Kathmandu, March 30:

Prime ministers of the six countries sharing the Mekong River are convening in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic for tomorrow’s Third Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Summit.

Leaders will discuss coordinated actions to reduce poverty and promote sustainable development in the region through exp-anded transportation and telecommunication linka-ges, streamlined trade pact and greater environmental management efforts.

The leaders are being joined by Asian Development Bank (ADB) president Haruhiko Kuroda.

Since its inception in 1992, the GMS has developed into one of the fastest growing regions of the world, with an average GDP of over six per cent in recent years, states a press release. Exports from GMS countries, excluding the People’s Republic of China, have quadrupled from $37 billion in 1992 to $179 billion in 2006, and foreign direct investment (FDI) in the GMS has more than tripled from $2 billion in 1992 to $7 billion in 2005.

Annual tourist arrivals have risen from 10 million in 1995 to over 22 million in 2006. Over the past 15 years, approximately $10 billion in investments have been made in 34 regional development projects. ADB has contributed over one-third of the amount.