Phnom Penh (FN), Jul. 23 – Cambodian Senate President, Samdech Techo Hun Sen clarified that the establishment of the Cambodia-Laos-Viet Nam Development Triangle Area (CLV-DTA) aims to connect the economy and infrastructure among these border areas.

Samdech Techo Hun Sen spoke on Tuesday (Jul. 23) in a special message on the initiative.

"I am the initiator of this development triangle area initiative. During my visit to Laos, I sought support from then Laotian prime minister, and later, during a meeting with Viet Nam, I also secured support from then Vietnamese prime minister. We need to find cooperation for development, addressing regional demands based on main factors: economic and infrastructure connectivity, roads, electricity, trade, and tourism," Samdech Techo underscored.

According to Samdech Techo Hun Sen, he initiated the idea of establishing the CLV-DTA because he observed that Cambodia, Laos, and Viet Nam were among the poorest regions during the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Mondulkiri and Ratanakkiri provinces in Cambodia had no roads to connect them, requiring reliance on Viet Nam.

Regarding electricity, Mondulkiri, Ratanakkiri, and Kratie provinces need to use electricity from Viet Nam, while Stung Treng province relies on electricity from Laos. Samdech Techo noted that through this cooperation, the northeastern provinces of Cambodia have achieved essential economic connectivity, linking infrastructure such as roads, electricity, tourism, and trade.

According to Samdech Techo, this cooperation has offered many benefits to our country compared to Viet Nam and Laos, including electricity supply and the transportation of goods to Vietnamese ports. Beyond economic and infrastructure connectivity, the DTA cooperation has contributed to national security by preventing human trafficking, timber smuggling, armed movements, and anarchist groups in all three countries.

Furthermore, the DTA initiative has also fostered cooperation in education, training, human resources, and health. In the past, these four provinces have received many health services from Laos and Viet Nam. With this cooperation, we can better manage border disasters, especially floods and wildfires.
=FRESH NEWS