ASEAN Identifies 15 Priority Projects in Mekong Countries

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have identified 19 priority infrastructure projects to enhance regional connectivity and mobilize investments. Fifteen of the projects are in the Greater Mekong Subregion.

The ASEAN Secretariat released the list of projects in the Initial Rolling Priority Pipeline of Potential ASEAN Infrastructure Projects under the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity 2025 on 10 June.

In the Greater Mekong Subregion, Myanmar has the most number of projects at five, followed by the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) with four projects, Thailand with three, Viet Nam with two, and Cambodia with one project.

Ten of the projects involve building and improving roads. In Myanmar, these are the Nay Pyi Taw-Kyaukphyu Expressway, Muse-Tigyaing-Mandalay Expressway, Yangon-Mandalay Expressway improvement, and Tarlay-Phasho-Kyainglat Road upgrading. In the Lao PDR, these are the upgrading of National Road No. 2 (AH13) and National Road No. 8 (AH15) on the Asian Highway network, a system of roads linking Asia and Europe. In Viet Nam, these are Southern Coastal Corridor Project (Phase 2) and Ho Chi Minh City-Moc Bai Expressway. Cambodia and Thailand have one road projects each—the upgrading of Siem Reap to Rattanakkiri National Roads and Hat Yai-Sadao Motorway.

Three projects support cross-border electricity trading in the subregion. On the Lao PDR side, these are the Lao PDR-Viet Nam Power Transmission Line and Lao PDR-Myanmar Power Transmission Line, and the Lao PDR-Myanmar Power Transmission Line on the Myanmar side.

The two other projects in Thailand are the ASEAN Digital Hub and Bangkok-Nong Khai High-Speed Rail Development for Regional Connectivity.

The initial pipeline of projects covers three sectors: transport, energy, and information and communication technology, which are expected to facilitate the movement of people, services, goods, and innovations among the ASEAN member countries.

The ASEAN Secretariat said the initial pipeline with financing options and pre-feasibility studies will be officially launched in November 2019.

Read tne news release at ASEAN.org.