Lower Mekong initiative

The Lower Mekong initiative (LMI) was created in response to the July 23, 2009 meeting between U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and the Foreign Ministers of the Lower Mekong Countries, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam, in Phuket, Thailand. The Ministers agreed to enhance cooperation in the areas of environment, health, education, and infrastructure development. Since then, the five countries have sought to strengthen cooperation in these areas and build on their common interests.