Six nations Three decades One vision
In its 30th year, as the GMS Program pursues the directions and priorities set in the GMS-2030, GMS Program investment and technical assistance projects have reached $30.3 billion. View the latest infographic.
Three Pillars of GMS
We rely on the fundamental strengths of community, connectivity, and competitiveness
What's new?
Ensuring Health and Safety in Lao PDR’s Empire Water
GMS @ 30
Over three decades of regional cooperation. View a timeline of our history.
2030 Vision
The GMS-2030 Vision is to develop a more integrated, prosperous, sustainable, and inclusive subregion.
Transport
Transport lies at the heart of GMS cooperation. The development of physical infrastructure complemented with policies and procedures for crossing borders and developing trade along key routes have been central to efforts to forge a truly interconnected subregion.
Environment
Natural ecosystems – and the food, water, energy, and other vital elements they provide – lie at the heart of the development of the GMS. How these natural resources are protected, managed, and enhanced will determine the long-term sustainability of its environment and economic development.
Energy
New energy solutions are crucial to developing the GMS, where power demand is surging. These include improving energy efficiency and cross-border power trading.
Urban Development
By 2050, GMS is expected to be at least 50% urbanized. Careful planning is needed to balance urban growth with environmental protection and economic equity so that healthy cities can be enjoyed by all residents.
Trade & Transport Facilitation
The GMS Transport and Trade Facilitation Action Program is working to overcome existing barriers in order to link the subregion to the ASEAN Economic Community’s single market and production base, as well as other regional cooperation initiatives.
Health Cooperation
Regional integration creates opportunities to draw on the subregion’s health leadership, human resource skills, and programming experience to address common health challenges.
Tourism
Countries in the GMS are working together to promote the subregion as a single destination for international visitors and encourage communities to enhance the environmental, social, and economic benefits of tourism.
Agriculture
GMS has a great opportunity to be a major supplier of safe and environment-friendly agriculture products. A subregional approach toward safe and environment-friendly agrifood value chains is expected to achieve greater trade, economies of scale, and inclusive food safety.
Latest Publications
Facilitating Power Trade in the Greater Mekong Subregion: Establishing and Implementing a Regional Grid Code
This report explains the complex challenges facing the six countries in the renewables-rich Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) as they work to implement a comprehensive framework to enable regional electricity power trading.
ASEAN Catalytic Green Finance Facility 2022: Building Southeast Asia’s Green Project Pipelines
This report explains the complex challenges facing the six countries in the renewables-rich Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) as they work to implement a comprehensive framework to enable regional electricity power trading.
Deepening Development Partners' Engagement in the Greater Mekong Subregion Program
At the 7th Leaders’ Summit in 2021, the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) leaders approved the Greater Mekong Subregion Economic Cooperation Strategic Framework 2030 (GMS 2030)...
The Greater Mekong Subregion Program Strategy 2030: Results Framework
The GMS Secretariat, in close coordination with GMS countries, will prepare a results framework to trace the implementation of GMS-2030...
Regional Investment Framework 2023-2025
As the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) program enters its third decade of cooperation, the GMS Leaders endorsed and adopted the Greater Mekong Subregion Economic Cooperation Program Strategic Framework 2030 (GMS-2030) at the 7th GMS Summit...
Greater Mekong Subregion Digital Economy Cooperation Initiative
Building digitally-connected Greater Mekong Subregion Economic Corridors
Greater Mekong Subregion Knowledge Network
The objective of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Knowledge Network (GMSKN) is to provide expertise, stimulate discussion, and raise awareness on relevant and emerging issues in the GMS.
Establishing the Task Force on Trade and Investment
The Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Economic Cooperation Program Strategic Framework 2030 (GMS 2030) mandates the GMS Program to continue its efforts to develop trade and investment facilitation in the subregion and beyond.
Greater Mekong Subregion Gender Strategy
A new GMS Economic Cooperation Strategic Framework 2030 (GMS-2030) will support enhanced regional cooperation and promote equitable sharing of the benefits of regional integration as the region begins to rebuild after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Latest News
ADB Signs Loan for First Cross-Border Wind Power Project in Asia, First Plant in Lao PDR and Largest in Southeast Asia
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Monsoon Wind Power Company Limited (Monsoon) signed a $ 692.55 million nonrecourse project financing package to build a 600-megawatt wind power plant in Sekong and Attapeu provinces in the southern region of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) to export and sell power to neighboring Viet Nam.
Improving Food Safety in Fruit and Vegetable Value Chains in Viet Nam
Fruit and vegetables are essential for good health and generate income for millions of smallholder farmers and other value chain actors in Viet Nam. However, consumers tend to reduce intake as they are concerned about food safety. They are mostly worried about pesticide contamination. Many fruits and vegetables in the country are produced with high usage of chemical fertilizers and pesticides./p>
Ensuring Health and Safety in Lao PDR’s Empire Water
With 70 brands of drinking water distributed in four provinces in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR)—Vientiane Capital, Vientiane Province, Louangphabang, and Bolikhamxai—the private company Empire Water relies on its reputation of safety in producing and supplying quality bottled water to establishments, including hotels and restaurants.
Raising Food Standards for Cross-Border Trade in the Lao People's Democratic Republic
Ensuring food is safe to eat is a public good. People’s health depends on it, and so does the health of economies. People and countries won’t buy food if they are not certain it’s safe, but they’ll often buy more of it when they can be sure that it is.
ADB Strengthens Cooperation with ASEAN on Disaster Risk Management
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has announced a grant of $1.3 million to advance disaster risk management in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) through technical assistance (TA). The TA will support the implementation of the ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response Work Programme, 2021–2025, which will strengthen regional cooperation on understanding, reducing, and managing transboundary risks.
ADB to Help Diversify Cambodia’s Economy, Boost Competitiveness
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $50 million policy-based loan under subprogram 1 of the Trade and Competitiveness Program to support the Government of Cambodia to diversify the country’s economy and boost its global competitiveness.
ADB Provides Landmark Assistance to Cambodia’s Marine Fisheries Sector
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $73 million financing package to boost the climate resilience and sustainability of coastal and marine fisheries in Cambodia.
ADB Supporting Cambodia’s Energy Transition Program
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a sector development program that combines a $50 million policy-based loan package with $23 million in project investments to support the energy transition of Cambodia. The Energy Transition Sector Development Program includes ADB’s first comprehensive policy reform package for the energy sector in Cambodia.