Mekong–Ganga Cooperation

Mekong–Ganga Cooperation (MGC)
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Establishment November 10, 2000

The Mekong–Ganga Cooperation (MGC) was established on November 10, 2000 at Vientiane at the First MGC Ministerial Meeting. It comprises six member countries, namely India, Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. They emphasised four areas of cooperation, which are tourism, culture, education, and transportation linkage in order to be solid foundation for future trade and investment cooperation in the region. The organization takes its name from the Ganga and the Mekong, two large rivers in the region.[1]

Annual Ministerial Meetings

The working mechanism for MGC consists of the Annual Ministerial Meeting (back to back with ASEAN Ministerial Meeting), the Senior Official’s Meeting, and the five Working Groups namely;

Second MGC Ministerial Meeting

At the Second MGC Ministerial Meeting held in Hanoi on July 28, 2001, the member countries adopted the Hanoi Programme of Action affirming their commitment to cooperate in four areas of cooperation. The “Hanoi Programme of Action” has 6 years timeframe from 2001 to 2007 and the progress of its implementation shall be reviewed every two years.

Third MGC Ministerial Meeting

At the Third MGC Ministerial Meeting held in Phnom Penh on June 20, 2003, the member countries adopted the Phnom Penh Road Map as a plan to accelerate the implementation of all MGC projects and activities.The Second ASEAN Informal Summit, held in Kuala Lumpur on 15 December 1997, adopted the ASEAN Vision 2020 which sets out a broad vision for ASEAN in the year 2020: an ASEAN as a concert of Southeast Asian Nations, outward looking, living in peace, stability and prosperity, bonded together in partnership in dynamic development and in a community of caring societies.

In order to implement the long-term vision, action plans are being drawn up to realise this Vision. The Hanoi Plan of Action (HPA) is the first in a series of plans of action building up to the realisation of the goals of the Vision.

The HPA has a six-year timeframe covering the period from 1999 to 2004. The progress of its implementation shall be reviewed every three years to coincide with the ASEAN Summit Meetings.

In recognition of the need to address the current economic situation in the region, ASEAN shall implement initiatives to hasten economic recovery and address the social impact of the global economic and financial crisis. These measures reaffirm ASEAN commitments to closer regional integration and are directed at consolidating and strengthening the economic fundamentals of the Member Countries.

Fourth MGC Ministerial Meeting

Fourth MGC Ministerial Meeting was held January 12, 2007 at Sebu. In this meeting Thailand has handed over the chairmanship of MGC to India. There was no Ministerial Meeting in 2002 and 2004 because the AMM meeting was held in Brunei and Indonesia respectively.

Fifth MGC Ministerial Meeting

The 5th MGC meeting was held on August 1, 2007 in Manila.

Sixth MGC Ministerial Meeting

Sixth Mekong–Ganga sixth Cooperation meeting was held in New Delhi on 3–4 September 2012.Senior officials meeting was held on September 3 whereas the Foreign Ministers meet was held on September 4, 2012. This is the first time that the Mekong Ganga Cooperation meeting was hosted by India. India had earlier chaired the 5th MGC Ministerial Meeting on the sidelines of the ASEAN-India Meetings.

Mekong-Ganga cooperation is in the broad interest of the Mekong river en countries.It was an extension of Indias look east policy now the Act East policy.Broadly it can be referred as Look self policy of India. ASEAN diplomats demanded India to revamp their foreign policy towards souith east Asia. It is time we revitalise our relations with our south eastern neighbour.

See also

References

  1. ↑ See for a complete historical account of the founding and evolution of the MGC e.g. Michael, Arndt (2013). India's Foreign Policy and Regional Multilateralism (Palgrave Macmillan), pp. 163-175.
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