The Mekong Institute is expanding its role as a platform for dialogue and diplomacy in the rapidly developing Greater Mekong Subregion. To do so, the Institute is pivoting its focus from training and capacity building to trade and innovation. The goal, officials told Devex, is to turn the region’s gaze outward toward global commercial opportunities.
“It’s not the old GMS anymore where the farmers and manufacturers produce for domestic consumption,” Mekong Institute executive director Wacharas Leelawath told Devex in an interview. “Now, it’s becoming more commercialized and modernized.”
Taking advantage of trade and other international business opportunities will require a shared regional vision from the subregion’s governments, he said.
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About the author
Lean Alfred Santos@DevexLeanAS
Lean Alfred Santos is a former Devex development reporter focusing on the development community in Asia-Pacific, including major players such as the Asian Development Bank and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. He previously covered Philippine and international business and economic news, sports and politics.
