Economic Plan for Mekong Region Gets Finalized

Ministers from the six Mekong region nations concluded a two-day meeting yesterday in which they solidified plans for an economic strategy that would span a decade and require billions in investment. Speaking at Phnom Penh’s Peace Palace at the annual ministerial meeting, Minister of Commerce Cham Prasidh touched upon the cornerstones of a 10-year plan, supported by the Asian Development Bank, that focuses heavily on infrastructure projects, trade expansion and rural development. Chhen Kimlong, an economist at the University of Cambodia, said yesterday that closing the education gap between the member countries may well prove the biggest obstacle.