The Mekong River is especially important to the six riparian countries, but it is also significant for other countries in East Asia and beyond that are involved in various programs, and for regionally involved external banks. For instance, Japan and Australia are main donors to, and members of the Board of Directors of, the Asian Development bank [ADB] which supports several projects in the region such as the GMS Biodiversity Conservation Corridors Project and the GMS corridoe town Development project. Australia also has close ties to the Mekong region through past politics of war, immigartion, diplomacy and economic engagement, as well as through research centres, scholarly exchange and NGOs. The Australian government supports several programs in the Mekong region through its foreign aid program administered by AusAID, focusing on a Water Resource Program with 2010-11 expenditure at around 6.4 million AUD. Between 2009 and 2013 AusAID donated 16 million AUD within the Mekong region, in cooperation with the MRC or as bilateral support to specific countries.