The Fifth Meeting of the GMS Working Group on Health Cooperation (WGHC-5) was held on 13–14 December 2022 in Siem Reap, Cambodia. WGHC-5 was co-organized by the Ministry of Health of Cambodia and ADB.
The strategy development focal points of the Working Group on Health Cooperation in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) met in Bangkok on 25-26 July 2023 to lay out the road map for the GMS Health Cooperation Strategy 2024-2030. The meeting also discussed new areas of interest and possible partnerships, the process for upcoming country consultations, and the organization of the 6th GMS Working Group on Health Cooperation meeting to be held in Beijing, People’s Republic of China in December 2023.
The rich natural environment of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) has led to significant development to the economy and livelihoods, but the GMS countries, especially the Lower Mekong countries, are highly vulnerable to climate change and disasters.
In the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) water resources form the basis of agrarian prosperity and economic development. However, increasing water demand due to population growth, rapid industrialisation and urbanisation, as well as a changing climate, are undermining those water resources.
Great strides were made in bringing power to the people by innovative policies, new technologies, and increased financing, but the region is unlikely to reach energy access targets by 2030. . Photo credit: ADB.
Despite welcome progress on universal access to electricity, the transition to renewable energy is faltering at a time when multiple shocks are hitting Asia and the Pacific hard.
Photo by Shanice Garcia on Unsplash
Agriculture has been a double-edged sword for the Greater Mekong Sub-Region: while it provides an ample source of nutrition and business for GMS countries, it also places undue pressure on the environment.
View from Lotte Observation Deck in Hanoi. Photo by ADB.
International tourism is bouncing back rapidly in the Greater Mekong Subregion, with 2022 and early 2023 international tourism numbers exhibiting strong and steady recovery. Furthermore, domestic tourism has grown steadily in many GMS countries in 2022, and continues to be a tourism sector priority.
The 51st GMS Tourism Working Group Meeting (TWG-51) was held on 25 April 2023 in Preah Sihanouk, Cambodia. It was hosted by the Government of Cambodia and co-organized by the Cambodia Ministry of Tourism, and the Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office (MTCO). The meeting was attended by senior and mid-level officials representing the National Tourism Organizations of the six GMS countries, MTCO, development partners and organizations, including the ASEAN Japan Centre, Asian Development Bank (ADB) and private sector, including China Ready.
The High-Value Horticulture Development Project in Viet Nam scales up and transfers a successful high-value horticulture business model built on the introduction of climate-controlled greenhouse technology in tropical highlands in Asia. The business model will be replicated for vegetable production. Photo by ADB.
The 20th Annual Meeting of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Working Group on Agriculture (WGA) was held on 10–12 May 2023 in Siem Reap, Cambodia. The meeting underscored the need to enhance (i) subregional cooperation on green and climate resilient agri-food value chains, and (ii) green financing of small and medium agribusinesses. The meeting also confirmed four priority action points by the WGA, and discussed the planned new agriculture sector strategy.
Engineer R. Akkachat Chatthong checks the condition of the solar panel surface. Photo from the "Thailand: Provincial Solar Power Project" by ADB.
Greater Mekong Subregion countries will meet on 13-14 June 2023, Manila, Philippines, for the first GMS Energy Transition Task Force Meeting (ETTF).
Greater Mekong Subregion Secretariat
Regional Cooperation and Operations Coordination Division,
Southeast Asia Department, Asian Development Bank
Address: 6 ADB Avenue, Mandaluyong City 1550, Metro Manila, Philippines
Telephone: +63 2 8632 4444 Fax: +63 2 8636 2226
