The Inception Workshop on Joint Program on Private Sector Development along East-West Economic Corridor (EWEC) was held on 16th November 2010 at UN Conference Hall in Bangkok.

The workshop was jointly organized by UNESCAP, ADB and Mekong Institute. The objective of the workshop was to deliberate on objectives and roles of the joint program steering committee and to launch the three interrelated projects of ADB, UNESCAP and MI.

The three projects launched in the workshop are: 

• ADB Technical Assistance on ?Strengthening Local Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCIs) along the East West Economic Corridor to Promote Trade, Investment and Value Chains?;
• UNESCAP technical assistance on ?Business for Development: Capacity building of SMEs in the Greater Mekong Sub region for their effective penetration into regional and global markets?; and
• Mekong Institute project on ?Enhancing Provincial and Local Chambers of Commerce and Business Associations Capacities in Trade and Investment Facilitation along East-West Economic Corridor?.  

The workshop also identified the joint activities of the three projects and set the direction for the three interrelated projects on private sector development along East West economic Corridor.

The workshop was attended by 54 representatives from Lao, Vietnam, Thai and Myanmar national and provincial Chamber of Commerce and Industries, Federation of Thai Industries, SME associations, and officials from government departments involved in trade promotion alongside with delegates from ADB, UNESCAP and MI.