Greater Mekong Subregion Digital Economy Cooperation Initiative
Building digitally-connected Greater Mekong Subreion Economic Corridors
Information and Communication Technology
Information and communication technology (ICT) is helping to transcend geographic boundaries across the Greater Mekong Subregion.
More and more people have access to phones and the internet, enabling individuals, communities, and businesses to connect and collaborate as never before. The countries in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) recognize the importance of investing in ICT to improve productivity and efficiency, build knowledge-based economies, and reduce poverty.
Under the GMS Program, cooperation in this sector has contributed to a subregional “information superhighway” based on interconnected telecommunications infrastructure. The countries are now leveraging ICT to make the GMS more economically integrated and competitive.
In 2015, the GMS Cross-Border E-Commerce Cooperation Platform was established, followed a year later by the GMS E-Commerce Business Alliance. Together, these two initiatives are boosting intraregional trade through policy exchanges, enterprise interaction, and capacity building.
Related
Focal Persons at the Asian Development Bank
- Pinsuda Alexander
Regional Cooperation and Operations Coordination Division,
Southeast Asia Department - Arun Ramamurthy
Sustainable Infrastructure Division
East Asia Department
Other Concerned Staff & Consultants
- Rafaelita Jamon
Regional Cooperation and Operations Coordination Division,
Southeast Asia Department/GMS Secretariat
Send inquiries to GMS Secretariat.
Photo by Jacques Beaulieu/Flickr (CC BY-NC 2.0)
Urban Management Platform Fosters Discussion on Urban Development in Vientiane
The Urban Management Platform of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic supported by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) aims to tackle urban development policies and issues in Vientiane, such as land administration, investment in urban development, and revision of the transport master plan. The first meeting reviewed current land management practices. Government officials and JICA specialists attended, reported the Vientiane Times on 18 February 2022.
Viet Nam Industry 4.0 Summit 2021 Promotes Industrialization and Modernization in the Digital Age
The Viet Nam Industry 4.0 Summit 2021 highlighted the creation of a sustainable socioeconomic recovery and growth in Viet Nam in the post-COVID-19 era, and promoted industrialization and modernization in the digital age.
Mr. Andrew Jeffries, Country Director for ADB Viet Nam Resident Mission, joined the plenary discussion on post-pandemic economic recovery and digital transformation as a new vehicle for green recovery on 5 December 2021.
ADB-UNIDO Workshop Emphasizes Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) in Cambodia
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), in collaboration with the Ministry of Industry, Science, Technology and Innovation and the Ministry of Economic and Finance of the Government of Cambodia, held a virtual discussion on the status of Cambodia’s fourth industrial revolution (4IR) and pathways for the country’s transformation to this new industrial model by 2030 on 7-8 December 2021.
Big Data for Better Tourism Policy, Management, and Sustainable Recovery from COVID-19
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Chay Lap Farmstay in Phuc Trach commune, Bo Trach District, Quang Binh Province. The community-based tourism area was first supported by the GMS Sustainable Tourism Development Project funded by ADB. The People's Committee of Quang Binh province allowed it to partner with Oxalis Adventure Tours in order to upgrade the Farmstay to a four-star service. Photo by ADB
Viet Nam Eyes Development of Rural Tourism Powered by Digital Technology
Viet Nam is eyeing the development of rural tourism—such as community-based tourism, agricultural tourism, and ecotourism—backed by digital transformation.
Viet Nam has around 365 rural tourism spots and more than 2,000 traditional craft villages with potential for development under rural tourism.
ADB-supported Event Promotes Cross-border Trade between India and GMS Countries
Trade promotion agencies of Cambodia, India, Thailand, and Viet Nam held an event promoting cross-border trade connectivity between India and countries in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) on 19 August. Representatives from each country gave briefings on their business environment and exchanged experiences in facilitating trade and investment cooperation. Noting challenges caused by COVID-19, they urged governments to take measures to help their small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) move beyond national borders and expand markets.
Meeting photo via Viet Nam Plus
Second Mekong-U.S. Partnership Ministerial Meeting Underscores U.S. Commitment to the Subregion
The second Mekong-U.S. Partnership Ministerial Meeting held on 2 August 2021 unveiled four flagship projects under the Mekong-U.S. Partnership, and noted the 8.5 million vaccine doses and over $58 million in U.S. COVID-19 assistance to the Mekong subregion countries.
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Parks and scenic areas in Beijing, PRC, have taken measures to control the number of visitors and limit them to 40% of the same period of previous years. Photo by ADB.
Fourth Meeting of the GMS Urban Development Working Group
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