EMPOWERING MSMES IN LANCANG-MEKONG COUNTRIES

Sustainable Energy and Environment

With the support of the People’s Government of the People’s Republic of China, Mekong Institute (MI) organized an Online Synthesis and Evaluation Workshop on “Advancing Financial Access and Support Policy to Empowering MSMEs for Digitalization and Inclusive Growth in Lancang-Mekong Countries” on September 30, 2022. The objective was to bring the participants back to reflect on their experiences on the action plan implementation and discuss further steps to move forward digital connectivity in the Lancang-Mekong Countries for Post-Pandemic Recovery.

In his welcome speech, Mr. Suriyan Vichitlekarn, MI Executive Director, highlighted the importance of digital inclusion as a key to supporting micro small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) during the COVID-19 pandemic. The session was outlined to give participants an overview of digital connectivity in Lancang-Mekong countries’ MSMEs, Fintech and digital payment inclusion, as well as support needed. After the theoretical presentation, participants were invited to reflect upon and discuss how the implementation went on the ground and jointly find a way to integrate new ideas.

This one-day online workshop reconvened 34 participants from China, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Vietnam, and Thailand who were involved in the development of the action plan in the previous workshop held on June 20 – 22, 2022. The session began with each country representative giving a presentation on the outcomes and sharing their reflections. This was followed by an exchange on the challenges which hinder MSMEs and how to further MSMEs empowerment in this digital era.

A number of action plans focused on the need for more digital services or platforms, identifying skills needed in digital era, finding a way to promote access to digital connectivity, and exploring new innovative digital technologies.

As an essential part of this workshop, Mr. Liu Qixin, an official from the Lancang-Mekong Sub-regional Economic and Trade Development Center, gave a presentation about the Progress and Way Forward for the GMS Cross-Border E Commerce Cooperation Platform and shared insights in implementing this project.

Related News

Scroll to Top

Mrs. Guohua Liu

Director, Sustainable Energy & Environment (SEE) Department

Mrs. Liu Guohua is the Director of the Sustainable Energy and Environment Department at the Mekong Institute. Prior to this role, she worked in the Department of International Economic Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, where she played a key role in shaping and implementing China’s cooperation strategies with UN development agencies. During this time, Mrs. Liu was actively involved in advancing initiatives related to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with a focus on climate change and green development. Additionally, she contributed to the evaluation of projects funded by various Chinese initiatives, such as the Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund, Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Special Fund, etc.

In addition to her work in the Department of International Economic Affairs, Mrs. Liu has an extensive diplomatic background. She spent 7 years in the Department of African Affairs, followed by a 4-year tenure at the Chinese Embassy in Lao PDR, where she gained deep expertise in both Southeast Asian and African affairs. These diverse experiences have played a crucial role in shaping her approach to sustainable development and international collaboration, particularly in building regional partnerships and tackling global challenges like climate change.

She holds a Master’s degree in Economics, with a specialization in Finance, from the Central University of Finance and Economics, and a Bachelor’s degree in Economics, specializing in International Economics and Trade, from the Shanghai University of International Business and Economics.