On 14 June 2023, Ms. Pinsuda Jayanama, Ambassador attached to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Thailand’s Senior Official for Mekong Cooperation, chaired the Informal Senior Officials’ Meeting of the Ayeyawady - Chao Phraya - Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS) at the Conrad Hotel, Bangkok. The Meeting was attended by Senior Officials and representatives of ACMECS Member Countries.

The Meeting reviewed the progress of cooperation under the ACMECS framework, including projects under the ACMECS Master Plan (2019 - 2023) and the establishment of the ACMECS Development Fund (ACMDF). In this regard, the ACMECS Senior Officials agreed to expedite the establishment of the ACMDF with the aim to be a key deliverable of the 10th ACMECS Summit, hosted by the Lao PDR in its capacity as the ACMECS Chair in 2024.

The Meeting also discussed about the drafting of the new ACMECS Master Plan (2024 - 2028) and agreed to Thailand’s proposal to maintain the existing Three Pillars of cooperation in the present ACMECS Master Plan in the draft new Master Plan; namely, Pillar 1 Seamless Connectivity, Pillar 2 Synchronized ACMECS Economies, and Pillar 3 Smart and Sustainable ACMECS. The ACMECS Senior Officials also agreed to consider Thailand’s proposal to include additional areas of cooperation in the draft new Master Plan, such as resilient supply chain, e-commerce, climate change, natural disasters, food security and preparedness for emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases.

Moreover, the Meeting welcomed the establishment of the ACMECS Interim Secretariat in Thailand with the Mekong Institute (MI) as its back office providing technical support. The Meeting also agreed to the Thai proposal to organise activities on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the founding of ACMECS in 2023 such as setting - up an official ACMECS website and organizing an ACMECS logo competition and academic seminar.

ACMECS is a Mekong sub-regional cooperation framework initiated by Thailand in 2003, comprising five Mekong countries; namely, Cambodia, the Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand and Viet Nam, as members. ACMECS aims to promote cooperation, connectivity and sustainable development in the sub-region for the mutual benefit and prosperity of the ACMECS Member Countries.