Purpose

The theme of the Conference "Building on Success: Expanding GMS Cooperation for New Opportunities".

It will consist of the: (i) a Senior Officials' Meeting (SOM) combined with the 3rd Meeting of the Task Force for the 4th GMS Summit on 2 August, which will review the status of deliverables for the 4th GMS Summit; (ii) a Development Partners' Meeting (DPM) on 3 August, involving interactive discussions with development partners on the broad directions and key elements of the new GMS Strategic Framework (SF), 2012-2022 and to ensure alignment and consistency of these new strategic directions with partners' own long-term priorities for the subregion; and (iii) the Ministerial Meeting (MM) on 4 August. The Ministerial Retreat in the afternoon of 4 August will enable GMS Ministers to exchange views in an informal and interactive setting on the new strategic directions and the core elements that will shape the next ten-year SF.

Objectives

1. finalize and endorse the new GMS Strategic Framework for 2012-2022 as the centerpiece deliverable for the upcoming 4th GMS Summit in December 2011 in Myanmar;
2. actively engage development partners, the private sector and other stakeholders in a constructive dialogue towards further enhancing support to the GMS Program; and
3. take up other major issues, concerns, and plans in various GMS sectors of cooperation.

Expected outputs

• Endorsement of the Report of the Senior Officials' Meeting, including Report on the Status of Deliverables for the 4th GMS Summit
• Endorsement of the Report of the Development Partners' Meeting
• Joint Ministerial Statement

Target participants

Participation is by invitation only

• GMS Ministers
• GMS Senior Officials headed by the GMS National Coordinators
• Development Partners
• ADB representatives
• GMS Business Forum