The Heads of the Governments of Japan, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand and Viet Nam, met in Bali, Indonesia on 18 November 2011, for the 3^rd Mekong-Japan Summit.

The leaders of the Mekong region countries expressed their deep gratitude to Japan for continuing its contribution to Mekong region countries and exchanged views on regional and global issues of common concern. ERIA is mentioned in paragraph 1 of the Joint Statement.

1. We reaffirmed the importance of further synergy between Mekong Japan cooperation and other efforts to enhance ASEAN connectivity, particularly the implementation of the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity (MPAC), in order to support ASEAN's goal to build ASEAN Community by 2015. We welcomed the progress of agreed projects that support hard and soft infrastructure development in the Mekong sub-region and emphasized that the implementation process should be accelerated. The leaders of the Mekong region countries appreciated Japan's contribution to improve connectivity in this region and reaffirmed the importance to fulfill infrastructure missing links along key economic corridors, particularly East-West Economic Corridor and Southern Economic Corridor. In this regard, the leaders of Mekong countries expressed the appreciation for Japan's decision to implement feasibility studies in Myanmar, initiated by Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) with the use of Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF), which will make an important contribution to enhancement of intra Mekong and ASEAN Connectivity.

2011_1118_Joint Statement 3rd Mekong-Japan Summit.pdf