MI participated in the six ADB National Consultation Workshops held in the six GMS countries from January to February, 2017 on “GMS Strategy and Action Plan (2018-2022) on Safe and Environment-Friendly Agro-based Value Chains”. 

The workshops brought together stakeholders of agricultural and related sectors to discuss the first draft of the Strategy and Action Plan (2018-2022), specifically to: 

(i) review and deliberate if the GMS Strategy and its pillars are in the right direction (what needs to be added/deleted/modified; will it accelerate the attainment of CASP2 vision?) 

(ii) identify the role of each GMS country in the context of pursuing the Regional Strategy 

(iii) prepare the accompanying Action Plan for its implementation 

(iv)identify regional investments, policies, and institutional/capacity building measures that will be required to implement the Strategy and Action Plan (2018-2022) 

The six national consultations were held over the course of one month from January to February 2017in the six countries respectively: Phnom Penh, Cambodia on February 9, Hanoi, Viet Nam on January 12, Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar on January 24, Bangkok, Thailand on January 31, and Vientiane, Lao PDR on February 7. For PR China, the workshops were held in two different locations and dates; Beijing, PRC on February 14, and in Kunming, Yunnan Province PRC on February 16.