COMMENTARY: A Friendship of all Seasons

Amid rising geopolitical volatility and geoeconomic complexity, Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam cooperation framework has gained new steam in terms of practical cooperation and strategic trust through political consultation at the highest level, including the young leadership in the three countries.

Despite regional and global geopolitical changes, the traditional friendship and solidarity among the three countries remain strong and resilient. The more challenges they face, the more cooperation and friendship they form. The bottom line is that for survival and progress, the three countries need to stay united while stepping forward together shoulder to shoulder.

Multi-layered and cross-sectoral collaboration is the characteristic of the trilateral partnership.  Remarkably, parliamentary cooperation among the three countries have seen significant progress over the years. The visit of Samdech Heng Samrin, President of the National Assembly of Cambodia, to Hanoi and Vientiane this month marked a new milestone in the trilateral relationship.

At the bilateral meeting with Vietnamese counterpart, Samdech Heng Samrin reaffirmed the importance and necessity of nurturing traditional friendship between the two countries and peoples. Both sides agreed to further strengthen parliamentary cooperation and the development of Cambodia-Laos-Development Triangle Area (CLV-DTA).

Similarly, Cambodia-Lao parliamentary cooperation has been strengthened at all levels. At the bilateral meeting in Vientiane, both sides agreed to further deepen the traditional friendship and accelerate practical cooperation under the framework of CLD-DTA.   

Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam are friends of in all seasons. Being together in every circumstance is a matter of our survival and progress. Together, we can maintain peace and stability in the region. Together, will become more resilient. Together we will be more prosperous.

CLV-DTA is a physical, institutional and political construct launched at the first informal leaders’ meeting in 1999, which was first initiated by Samdech Prime Minister Hun Sen. CLV-DTA initially covered 10 border provinces. Three more provinces were added in 2009. At the 10th Summit in 2018, Vietnam proposed that CLV-DTA be expanded to cover the entire territory of the three countries.

The working mechanism of CLV-DTA includes a summit (biannually), a Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) meeting (annually), and a Senior Officials Meeting (SOM) in support of the JCC. Four working groups or sub-committees were formed under SOM, namely the economic sub-committee, the social and environmental sub-committee, the provincial coordination sub-committee, and the security and foreign affairs sub-committee.

The member country appoints a minister as co-chairman and member of the coordination committee. In addition, in 2016, the leaders agreed to strengthen collaboration between CLV-DTA and other regional cooperation mechanisms in the Mekong region, particularly the Mekong-Japan Cooperation.

CLV-DTA has moved beyond merely relying on economic and political collaboration to a more comprehensive platform covering a wide range of issues under three main areas –political security, economics, and social and cultural cooperation. At the 10th CLV Summit in 2018, the leaders endorsed the Action Plan for CLV Economic Connectivity up to 2030 to serve as a guiding document for regional cooperation.

Young leadership programme will be a new critical area of cooperation among the three countries. Cambodia is going to establish TECHO Leadership Academy to serve as the secretariat of this leadership programme under the motto, “Connecting Youth. Connecting Generations. Connecting Leadership”.

Cultivating and nurturing personal friendship and trust between the young leaders from the three countries is critical to future cooperation and partnership. The young leaders are the agents of solidarity, sustainable peace, and shared prosperity.

Source: Agency Kampuchea Press