|
Setting the Stage for Global Infrastructure Cooperation:
MOLIT hosts ‘ASEAN-ROK High-level Dialogue on Infrastructure’ and ‘Global Infrastructrue Cooperation Conference 2019’ to nurture international cooperation on infrastructure and support Korean companies’ bids to overseas infrastructure projects
1. ASEAN-ROK High-level Dialogue on Infrastructure
(September 2, 2019, INTERCONTINENTAL SEOUL COEX)
- Host: Vice Minister KIM Kyung-wook of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport
- Theme: Sustainable Smart City
- Participants: Vice Ministers (or officials holding equivalent positions) from ASEAN member states
- Purpose: Discuss ASEAN-ROK infrastructure cooperation in preparation of the ASEAN-ROK
Special Summit due this November in Busan, Korea
2. Global Infrastructure Cooperation Forum 2019
(September 3-5, 2019, INTERCONTINENTAL SEOUL COEX)
- Host : Vice Minister PARK Sun-ho of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport
- Participants: Mr. BAN Ki-moon(Former UN Secretary General and Chairman of the National Council on Climate and Air Quality of Korea), Ministers and Vice Ministers in charge of infrastructure, Korean E&C companies and relevant public-sector companies, etc
- Purpose: Promote Korean companies interested in overseas infrastructure projects by offering networking opportunities and sharing project information
- Program: High-level bilateral government meetings, 1:1 Business Meeting(around 400), Project Seminar(30 cases), etc
As part of the Korean government’s efforts to support Korean companies interested in infrastructure projects overseas, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) will hold ‘ASEAN-ROK High-level Dialogue on Infrastructure’ and ‘Global Infrastructure Cooperation Conference(GICC) 2019’ in Seoul, Korea.
Held on September 2, ‘ASEAN-ROK High-level Dialogue on Infrastructure’ will be chaired by Vice Minister KIM Kyung-wook of MOLIT. Other participants to the dialogue will include Vice Ministers of the ten ASEAN member states as well as the delegates from the ASEAN Secretariat.
The theme of this year’s high-level dialogue -Sustainable Smart City- is the first of the three agendas adopted last year at the ASEAN-ROK Infrastructure Ministers’ Meeting. (Three Agendas: 1. Sustainable Smart City, 2. Smart Infrastructure, 3. Land Information)
While discuss how the concept of sustainable smart city can become a promising solution to various city problems caused by dramatic urbanization such as overcrowding and ageing, delegates shared information on smart city development status and plan. To affirm the determination to purse active cooperation on smart city, the delegates signed the Agreed Minutes of the ASEAN-ROK High-level Dialogue on Infrastructure.
The high-level dialogue not only sets the stage for the Special ASEAN-ROK Summit due this November in Busan, Korea but also expands the roles of Korea and its companies in the ASEAN Smart Cities Network initiative (a regional platform to collaborate and synergize smart city development efforts across ASEAN).
‘Global Infrastructure Cooperation Conference (GICC) 2019,’ which will start a day after the ASEAN-ROK High-level Dialogue on Infrastructure, celebrates its 7th conference this year. Since its inception in 2013, GICC has been the largest international conference on infrastructure in Korea and provided a platform for developing cooperation and partnerships for the host governments of infrastructure projects, MDBs and Korean E&C companies.
At this year’s opening ceremony, Mr. Ban Ki-moon, former UN Secretary General and Chairman of the National Council on Climate and Air Quality, will deliver the keynote speech. Other honorary guests to the ceremony include Minister of Road and Transport Development of Mongolia, Vice Minister of Transport of Thailand, First Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Construction of Uzbekistan, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure of Ecuador. In total, 160 participants, representing 100 governments/organizations from 38 countries, will attend the opening ceremony.
After the opening ceremony, a variety of programs such as ‘Project Seminar’ (Briefings by relevant officials on upcoming infrastructure projects) and ‘1:1 Business Meeting’ (Consulting on overseas infrastructure projects with the MDB representatives or relevant officials) are planned as well.
The two Vice Ministers of MOLIT will have high-level bilateral meetings with the ministers and vice ministers from 17 countries to engage in the ‘infrastructure diplomacy’ in support of the Korean companies.
MOLIT officials say, “As the competition in the global infrastructure market intensifies, the importance of having access to project information as well as networking with right officials is growing and the GICC 2019 will give Korean companies opportunities to get both.”
“Aside from the GICC, the Korean government are considering and enacting other support measures such as lunching of ‘EURASIAN-Korea Infrastructure Cooperation Fund,’ ‘ASEAN-Korea Infrastructure Cooperation Fund’ and ‘Global PIS (Plant, Infrastructure Smart City) Fund’ for project funding (e.g. feasibility studies) and holding business seminars to give boost to Korean companies.”
To participate in the GICC programs, companies or organizations can make registration via the official website (www.GICC.kr) or at the conference site.
|