Hanoi (VNA) – The Association ofSoutheast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is emerging and playing a central role in theregion, thus looking to converge Mekong sub-regional cooperation with itsdevelopment goals, according to Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen QuocDung, head of the SOM ASEAN Vietnam.

The ASEAN Forum on sub-regional development heldin Hanoi on July 14 was the first activity of the bloc to discuss measures tocreate harmony and connect the Mekong sub-regional cooperation programmes withASEAN and other sub-regions, thus contributing to the common goal of narrowingdevelopment gaps in ASEAN and building a strong ASEAN Community, he said.

Raising some solutions to promote coordinationand connectivity among economic corridors of ASEAN’s sub-regions, Dung said theinvolved parties should work together to devise policies and mechanisms toaddress border gate issues.

ASEAN has reached agreements on border crossingamong member countries, but each needs to concretise them in their policies andmeasures to facilitate the completion of procedures at border gates.

Keiju Mitsuhashi, deputy country director of theVietnam Resident Mission of Asian Development Bank (ADB), said there wasincreasing importance of physical to digital connectivity. In thispost-COVID-19 period, digital connectivity is becoming more and more importantto substitute and complement physical connectivity.

Since 1992, ADB and other donors have supported the cooperation of GreaterMekong Sub-region which comprises Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnamand China’s Yunnan Province and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

“We [ADB] have worked in three different layers,firstly, working directly within ASEAN, Greater Mekong Sub-region. Secondly, wehave worked on cross-border projects in which two countries will be connectedbetter. Thirdly, we have worked in-country projects. Each country will increasecapacity to be connected with others,” he told media.

Caitlin Wiesen, UNDP Resident Representative inVietnam, shared several challenges in the Mekong River Basin due to fastsocio-economic development exacerbated by climate change.

They include extreme droughts, forest fires,flash floods, heavy rains, rising sea levels, typhoons and saltwater intrusion.

She highlighted the great potential forincreased renewable energy development in ASEAN countries including wind,solar, biomass and hydropower.

“If countries cooperate more closely and pursuea common framework of energy development that has an increase in renewableenergy sources, this could lead to a reduction of the development of megahydropower plants, which in turn will reduce severe environmental risks,especially to the Mekong region, while accelerating energy security for theASEAN region,” she said.

Founded in 1967, the Association of SoutheastAsian Nations (ASEAN) groups 10 member countries, namely Brunei, Cambodia,Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam./.