GMS in the News


Phnom Penh skyline reflecting the city's rapid growth. The Central Market, built in 1937, is seen in the foreground. Photo by Lor Teng Huy - own work, CC BY-SA 4.0

GMS Ministers to Gather in Phnom Penh for the 23rd GMS Ministerial Conference

The Ministers of the six member countries of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) are set to lay the groundwork for the preparation for the 7th GMS Summit of Leaders. 

Hosted by the Royal Government of Cambodia and the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the 23rd GMS Ministerial Conference (MC-23) will take place in Phnom Penh on 18 November 2019, with the theme "Greater Integration, Inclusivity and Sustainability in the GMS.”   


The development of night markets in three towns along the Mekong River aims to help revitalize the Greater Mekong Subregion and reduce poverty. Photo credit: Javier Coloma Brotons.

Increasing Economic Activities through Night Markets

A pilot project has developed night markets in selected border towns in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) to take advantage of the economic opportunities opened by infrastructure projects in the area.


Khamking Koemany is a homestay provider on Don Khon Island, one of the popular sites for tourists visiting the Four Thousand Islands group on the Mekong River in Champasack Province. His business has flourished since he received training in tourism services under the GMS Sustainable Tourism Development Project. Photo: ADB.

Lao PDR and the Greater Mekong Subregion: Expanding Opportunities for Growth

Blessed with rich natural resources and a strategic location at the heart of the Greater Mekong Subregion, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic has emerged from decades of turmoil and isolation to become one of the fastest growing economies in Southeast Asia since 2011.


A beach on Phu Quoc Island, Viet Nam

Ferry services between Kampot in Cambodia and Phu Quoc Island (in photo), a leading tourist attraction in Viet Nam, are expected to promote tourism as well as benefit residents and local businesses in the Southern Coastal Subcorridor. Photo: iStock.com.

Fast Ferries to Boost Tourism in Southern Economic Corridor

An international seaport project in Southern Cambodia will serve as a gateway for direct ferry services to Viet Nam and later to other destinations in the Gulf of Thailand. The fast ferry services are expected to boost tourism in the Southern Coastal Subcorridor of the Greater Mekong Subregion.


Tourism is growing rapidly in Viet Nam, but most growth and corresponding socioeconomic benefits are concentrated in a few gateway destinations, says ADB Project Administration Unit Head for Viet Nam Mr. Steven Schipani. Photo: ADB.

ADB Project to Help Boost Inclusive Tourism in Viet Nam’s Secondary Towns

HA NOI, VIET NAM (10 December 2018) — The Asian Development Bank has approved a $45 million loan to help Viet Nam transform secondary towns into more economically inclusive, competitive tourism destinations.


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