GMS Contents

First Meeting of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Task Force on Gender

The First Meeting of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Task Force on Gender convened virtually on 5 June 2025, organized by the GMS Program Secretariat. Mr. Asadullah Sumbal of the GMS Secretariat delivered opening remarks on behalf of Mr. Alfredo Perdiguero, Head of the GMS Secretariat, underscoring the GMS Program’s strong commitment to advancing gender equality and social inclusion as core elements of regional cooperation.

First Meeting of GMS Working Group on Trade and Investment and Workshop on Model Law of Electronic Transferable Records

The workshop on the Model Law of Electronic Transferable Records (MLETR) and the First Meeting of GMS Working Group on Trade and Investment were held on 28-29 May 2025 in Siem Reap, Cambodia.

The workshop provided GMS government officials with core principles and business impacts of the MLETR.

Third Mekong Dialogue on Labor Mobility

On 29 May 2025, the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare (MOLSW) of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) hosted the Third Mekong Dialogue on Labor Mobility in Luang Prabang City, with support from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM). His Excellency Phongsaysack Inthalath, Deputy Minister of MOLSW, Lao PDR, emphasized in his keynote address that putting a primer on migration initiatives leads to dignity and opportunity for all.

Digitalization as a Driver for Transforming Agri-food Systems in the GMS

10-12 June 2025

Baiyoke Sky Hotel, Bangkok | Hybrid (in-person and online via Zoom)

Policymakers, agribusinesses, tech innovators, and development partners from across the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) and beyond will gather to co-create and scale digital innovations for sustainable agrifood transformation.

Key topics:

• Cross-border digital traceability and certification

• Climate-smart agriculture and smart farming

• Digital finance and fintech for smallholders

• E-commerce and logistics innovations

54th Meeting of the GMS Tourism Working Group

Thailand's Department of Tourism under the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, and the Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office (MTCO) as co-organizer, hosted the 54th GMS Tourism Working Group Meeting (TWG-54) on 17 December 2024 in Krabi, Thailand. Senior and mid-level officials representing the National Tourism Organizations (NTOs) of the six GMS countries, MTCO, Asian Development Bank (ADB), development partners and organizations, including the ASEAN Secretariat (online participation), ASEAN-China Centre, ASEAN-Japan Centre (online participation), DASTA (online participation), Millennium Destinations, and ECPAT International, attended the meeting. 


Photo shows the participants of this year's regional training program together with the training team. Photo credit: ADB.

Honing Project Management Skills to Achieve Development Goals

Thirty-nine government officials and specialists joined this year’s Regional Training in Project Management organized by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Bangkok from 5 to 9 May. The training program is designed to support the Brunei Darussalam–Indonesia–Malaysia–Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA), Indonesia–Malaysia–Thailand Growth Triangle (IMT-GT), and the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) in project planning and implementation. It fosters a results-based project management approach that aligns projects to sector strategies.

GMS-2030 Kunming Strategic Framework for Transformation of Agrifood Systems

The Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) is characterized by rapid economic growth, rich biodiversity, and a strong reliance on agriculture for livelihoods. Agriculture remains the backbone of the GMS economies, employing a large portion of the population and contributing substantially to the national Gross Domestic Product especially in less industrialized countries.


Fifth Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge Approaches Full Completion and Opening

The fifth Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge spanning the Mekong River, connecting Borikhamxay province in Lao PDR with Bueng Kan province in Thailand, is now 96% complete. Its official opening is being planned for May 2025, coinciding with the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries. The new bridge will facilitate easier travel and trade between the two countries, as well as strengthen connections within the Greater Mekong Subregion, particularly benefiting businesses engaged in trade between Thailand and Viet Nam.


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