Held in Semarang, Indonesia, the 15th Economic Ministers Conference of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam (CLMV EMM 15) was held on August 18, 2023.

The 55th ASEAN Economic Ministers' Meeting (AEM 55) will contain other conferences comparable to the one stated above, in addition to the one listed above. Nguyen Hong Dien, Vietnam's Minister of Industry and Trade, led the Vietnamese delegation that attended the conference.

The conference mostly covered the following topics: reports on the four countries' economic growth, trade, and investment; discussions on the outcomes of the CLMV Action Plan's implementation from 2021 to 2022; and plans for the Action Plan's implementation from 2023 to 2024.

At the conference, ministers discussed a variety of topics, including the "Action Plan to Implement the CLMV Development Framework" and the "Workshop on Socialization of the Implementation of the Action Plan to Implement the CLMV Development Framework," as well as other issues of mutual interest.

Despite the significant problems that both the regional and global economies are facing, the CLMV region's attempts to attract investments and conduct trade exchange activities have resulted in a large number of beneficial outcomes. More than 831 billion USD will be exchanged in the CLMV area in 2022, indicating a 10% increase over the previous year's amount. This figure represents 21.6% of the total value of goods and services traded by ASEAN with other nations across the globe.

To update the conference on the outcomes of the CLMV Cooperation Action Plan execution from 2021–2022, and the progress made in implementing the CLMV Action Plan from 2023–2024, the Head of SEOM Cambodia presented a report.

At the conference, participants praised and acknowledged the agencies, ministries, and branches from Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar for their aggressive collaboration in deploying and completing CLMV cooperation projects. All of this work was necessary to ensure that the conference was successful.

In his remarks at the conference, Minister Nguyen Hong Dien thanked Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar for their cooperation, support, and active participation in recent Vietnamese initiatives. The Vietnam FoodExpo International Food Industry Exhibition, the Vietnam Expo International Trade Fair, the fairs that Vietnam hosts in Cambodia and Laos, and the scholarship programs that Vietnam finances are all part of these endeavors.

Vietnam has emphasized its commitment to promoting scholarship programs that are relevant to students from Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar. Additionally, Vietnam will continue to fund booths for these three countries at significant international fairs and exhibitions. The route that CLMV activities will take from 2023 to 2024 is what this alludes to.

Vietnam went on to suggest that Laos, Cambodia, and Myanmar should all throw up their borders, implement laws and procedures to facilitate trade and investment, and do away with obstacles to cross-border commerce and investment.

Economic development, a more robust regional supply chain, and a flourishing business community can only result from the four member nations' mutual assistance in the successful implementation of the free trade agreements (FTAs).

The CLMV Action Plan projects will go forward more quickly if the conference's decision to designate the head of SEOM CLMV to encourage national ministries and focal agencies to work closely together in a coordinated manner was upheld.

The Conference reviewed and unanimously approved the updated instructions for carrying out the CLMV Action Plan, which the ASEAN Secretariat had proposed and supported. When planning and constructing future cooperation initiatives, this will serve as a foundation for the nations involved.

Important topics covered during the conference include an "action plan to implement the CLMV Development Framework." Each delegation's head of state or government thanked Korea for funding the "Socialization Workshop to Implement the Action Plan to Implement the CLMV Development Framework" and the ASEAN Secretariat and the Mekong Institute for its development.

Attendees from a number of countries, as well as focal ministries and appropriate implementing agencies, contributed to the Socialization Workshop, which Minister Nguyen Hong Dien praised. He thinks the conference will be a great chance for the four countries' relevant agencies to talk shop, outline goals, suggest ways to work together, identify challenges, and brainstorm solutions to speed up the "Action Plan to Implement the CLMV Development Framework."

The Heads of Delegation have given the SEOM CLMV Head instructions to work with the ASEAN Secretariat to develop a strategy for the planning of the workshop and carrying out the projects listed in the "Action Plan to Implement the CLMV Development Framework."

At the end of the conference, officials from the ASEAN Secretariat praised the four participating countries—Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar—for their outstanding performance in collaborating on CLMV Action Plan projects for 2023–2024 and for finishing the Socialization Workshop project to implement the "Action Plan to Implement the CLMV Development Framework."

To guarantee a smooth supply chain in the region, the ASEAN Secretariat has called on the CLMV countries to step up their cooperation, boost digital transformation initiatives, incorporate scientific knowledge into production, and invite private investment and business./.