The Regional Investment Framework (RIF) puts into operation the Strategic Framework (SF) 2012–2022 through a pipeline of investment and technical assistance projects. The RIF covers a wide range of sectors including agriculture, energy, environment, health and other human resource development, information and communication technology, tourism, transport, transport and trade facilitation, urban development, and other multisector and border economic zones. As a comprehensive, forward-looking and strategic framework, the RIF embodies the collective aspirations of the six countries of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) to expand and deepen their economic cooperation program.

The RIF is regularly reviewed and updated to maintain its relevance and responsiveness as a planning tool for subregional initiatives in an ever-dynamic GMS.

In December 2013, the 19th Ministerial Conference endorsed the RIF 2013–2022 in the Lao capital of Vientiane with a directive to come up with an effective implementation plan. In December 2014, the RIF Implementation Plan (RIF-IP) 2014–2018 was prepared and presented during the 5th Leaders’ Summit in Bangkok.

In September 2015, the First Progress Report of the RIF–IP, which presents first semester updates of 93 high-priority projects, was reviewed at the 20th Ministerial Conference in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar. The Second Progress Report on updates for the second half of 2015 was circulated in June 2016. A Mid-Term Review of the RIF-IP was undertaken in 2016, which resulted in a Revised Regional Investment Framework Implementation Plan (RRIF-IP) 2020. RRIF-IP 2020 was endorsed at the 21st Ministerial Conference in Chiang Rai, Thailand in December 2016.

The RIF 2022, a consolidation and expansion of RIF 2013–2022 and the RRIF-IP 2014–2020, was endorsed at the 22nd Ministerial Conference in September 2017. After further refinements, it was adopted by the GMS Leaders at the 6th Summit in Ha Noi, Viet Nam in March 2018. The First Progress Report and Update presents updates to the RIF 2022 during the 2018 updating cycle (February to November 2018); it was approved ad referendum by the GMS Ministers in 2019. The Second Progress Report and Update presents updates to the RIF 2022 during the 2019 cycle (June to November 2019). It was endorsed by the GMS Ministers at the 23rd Ministerial Conference in Phnom Penh on 18 November 2019. The Third Progress Report and Update (2020) reflects updates and changes from November 2019 to October 2020. It was endorsed by the GMS ministers at the 24th GMS Ministerial Conference. It will be the final update to the RIF 2022.