The Socialist Republic of Vietnam, in collaboration with the ADB, hosted the 1st GMS Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM-1/2026) on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, in Hanoi, Socialist Republic of Vietnam. The meeting was chaired by the Vietnamese Senior Official, Mr. Hoang Hai, Deputy Director General of the Department of Debt Management and External Finance, Ministry of Finance, and co-chaired by the ADB representative, Mr. Alfredo Perdiguero, Director of the Regional Cooperation and Integration Division, Southeast Asia Department. Senior officials from the five Mekong subregion countries and representatives from relevant agencies also attended. The Thai delegation was led by Ms. Sasithorn Palatdeth, Deputy Secretary-General of the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC).
The SOM-1/2026 aimed to prepare for the 28th GMS Ministerial Conference (MC-28), scheduled for November 2026 in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Discussions focused on the core theme and outcome documents, particularly the Mid-Term Review of the GMS 2030 Strategic Framework, the Trade and Investment Strategy 2030, and the Urban Development Strategic Framework 2030. The meeting also monitored progress in key sectors such as agriculture, energy, environment, and tourism.
The meeting exchanged views on the theme for the 28th GMS Ministerial Conference. As the host, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam proposed the theme “Enhancing Innovation and Digitalization by Promoting Local Governments’ Participation in the GMS” to drive sustainable economic development in the subregion and effectively address challenges in the digital age, while strengthening the capacity of local governments to apply innovation and digital technology. Furthermore, the meeting emphasized the participation of all stakeholders, including the private sector, local governments, development partners, and academic institutions, by supporting parallel forums during the conference to serve as platforms for exchanging knowledge, experience, and best practices, as well as building cooperation networks.
In this regard, the meeting discussed the approach for conducting the Mid-Term Review of the GMS 2030 Strategic Framework to monitor and evaluate the progress of connectivity, innovation, and inclusiveness in the subregion. This review will also serve as a guide to realign the GMS program’s strategic direction with the changing global context and the needs of member countries. The meeting reached a consensus that the subregion faces increasing risks from external factors, particularly geopolitical tensions, which could impact the implementation of the GMS program and the GMS 2030 framework. Therefore, this review will be crucial in collectively redefining subregional priorities to better align with the current situation and will play a vital role in strengthening the resilience of the
subregion, promoting sustainable and inclusive growth, and supporting the subregion’s efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) concretely and effectively in the long term.
Additionally, the meeting acknowledged the progress of key operations and the 2026 work plan, including the 14th GMS Economic Corridors’ Forum (ECF-14), scheduled for August 2026 in Vientiane, Lao PDR. The main theme of the forum is “Accelerating, Harnessing, Harmonizing Economic Corridor Development to Ensure GMS Resilience Against Major Global Challenges,” which aims to expedite the utilization of economic corridors and special economic zones while integrating the role of local governments through enhanced cooperation with the public and private sectors.
In 2026, the NESDC is tasked with conducting the Mid-Term Review of the GMS 2030 Strategic Framework in collaboration with GMS member countries and the ADB. It will also monitor progress in implementing the GMS 2030 strategy across various sectors under the GMS program and prepare for the 28th GMS Ministerial Conference, scheduled for November 2026 in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
News: Strategy and International Cooperation Coordination Division
