Myanmar delegation led by Union Minister for International Cooperation, U Kyaw Tin, arrived back Yangon yesterday evening after attending the Second High-Level United Nations Conference on South-South Cooperation which was held in Buenos Aires, the Argentine Republic from 20 to 22 March 2019.
The Conference marked the fortieth anniversary of the adoption of the Buenos Aires Plan of Action for Promoting and Implementing Technical Cooperation among Developing Countries (BAPA) at the UN Conference in 1978.
The Conference was attended by the Heads of State/ Heads of Government and Ministers from 160 member states to deliberate on the overarching theme, “Role of South-South Cooperation and implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: Challenges and Opportunities”. At the Conference, delegates discussed a wide range of issues including the reviewing of the trends of South-South cooperation and triangular cooperation that aimed at achieving sustainable development. They also discussed the progress made by the International Community and the United Nations in supporting and promoting such cooperation and identifying new opportunities, as well as challenges and suggestions to overcome them.
Union Minister U Kyaw Tin delivered a statement at the General Debate of the Conference on 20 March 2019, stressing the growing potentials and opportunities of the South-South cooperation for promoting sustainable development due to emergence of well-advanced economies in the South. In his statement, the Minister also voiced support for the important role of the South-South cooperation in addressing challenges to achieve the goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. He also emphasized the need to provide the least developed countries with sufficient external support in this regard and supported the call for continued granting of duty-free and quota- free market access for all products to all LDCs in line with the decision of the WTO.
The Union Minister also briefed the Meeting of Myanmar’s commitment to the realization of the 2030 Development Agenda and its national endeavors towards that end through adoption of Myanmar Sustainable Development Plan (MSDP) which was founded on a vision of a democratic federal union where all people live in peace, harmony and prosperity.
The Union Minister also apprised the meeting of the reform measures to build an investment friendly environment in Myanmar including the development of a project bank, a rolling databank consisting of major projects screened and prioritized for implementation. He then invited the countries from both North and South to avail themselves of the vast opportunities for expanding cooperation with Myanmar through promoting trade and investment.
At its closing session held on 22 March 2019, the Conference adopted the Outcome document of the Second United Nations High-Level Conference on South-South Cooperation, reaffirming their commitments to continue working closely and extending support to one another at regional and international arena, especially within the frameworks of the United Nations, BAPA, WTO and other sub-regional cooperation mechanisms.
In the evening of 20 March 2019, the Union Minister attended the dinner hosted by Mr. Jorge Faurie, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Worship of the Argentine Republic.
On 21 March 2019, the Union Minister attended High-level Dialogue with Ministers of Asian Countries organized by the Mr. Jorge Faurie, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Worship of the Argentine Republic. The high level representatives of Asian countries exchanged views on further underpinning multi-faceted cooperation between Argentina and Asian countries as well as the prospects of trade and investment sectors on bilateral and triangular cooperation.
On the sideline of the Conference, the Union Minister held bilateral meeting with Mr. Gustavo Zlauvinen, Deputy Foreign Minister of the Argentine Republic on 21 March 2019 and discussed strengthening of bilateral relations between Myanmar and Argentina and the possible cooperation in the areas of agriculture, livestock, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, culture and sports.
On 22 March 2019, the Union Minister attended the working dinner hosted by Mr. Rodolfo Caffaro Kramer, President of ASEAN-MERCOSUR Chamber of Commerce and exchanged views on opportunities of promoting trade, tourism and investment between Myanmar and Argentina. Ambassador of Myanmar concurrently accredited to Argentina, U Myo Tint, officials concerned from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs also accompanied the Minister at the meetings.—MNA