Mekong Forum 2026

For decades, the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) journey was defined by building bridges, laying tracks, and connecting grids—a necessary phase of foundational infrastructure development. But as the GMS enters an era shaped by digital disruption, the climate crisis, and shifting geopolitical tides, the engine that once powered this progress is no longer sufficient on its own. What carried the region forward in the past can no longer guarantee momentum for the future.

This shift is already visible across the GMS. Today, many organizations are implementing pilot projects and targeted initiatives to respond to emerging challenges. Yet limited resources and parallel approaches often keep these efforts fragmented. As traditional fuels of large-scale infrastructure investment reach their limits, the risks of fragmentation are intensifying. Inequalities are widening as the benefits of growth bypass many communities; while competing external interests threaten the cohesion the GMS needs to move forward. In this environment, disconnected efforts do more than slow progress—they deepen vulnerabilities, leaving even the most promising interventions struggling to scale and their potential impact unrealized.

These pressures point to a clear conclusion: the GMS can no longer rely on incremental adjustments or stand-alone solutions. To navigate uncertainty and seize the opportunities of the green and digital transitions, the region must shift from a collection of individual initiatives to a single, integrated system— one capable of generating sustained and shared momentum.

Building on MI’s 30-year legacy and 2026–2030 strategy, the Mekong Forum 2026 is guided by three specific, high-impact objectives. Together, these objectives reflect a forward-looking agenda that responds to current regional transitions and is anchored in a nexus lens that connects sectors, stakeholders, and solutions.

People
Promote nexus thinking in human capital development to foster integrated knowledge among policymakers and practitioners, supporting coordinated green and digital transitions in the GMS.

Partnership
Catalyze partnership building to advance nexus-based programs and co-create solutions in priority areas for cross-sector, cross-border collaboration.

Progress
Identify actionable, nexus-informed pathways to adapt, align, and scale proven policies, projects, and initiatives across the GMS, translating Forum dialogue into concrete directions for follow-up and collaboration.

SEI Asia will contribute in the technical sessions and the team will showcase the work in the Mekong Region and Asia at the Mekong Forum Exhibit.

The plenary programme on 23 July will be live streamed on the Mekong Institute Facebook Page.

For more details including the concept note, technical sessions, and provisional program, please visit this link.