Fostering Competitive Cities and Urban Areas in the Greater Mekong Subregion: Building Inclusive Economic Clusters Sustainably

This discussion paper focuses on the urban aspects of Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) corridor development and the institutional framework that will be needed to implement investments that will bolster the competitiveness of the region. Much work has been done on urban development in the GMS. The GMS Urban Strategy document clearly sets out three areas of focus and describes the cross-cutting theme of competitiveness. The GMS Task Force on Urban Development (TFUD) has previously discussed issues related to urban competitiveness in relation to a number of issues. In fact, the issue was raised at the first meeting of the TFUD in July 2013. Given the experience on a range of projects in the intervening years, it is timely to consider potential strategies, and institutional and funding models, which could further enhance the competitiveness of the region. The paper seeks to canvass such strategies and models.