High level government officials from Cambodia, P.R. China, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam, as well as representatives from the New Zealand Aid Programme, Asian Development Bank, Hue University and Khon Kaen University committed to deeper synergy in development efforts to help revive economies of Mekong countries at the MI Governing Board meeting last August 27 and 28, 2020.  

The two-day sessions marked the completion of the first MI Steering Committee and Council meetings of 2020 through a digital platform, a first in MI’s 24-year history.

“This is a unique and different time for all of us but we remain committed in our efforts to support MI and the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS),” Dr. Narongchai Akrasanee, MI’s Steering Committee Chair, said during the opening session before welcoming Mr. Ke Yousheng, Permanent Representative of P.R. China to UNESCAP and Mr. Nguyen Viet Ha of Vietnam as MI’s new Steering Committee members.

During the meeting, government and development partners reviewed MI’s operational and programmatic performance from January to June 2020, as well as discussed the draft Strategic Plan 2021-2025, which will see MI reinforce human resource development investments and other portfolio of services in a post-pandemic setting.

The meetings were the last facilitated by outgoing MI Executive Director, Dr. Watcharas Leelawath, who has been the MI chief from 2014 to 2020. Officials from Cambodia, P.R. China, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam each acknowledged his contributions to MI and GMS.