At a press conference after the meeting closed on March 9, Vu Quang Minh, Director of the Economic Affairs Department and Assistant to the Foreign Minister, said Vietnam has actively cooperated with the UN Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and the Small Island Developing States to build the agenda of the meeting.

 

During the three-day event, Vietnamese delegates participated in most debates and shared Vietnam’s experience in realising sustainable development goals, developing infrastructure connections, harmonising customs procedures and strengthening partnership with developing countries, landlocked countries, donor organisations and transit nations.

 

Minh expressed his hope that the recommendations and outcomes of the meeting will help promote traffic connection and international economic development.

 

For his part, Gyan Chandra Acharya, UN Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and the Small Island Developing States, underlined that issues tabled at the meeting such as trading, transits, regional connectivity, transport, customs cooperation, economic restructuring with the support of international community are crucial for landlocked, transit countries to promote win-win regional cooperation.

 

Participants shared their experience in improving infrastructure facilities, developing the economy and promoting trade facilitation, thus making clear the meeting’s message and future orientations as well as action plans to implement the outcomes of the meeting.

 

The nations in the region can promote their economic development by working closely with other regional nations and seeking support from the international community for capacity building, technology and trade and investment, Gyan Chandra Acharya said.

 

He also expressed his hope that the outcomes of the meeting will be integrated into the agenda of the APEC 2017 and other world forums.

 

The UN Under Secretary General highlighted the role of Vietnam in the East – West Economic Corridor, saying that development of traffic infrastructure facilities will contribute to enhancing international trade and competitive of the country in the region and the world.

 

With its strategic location in the region, Vietnam should develop highways and railways to assist with trade facilitation and connectivity with regional nations, he added.

 

The outcomes of the meeting will be the important input for Vietnam to include in the priorities of APEC Vietnam 2017, Minh said.

 

The UN high-level meeting for the Euro-Asia region on improving cooperation on transit, trade facilitation and the 2030 agenda for sustainable development attracted 150 delegates from 40 nations and 20 international organisations.