Ancient Trade Route Delivers New Opportunities to the Greater Mekong Subregion
A modern highway and bridge connecting three countries in the Greater Mekong Subregion are reviving an ancient trade route and bringing new life to local communities.
A modern highway and bridge connecting three countries in the Greater Mekong Subregion are reviving an ancient trade route and bringing new life to local communities.
The once-isolated Lanten ethnic group in Nam Chang village has long been admired for its high-quality, indigo-dyed cotton clothes. ADB and Fair Trade Laos provided a range of support to develop community-based tourism, including an access road connecting the village to the highway, and training in textile marketing and management. Photo: ADB/Jason Rush.
Completion of the last overland link in the North-South Economic Corridor brings prosperity to poor provinces in the Lao People's Democratic Republic, a landlocked country that lies at the heart of the Greater Mekong Subregion.
An old ADB road stands the test of time in Myanmar, while new road upgrades designed to benefit farming communities in the country’s Ayerwaddy Delta are in the planning stage.
Prevention and awareness-raising programs help address increasing HIV/AIDS transmission risks as Myanmar’s borders open and mobility grows with the construction of new roads.