MINISTERS OF GREATER MEKONG SUBREGION TO ADDRESS EAST-WEST

 

ECONOMIC CORRIDOR CONFERENCE

 

(Reissued as received.)

BANGKOK, 21 June (UN Information Services) -- The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), in collaboration with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Greater Mekong Subregion Business Forum, is organizing the “East-West Economic Corridor Conference:  Investment Opportunities” at the United Nations Conference Centre, Bangkok, Thailand, on 23-24 June 2005. 

The Conference will discuss, on an in-depth basis, ways and means of maximizing the investment and trade opportunities which the East-West Economic Corridor (EWEC) will offer the exporters, importers, logistics companies, freight forwarders, shippers, transport operators, insurance underwriters and political risk insurers in both the Greater Mekong Subregion and the neighbouring countries.

The rapid pace of infrastructure development in the Greater Mekong Subregion can be expected to catalyse increases in the mobility of goods, people and capital among the six countries that make up the Greater Mekong Subregion, namely, Cambodia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Myanmar, Thailand, Viet Nam and Yunnan Province of China.

The EWEC will be the first major sea-land-sea link connecting the China Sea via Viet Nam, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Thailand, and Myanmar with the Bay of Bengal.  Like other similar infrastructure upgrades throughout the world, it is expected EWEC will stimulate trade flows and attract foreign direct investment in the region.

The Conference will particularly focus on the mechanics of EWEC:  shipment risk underwriting, possible use of through-passage carnets to streamline border crossing procedures, funding wear-and-tear maintenance through asset-backed security toll user-revenue bonds, homeland security compliance, global value chain (supply and sub-supply) linkages. 

The keynote address will be delivered by Suranand Vejjajiva, Minister of the Prime Minister’s Office of Thailand.  The various topics will be presented by speakers with internationally recognized expertise on these technical subjects.  Speakers will include Greater Mekong Subregion ministers and senior officials and commercial and international organizations, such as Baker & McKenzie; Deutsche Bank; International Road Transport Union (IRU); Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC); Japan Shippers’ Council; Kroll International; Macquarie Bank; United States Department of Homeland Security; World Customs Organization; and the chambers of commerce and industry of all the Greater Mekong Subregion countries.

For more information, please contact:  Ravi Ratnayake, Director, Trade and Investment Division, ESCAP, UN Building, Bangkok, Thailand, tel: +66-2-288-1956; fax: +66-2-288-1026, e-mail: ratnayaker@un.org.

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