The Greater Mekong 5 (GM-5) is widely viewed as having the potential to become one of the fastest growing regions in the world. The GM-5 could potentially be a key gateway to and between Asia’s largest markets in China and India. Composed of Cambodia, Lao, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam, the region has an estimated combined population of more than 390m. Despite its strategic location and rich natural resources, GM-5 remains underdeveloped with predominantly rural economies. In this note, we assess the region’s progress towards becoming the bridge connecting South, Southeast, and East Asia. Despite the completion of the three main transport infrastructures connecting the five countries, realization of the region’s growth potential will depend on the speed at which it transforms its transport corridors into economic corridors.
