2015-2020 MBI FINAL REPORT
Author: Mekong Business Initiative
Publication date: 2020
Executive Summary
The Mekong Business Initiative (MBI) was launched in 2015 with the aim to improve the business enabling environment for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar and Vietnam (CLMV). It was funded by the Australian Government and implemented by the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The total budget was $12.3 million implemented during 2015-2020. MBI started with a focus on improving the business enabling environment by influencing Private Sector Development (PSD) policies and regulations, supporting both public and private actors. During implementation, MBI evolved and slightly shifted its focus from mainly macro-level support for regulatory processes, to a further focus on implementation of these policies by fostering the innovation eco-system and enabling environment.
By the end of the project, MBI had supported the creation of six sustainable entrepreneurship or innovation programs; it had seen more than $58 million in resources leveraged; and it had contributed to the creation of and changes in more than 20 laws, policies and regulations in the four target countries.
