On behalf of the Royal Government and the people of Cambodia, I bid a warm welcome to leaders attending this first ever summit of the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS). The Summit is a great opportunity for member countries to take stock of the progress made in the last ten years under the GMS Program and set a direction for continued growth and cooperation.
The GMS Program, initiated with assistance from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in 1992 is a comprehensive and pragmatic program to promote sustained economic and social development in our subregion through economic cooperation. The GMS Program has helped build trust and confidence among our nations and enabled us to enhance our economic development through mutually beneficial projects.
I am confident the Summit will provide a forum for fruitful discussion that will guide the GMS Program in its second decade. Nations that work together, grow together.
Hun Sen
Prime Minister of Cambodia