Developing transport infrastructure in tandem with policies and procedures for crossing borders and promoting trade has been central to efforts to interconnect the Greater Mekong Subregion countries.
Transport lies at the heart of Greater Mekong Subregion cooperation. The development of physical infrastructure, such as roads and bridges, in tandem with policies and procedures for crossing borders and developing trade along key routes, has been central to efforts to forge a truly interconnected subregion.
Physically connecting the countries of the subregion was one of the first initiatives of the GMS program when it was founded in 1992. The countries of the Greater Mekong Subregion have acknowledged that in order to cooperate in trade, tourism, and investment, and to realize the other benefits of the region, they must expand the road links and border crossings that connect them.
This is being done through the development of “economic corridors”, which are geographic areas, often along major highways, where a variety of development projects are undertaken to maximize their development benefits. This might include projects involving infrastructure, laws and regulations, market development, and the improvement of urban centers. Economic corridors bring a wide range of benefits, far beyond what single projects deliver in terms of development impact.
The three main GMS corridors—the East–West, North–South and Southern economic corridors—have improved the lives of millions of people in the Greater Mekong Subregion. These corridors are being enhanced with secondary roads that extend their benefits to nearby communities most in need, and other roads that link to strategic seaports in the subregion. The regulatory details of how people and goods can best move along these corridors are also currently being worked out.
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The World Bank approved in June $110 million in additional financing to improve the condition, safety, and climate resilience of a key highway in Cambodia.
BANGKOK, THAILAND (4 July 2018) — The Asian Development Bank and the Government of Thailand today signed a $99.4 million loan agreement to help the country upgrade 125 kilometers of highways and improve road safety management in the country’s northeastern region.
High upfront costs and lack of incentives impede fuel efficiency initiatives in road freight in the Greater Mekong Subregion.
Viet Nam officially opened the 2.4-kilometer Cao Lanh Friendship Bridge and connecting roads in Dong Thap province on 27 May. Crossing the Tien branch of the Mekong River, the bridge is expected to reduce travel time for some 170,000 road users daily.
For 25 years, six countries in the Greater Mekong Subregion have been promoting regional economic development. Upgrading cross-border transport networks is a key area of investment.
The Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) began project preparations for a highway that extends from its capital Vientiane to Pakse city in the southern province of Champasak. The project is part of a highway that will connect Vientiane with Viet Nam’s capital Hanoi.
