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Cross-Cutting Topics

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Social Inclusion and Vulnerability

The GMS region has been one of the fastest growing economies in the world but benefits from this economic growth was not equally distributed. In close coordination with GMS governments, Mekong Institute (MI) will focus on supporting those marginalized from the development process such as rural women, minor ethnic groups, and poor smallholder farmers, rural-urban migrants, and other groups from the informal sector.

Gender Mainstreaming for Inclusive Development

Men and women contribute to and are impacted differently by developments in the region. Better understanding and application of these differences are needed to enable gender-balance and inclusive development strategies that will secure equitable economic growth and poverty reduction. MI will need to design its support bearing in mind that the intended impacts of programs have different outcomes for men and women. This will require MI to develop and imple­ment a Gender Action Plan (GAP) in all of its programs and projects. This GAP will be the basis for MI to monitor and evaluate how its interventions contribute to gender equality. In particular, gender will be main­streamed in MI programs and projects through the following objectives:
  1. Increase women’s access to opportunities in technical knowledge and skills development, financial support, market linkages, and labor
  2. Promotion of women’s economic empowerment in the agriculture and trade sectors (e.g., support women-led MSMEs)

Addressing Vulnerability and Social Inclusion of Rural Communities, including Marginalized and Minor Ethnic Groups

The social protection systems in the GMS are generally in the early stages. Creating and reforming these systems have become an increasingly important policy agenda for GMS countries on the path towards middle-income country status. Majority of the economically active population in the GMS do not have coverage for unemployment, work-related injuries, maternity, pen­sions, or health insurances. 

In addition, GMS bears a wide composite of over 350 ethnic groups. Many of them are marginalized in the development process for their small population and isolated location. To date, poverty remains highest and persistent in areas with high concentration of mi­nor ethnic groups in the GMS countries.

In response, MI will work towards sustaining the workforce and prioritizing the inclusion of rural communities, marginalized and minor ethnic groups, as well as other vulnerable groups.

In particular, while mainstreaming this theme into MI’s programs and projects, the focus will be on delivering the following:

  1. Improve their access to socioeconomic oppor­tunities, including skills development and/or job markets to strengthen their coping capacity
  2. Strengthen their safety nets by convening dialogues and solution-finding activities with GMS governments, the private sector, and other relevant stakeholders

Digital Economy and Innovation

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is recognized as a key driver in Asia’s economic and so­cial transformation. Advanced ICT infrastructure and a clear regulatory framework will be the backbone for growth in agricultural production, trade and invest­ment, energy, environment, and regional connectivity.  This becomes even more important in the era of 4IR. Digital economy in the form of e-commerce and other similar platforms are taking flight around the world, catapulting an unprecedented growth of internet-based companies and mobile applications. Modern technologies are reorganizing and offering efficiencies in production, distribution, and delivery of services. The COVID-19 pandemic has opened oppor­tunities for online business practices, which can be maximized to its full potential for the benefit of MSMEs. It will also promote digital trade in the GMS, notably for agricultural production, food systems, trade and investment, as well as environment and energy.

Hence, MI will seek to integrate these in its programs and projects to deliver the following:

  1. Promote the application of smart agricul­ture technologies by smallholder farmers and the private sector, especially in ensur­ing food safety and quality management
  2. Encourage the growth and use of e-services (e.g., e-customs, e-commerce) in the agriculture and trade sectors
  3. Widen the application of e-platforms for informa­tion and data-sharing to boost trade and invest­ment facilitation
  4. Enhance readiness towards 4IR by strengthening and upscaling human capital development invest­ments

With this cross-cutting theme, MI will focus on ICT adoption and economic transformation.

Labor Mobility

The GMS region is experiencing increasing levels of labor mobility. Statistics for intra-GMS labor migration is not yet available but intra-GMS mirrors trends in intra-ASEAN migration, which is on the rise. The total number of intra-ASEAN migrants have more than quadrupled, from 2.1 million in 1995 to 9.9 million in 2016. This active labor mobility is largely taking place in the GMS as migrants from Myanmar, Cambodia, and Lao PDR travel to Thailand, and move from Indone­sia, Malaysia to Singapore. Majority of the intra-GMS migrants are rural labor workers seeking wage employment to lift themselves from rural poverty. 

GMS countries are experiencing increasing mobility of labor due to varying levels of regional development and regional integration arrangements, espe­cially within ASEAN. Because of extensive infrastruc­ture systems (roads, rail, water) in the region and the easement of land travel restrictions for tourism and business purposes, the region is witnessing increased flows of people across borders. Inequities and different stages of industrialization among GMS coun­tries have also created a differentiated sub-regional labor market: Thailand faces labor shortage in certain low-skilled sectors, while Lao PDR, Cambodia, and Myanmar bear an unskilled labor surplus due to rural poverty, underdeveloped infrastructure, and low- or poor-quality education.

MI will address labor mobility in the context of its ongoing support to agricultural production, food systems, trade and investments, and energy and environment. As such, MI support will be delivered through the following:

  1. Enhance productivity of the agricultural sector to increase more lucrative livelihood opportunities for farmers and/or workers
  2. Improve the welfare of the rural labor workforce, as well as their technical and vocational capacities so they can participate in competitive labor markets
  3. Convene dialogue with GMS governments, the private sector, and other relevant stakeholders to address challenges experienced by migrant work­ers, notably in the areas of agriculture and trade
  4. Facilitate platforms of engagement for governments and other stakeholders to better synchronize social sector mechanisms, particularly in providing access to employ­ment services for returning migrant workers
  5. Contribute to existing regional cooperation frameworks in order to promote a more enabling environment for greater labor mobility in the GMS and beyond

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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.