Ministers from six Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) nations will meet in Thailand’s Petchburi province on Jun. 19 to review ongoing efforts to forge closer links amongst the six countries, ADB has said in a press release.

Senior government ministers to the 15th GMS Ministerial Conference will be exploring how transportation, trade, energy, telecommunications, agriculture, tourism and environmental programmes can be advanced amid bleak economic conditions around the world.

"The Conference aims to strengthen the GMS Programme’s responses to the key issues facing the sub-region in the face of a challenging global economic environment,” Arjun Thapan, Director General of ADB's Southeast Asia Department said.

Key topics for discussion will include the Road Map for Expanded Energy cooperation, which focuses on energy efficiency and renewable energy for mitigating climate change, and a Human Resources Development Strategic Framework that sets forth measures to support safe labor migration, improved communicable disease control, and the promotion of education and skills development.

The GMS Programme has had many notable milestones since its inception, including the opening in December 2006 of the Second Mekong International Bridge, the last component of the East-West Economic Corridor – a 1,500 kilometre stretch of upgraded roads that cuts across four of the six GMS countries./.