Notwithstanding the existence of much international development assistance programs since the early 1990s, including ASEAN initiatives, to assist the Mekong Delta countries, the CLMV face grime prospect in catching up with the six more developed ones. To improve the situation and effectively assist the CLMV countries, various international forums and cooperative efforts, using a variety of approaches to promote wider economic development in the region should be deployed. Some of these development assistance initiatives should be placed in the following ways:
Attentions toward the CLMV countries should focus on development projects include programs to promote transport, energy, telecommunications, environment, human resource development, tourism, trade, and agriculture. To this end, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) sponsored Economic Cooperation Program within the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) should be vigorously pursued in facilitating greater private sector involvement in the GMS program.
Emphasis should also be gearing toward the promotion economic growth of the Southeast Asian