Hanoi, Viet Nam — May 27, 2025 — As part of its efforts to shape a forward-looking agenda for the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS), the Mekong Institute (MI) convened a National Consultation Workshop in Hanoi, co-hosted with Viet Nam’s Ministry of Finance. The event gathered over 30 representatives from government ministries, research institutions, academia, and the private sector to provide critical inputs for MI’s upcoming Strategic Plan 2026–2030.
The consultation is one of several being held across GMS countries to ensure that the new strategic plan reflects national development priorities, regional integration needs, and emerging global challenges.
In his opening remarks, Dr. Nguyen Quoc Phuong, Director General of the Department of Debt Management and External Economics and Viet Nam’s Council Member at MI, emphasized the importance of repositioning MI to remain responsive to pressing regional issues such as climate change, water security, economic integration, and private sector engagement.
Mr. Suriyan Vichitlekarn, MI Executive Director, provided a comprehensive overview of MI’s current Strategic Plan 2021–2025 and introduced the initial framework for the upcoming plan. He highlighted MI’s role in supporting capacity development and regional cooperation and integration through key thematic areas such as agricultural commercialization and development, trade facilitation, sustainable energy and environment, and cross-cutting issues including digitalisation and private sector development.
Participants engaged in in-depth group discussions based on their professional backgrounds—academia, agriculture, and business—to address key guiding questions. The dialogue produced a rich set of recommendations, including:
· Stronger private sector engagement to boost regional competitiveness through improved infrastructure and regulatory alignment.
· Transformation of agri-food systems, especially in the Mekong Delta, through youth empowerment, climate adaptation, and cross-sectoral collaboration.
· Enhanced water resource management and climate resilience, supported by regional research, policy coordination, and innovation.
· Energy transition and digital economy development as strategic pillars for future cooperation.
· Expanded role for MI as a regional knowledge hub, fostering evidence-based policymaking, data exchange, and cross-border partnerships.
The consultation also underscored the need to align MI’s strategy with Viet Nam’s national policy frameworks, particularly key resolutions on science and technology, economic integration, legal reforms, and private sector development.
Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Hung from the Ministry of Finance concluded the workshop by reaffirming Viet Nam’s commitment to working with MI to advance shared regional goals. He thanked all participants for their active contributions and looked forward to stronger collaboration under the new strategic framework.
Insights from this national consultation will feed into MI’s regional discussions and ultimately inform the draft Strategic Plan 2026–2030, which is scheduled for MI Governing Board review in July and final approval in December 2025.
