Following the approval of the GMS Health Cooperation Strategy 2019–2023 by the Health Ministers of the six Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) countries in December 2019, the GMS Strategic Results Framework (SRF) 2019–2023 was endorsed by the GMS countries to provide guidance to the GMS Working Group on Health Cooperation, in collaboration with GMS countries, in monitoring and evaluating the Strategy’s effectiveness against its intended strategic outcomes by 2023.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has launched a new country partnership strategy (CPS) for Viet Nam covering the period 2023–2026. The strategy will help promote inclusive, green, and private sector-led development in Viet Nam and build a foundation for the country to achieve its goal of becoming upper middle-income by 2030.

LaoSafe, a health and hygiene program for the tourism and hospitality sector, was rolled out in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic by the country’s Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, to welcome tourists back safely into the country.  

Foreign ministers of Mekong–Lancang Cooperation member countries vowed to strengthen their cooperation in economic integration, agriculture and food security, green development, innovation, public health and people-to-people exchanges, at the 7th Mekong - Lancang Cooperation meeting. 

The meeting adopted four joint statements on strengthening agricultural cooperation, disaster prevention, customs and trade facilitation, and exchanges between MLC civilizations. 

This report shows why Southeast Asian countries need to prioritize core sectors ranging from tourism to digital trade as they hammer out policies to boost post-COVID-19 recovery and secure a greener future.