As part of its IT Programme for Private Sector Development in the Greater Mekong Subregion, UNESCAP is organizing national workshops in the countries of the Greater Mekong Subregion on the Development of Enabling Policies for Trade and Investment in the IT sector of the Greater Mekong Subregion. UNESCAP, through its Trade and Investment Division, is also undertaking an in-depth background study on the effects of different trade and investment policy reform measures that aim at promoting greater use of IT and encouraging greater trade in IT products and services in the GMS countries.

The national workshops have to be seen in the context of the pivotal role of Information Technology in achieving overall economic growth and socio- economic transformation of developing countries. In this context, the workshop aim at facilitating discussions on various issues relating to production and use of ICT in the Greater Mekong Subregion and the role of trade and investment policies in addressing these issues.