Population Mobility Mapping
Tracking Human Mobility Dynamics to Inform Public Health Interventions in Cambodia and the Lao People’s Democratic Republic
Tracking Human Mobility Dynamics to Inform Public Health Interventions in Cambodia and the Lao People’s Democratic Republic
The Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Regional Investment Framework 2024–2026 (RIF 2026) is the subsequent 3-year rolling pipeline of the GMS Program. It is comprised of 128 projects across the countries and sectors of the GMS program. The projects in the RIF 2026 will require mobilizing financial resources amounting to $17.7 billion from development partners, the private sector, and the countries’ national and regional budgets.
The GMS Task Force on Trade and Investment held the 2nd training and the 3rd meeting on January 23-25 in Vientiane. 30 government officials joined the training and studied SME financing schemes and communication strategies. The task force meeting agreed on the work plan for 2024 to promote digitalization and better engage with the private sector. On January 25, delegates visited Vientiane Logistics Park and Vientiane Saysettha Development Zone and exchanged views with the private sector.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) approved the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Border Areas Health Project in Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR), worth $24.9 million. It includes a $4.95 million grant from the Asian Development Fund, aimed at enhancing healthcare accessibility in the border provinces of Champasak, Phongsali, and Savannakhet.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in Viet Nam has initiated a Digital Transformation Project for the Agriculture sector for 2021–2025, with a view to 2030. This project is built on three foundational pillars: digital government, digital agricultural economy, and digital countryside, all aimed at fostering the emergence of "digital farmers."
The strategy development focal points from the Greater Mekong Subregion's Working Group on Health Cooperation met in Bangkok on 20–21 February 2024 to finalize the Greater Mekong Subregion Health Cooperation Strategy 2024–2030. Approval of the new regional strategy is anticipated in Q2,2024.
The Sihanoukville Special Economic Zone (SSEZ) in Cambodia marked a significant upsurge in trade activities in January and February 2024. The trade volume through this economic corridor reached $628 million, reflecting a robust growth of 38.3% compared to the same period in 2023.
The Freshwater Aquaculture Research and Development Centre (FARDeC), under Cambodia’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, is significantly bolstering the country's aquaculture sector by producing tens of thousands of fish hatchlings. Young fish bred by FARDeC have exhibited higher survival rates and faster growth compared to those in the wild, a success attributed to the center's specialized feeding program.
Cambodia's tourism sector continues on an upward trajectory, with the country making concerted efforts to surpass pre-pandemic tourism levels through strategic campaigns, international collaborations, and infrastructural enhancements. In the initial months of 2024, Cambodia has seen a significant uptick in international tourism.
The construction of the fifth Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge, an infrastructure project connecting the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) and Thailand, is on schedule to be completed by the end of 2024. This bridge spans the Mekong River, linking Bolikhamxay province in Lao PDR with Bueng Kan province in Thailand. The project is a testament to the ongoing cooperation between the two nations and is expected to enhance travel and trade within the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS).