On July 25, 2016, the Lao PDR has the honor to host the Ninth Mekong-Japan Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Vientiane Capital. The Meeting was Co-Chaired by H.E. Mr. Saleumxay KOMMASITH, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Lao PDR, and H.E. Mr. Fumio KISHIDA, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan and other respective Foreign Ministers and delegates from the Mekong Countries including the Kingdom of Cambodia, the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, the Kingdom of Thailand and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

The Meeting highly valued the progress made in the execution of the Mekong-Japan framework cooperation, particularly, the implementation of Mekong-Japan Action Plan for Realization of the New Tokyo Strategy 2015, encompassing the four priority pillars: Industrial Infrastructure Development, Industrial Human Resource, Sustainable Development and Coordination with Various Stakeholders. Furthermore, the Meeting discussed future direction of the Mekong-Japan cooperation, whereas Japan will continue to support and assist in the implementation of Programs and Projects for Mekong countries. Particularly, the Lao PDR and Japan are currently implementing the Vientiane International Airport Terminal Expansion Project, the Southern Region Power System Development Project, the Project for Construction of Sekong Bridge and the Project for acceleration of UXO Clearance in the Lao PDR.

Furthermore, the Meeting also welcomed the Mekong-Japan Connectivity Initiative to implement infrastructure connectivity by utilizing the newly announced “Expanded Partnership for Quality Infrastructure” of the Government of Japan with the financing of approximately 200 billion US dollars in order to further support the infrastructure development in the Mekong region. The Meeting adopted the Co-Chairs’ Statement of the Ninth Mekong-Japan Foreign Ministers’ Meeting as a reference for the implementation of Mekong-Japan Cooperation.

The 10^th Mekong-Japan Foreign Ministers’ Meeting will be held next in theRepublic of the Philippinesin 2017.