the food security of people using modern technologies in agricultural and livestock breeding products. He added that Myanmar ranked eighth in the most rice-exporting countries and second in bean exports in 2023.
The Senior General also talked about the role of economic corridors, the signature of GMS, saying the economic corridor’s development plays a pivotal role in accelerating the economic growth, regional integration and all-inclusive development of a nation. He continued that Myanmar practices a non-aligned, independent, and active foreign policy that is in line with the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence. Moreover, the government drafted a five-point roadmap and nine objectives in the political, economic and social sectors for the interests of the country and national people.
He then pledged that Myanmar would keep working together with other countries to implement the comprehensive cooperation agreements, saying balance and inclusion are fundamental principles for international cooperation. Therefore, the cooperation of development partners, private institutions and regional governments, in addition to the collaboration of member countries and support of the GMS Secretariat, is needed to implement the plans for the socioeconomic development in GMS countries.
The Senior General also expressed trust that the suggestions of leaders can be supportive actions to the emergence of a resilient and sustainable GMS community. The Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Economic Cooperation Programme Summit, which has been running for over three decades since 1992, has secured significant achievements. According to the GMS programme, the summit is held once every three years starting in 2002 in six member countries in accordance with the alphabet. Myanmar hosted the Fourth GMS Summit on 19 and 20 December 2011 in Nay Pyi Taw.

Reference: Myanmar News Agency