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ABOUT MI

Mekong Institute, or MI, was established on August 28, 1996, by the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Thai Department of Technical and Economic Cooperation to promote economic development and cooperation in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS).

Since 2009, under a Royal Decree signed by the King of Thailand, MI has grown into a recognized intergovernmental organization (IGO) which is represented by all six GMS countries, namely Cambodia, P.R. China, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand, and Viet Nam.

Throughout the years, MI has played a transformational role in capacity development in the region, focusing on human resource and learning programs to enhance regional development, cooperation, and integration. The institute provides training, conducts research, gives advice and facilitates policy dialogues on topics that matter to the GMS.

As one of the longest-running intergovernmental organizations owned by the GMS governments, MI is committed to helping to build a better GMS by connecting the GMS countries, and advancing development on all fronts. In recent years, MI has expanded its services and assumed new roles to support various sub-regional cooperation frameworks and mechanisms. Its most recent regional mandates are as a regional coordinator of the GMS Knowledge Network and the provision of back-office support for Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS).

Our goal is a prosperous GMS where societies are more inclusive, and economic development is shared among the countries is our goal.