India shares close political and strategic ties with the Southeast Asian subregion of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam (or the CLMV countries). However, their economic ties remain weak, owing to various factors including lack of physical connectivity, as well as the absence of synergy between India’s Lines of Credit to CLMV and the country’s economic outreach. This paper analyses India’s investments and development cooperation initiatives in the subregion. Using the case of Vietnam, the paper outlines the current status of India-CLMV economic relations, highlights the weaknesses, and points to the way forward. It recommends the drafting of a white paper on India’s economic diplomacy to clearly spell out the country’s long-term strategy and goals in the subregion. The paper also calls for an integrated approach towards the CLMV subregion in terms of trade, investment, and development cooperation.
This overture illustrates the positioning of CLMV group as the members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). We begin with the members' economic development of the top six countries (A6); Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei, and CLMV countries
The objectives and strategic goals of the Drought Management Strategy 2020-2025 are formulated based on the objectives and strategic goals of the Drought Management Programme 2011-2015, which were defined through a number of national and regional consultations to incorporate the needs of the Member Countries into the proposed outputs and action plans for implementation.
During the past decade, farmers in the Lower Mekong region have changed agricultural land following a number of trends, for example, expanding agricultural area and patterns due to the improvement of irrigation, Etc. MRC realised the impacts of agriculture on the water sector, therefore, an activity on agricultural land-use monitoring initiated. This pilot activity aims to analyse driving forces of major agricultural land-use changes and its impacts on local people’s livelihoods, and provide key recommendations to basin-wide management and development in agriculture and irrigation sector
This report describes the biomonitoring survey conducted in 2015 in the Lower Mekong Basin, which contributes to the evaluation of the overall ecological health of the river. The objectives of the report are to: (i) describe the biological indicator groups sampled during 2015; (ii) use this information to derive biological indicators for the sites examined in 2015; and (iii) use biometric indicators to evaluate these sites.
This action research is aimed at identifying potential of and designing strategy for developing dynamic and vibrant SME clusters in Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar and Vietnam (CLMV). It is imperative to mention here that eight clusters, two from each CLMV countries were selected for the purpose of the action research. The clusters thus selected here are rattan and silk clusters in Cambodia, silk and wooden furniture clusters in Lao PDR, mango and fishery clusters in Myanmar and ceramic and tea clusters in Vietnam. It was found during conduction of the research that the concept of clustering and cluster development as a tool for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) development is yet to sink in the Government policy. Though there are some ad-hoc measures made in developing SME clusters in a few countries in different time scale, but devising a comprehensive strategy of cluster development to ensure holistic growth of small and medium enterprises and improving their global competitiveness has not been attempted previously in the CLMV countries.
OECD-ASEAN Training on investment Policy Making in the CLMV to
Support the Initiative for ASEAN Integration
The Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI), launched in 2000, helps ASEAN’s newer Member States implement ASEAN commitments and agreements. Through special assistance to Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar and Viet Nam (CLMV countries), it aims to further regional integration in order to narrow the development gap within ASEAN. IAI has so far seen the adoption of two work plans. Work Plan I, from 2002 to 2008, comprised 232 projects in four areas. Work Plan II began in 2009, and includes 182 actions aligned with the three ASEAN Community Blueprints 2015. However, while over 280 projects worth over US$40 million have been undertaken, the implementation rate for actions is less than 45%. One key challenge for Work Plan III therefore is to undertake a more strategic and focused effort in the development and implementation of the actions. IAI Work Plan III has been developed in close collaboration with CLMV countries, other ASEAN Member States and stakeholders, and is aligned with the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 and the various sectoral work plans. To improve focus and lift implementation, five strategic areas have since been identified
Under the framework of the project Network for Agriculture and Rural Development Think-tanks for Countries in Mekong sub-region (NARDT) funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). The 1st Annual Steering Committee meeting of NARDT project was organized successfully on 16 and 17 January 2020 in Hanoi, Vietnam.
The Mekong River Basin Indicator Framework provides a consistent and streamlined approach to data collection, analysis and reporting, to help alert Member Countries to the key issues and trends and identify areas for further investigation and cooperation across five core dimensions (environment, social, economic, climate change and cooperation).