Staff writer
A large-scale international symposium on the development of the greater Mekong subregion will be held in Bangkok on April 7 and 8 to develop comprehensive strategies to promote trade and investment activities in the area, government officials said Wednesday.
The symposium will be organized by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) in collaboration with Japan, Thailand and the Asian Development Bank, the officials said, requesting anonymity.
The Symposium on the Comprehensive Development of the Greater Mekong Subregion will be attended by top business executives, academics and representatives of nongovernmental organizations, as well as senior officials of the Japanese and other Asian governments and international organizations.
Recognizing the emerging challenges exacerbated by the current Asian economic crisis, the symposium will facilitate an exchange of views among various organizations to promote private-sector activities in and around the area, the officials said.
Participants will discuss the impact of the Asian economic crisis on development of the area, the globalization of manufacturing operations and foreign direct investments, and the development of human resources and the private sector, the officials said.