GMS cross-border pact on hold
Though all countries in the Greater Mekong Sub-region had signed a cross-border trade agreement 14 years ago to enhance the sub-region’s economic connectivity, the CBTA, however, is yet to be ratified in individual Mekong nations for its full implementation. This was revealed last week by a senior official in a government development agency. Sok Chenda Sophea, secretary-general of the Council for the Development of Cambodia, said on August 4 that GMS members, including China, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Myanmar, and Thailand, had signed the CBTA in 2002. “Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and China, which form a vast economic area connected by the Mekong River, have agreed to give each country a quota of 500 vehicles under the transnational transport plan to promote regional logistics and tourism,” added Mr. Sophea.
