About the Greater Mekong Sub-Region Economic Cooperation Program

The Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) Economic Cooperation Program (the GMS Program) was initiated in 1992. The aim then, as it remains today, was to foster economic growth and reduce poverty in the subregion by strengthening economic linkages among the six member countries.

Cooperation within the framework of the GMS Program covers nine sectors:

Transport

Trade Facilitation

Energy

Agriculture

Environment

Human Resource Development

Urban Development

Tourism

Information and Communications Technology

Other Multisector and Border Economic Zones

The GMS Program adopted a three-pronged strategy, called the 3Cs, to achieve its vision of a prosperous, integrated, and harmonious subregion. These are: (i) increasing connectivity; (ii) improving competitiveness; and (iii) building a greater sense of community.

The Program’s implementation is guided by the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) Economic Cooperation Program Strategic Framework 2030 (GMS-2030), a policy document that aims to provide a holistic response to existing and new challenges.