FAQs

1. What are the objectives of ACMECS?

ACMECS aims at reducing development gap between member countries and enhancing sustainable development through programmes and projects which create jobs and income especially in border areas. It is a homegrown initiative where member countries help each other, depend on one another’s strengths and rely on their own resources.

2. What are the activities of ACMECS?

ACMECS is a project-based framework which covers 6 areas of cooperation, namely, trade and investment facilitation, agricultural and industrial cooperation, transport linkages, tourism cooperation, human resource development and public health. ACMECS Plan of Action put its emphasis on practical projects that are implementable, give tangible results and benefit all parties concerned. The Leaders’ Declaration produced at the 2nd ACMECS Summit in November 2005 in Bangkok reviews major achievements and sets its future course.

3. How could ACMECS complement the work of other existing frameworks in the region, especially the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) cooperation?

ACMECS shares the same objectives as GMS to foster economic growth and bring about sustainable development to mainland Southeast Asia. Sense of ownership among member countries is ACMECS’ unique advantage that pushes its activities forward and contributes to the development of the GMS region at large. In particular, transport linkage cooperation under ACMECS has made significant progress in promoting “missing links” of the GMS’ Corridors as well as their connecting routes. A pilot project between Cambodia and Thailand to launch ACMECS Single Visa scheme in 2006 is another achievement that contributes to the GMS’ vision. Furthermore, the Asian Development Bank (ADB)’s participation in ACMECS as a Development Partner ensures that duplication is minimised and synergy is maximized between the two frameworks.

4. How could non-members participate in ACMECS?

In line with MDGs (Millenium Development Goals), ACMECS welcomes partnership with interested parties in fighting against poverty and promoting sustainable development in the region. As a home-grown initiative, ACMECS is a platform, equipped with mechanisms and implementing agencies, that could facilitate Development Partners in rendering their development cooperation more effectively and efficiently. Development Partners could discuss their interests with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of each member country or any of their Embassies. Reporting is then made to ACMECS Working Group (AWG) which meets every two months in Bangkok to consider the proposals.