Deadline: 31-Mar-25
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has initiated the call for proposals for the 9th Mekong-ROK Cooperation Fund (MKCF) Projects.
The MKCF was established in 2013 to support the sustainable development of the five Mekong countries. (Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand, and Viet Nam.)
Priority Sectors
- MKCF supports catalytic and innovative projects in the following seven priority sectors as follows:
- Culture and Tourism
- Preservation and restoration of cultural heritage sites.
- Expansion of youth education in culture, arts, sports, and creative industries.
- Development of cultural tourism, including creative industries such as art, music, cultural exchanges, and entrepreneurship.
- Promotion of cultural and creative industries.
- Strengthening networks, knowledge-sharing, and exchanges among cultural professionals in the Mekong region and the ROK.
- Smart tourism initiatives leveraging digital tools for sustainable and innovative tourism development.
- Human Resources Development
- Enhancing education and skill development for the digital age.
- Strengthening Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and Career and Technical Education (CTE) through regional cooperation.
- Building capacity for MSMEs and entrepreneurs to improve job opportunities and business success.
- Promoting green TVET initiatives, including upskilling and reskilling for emerging industries.
- Agriculture and Rural Development
- Developing regional agricultural value chains and strengthening supply chains.
- Improving agricultural productivity and market access in the Mekong region.
- Advancing digital rural transformation to support agricultural development.
- Promoting food security and food safety.
- Infrastructure
- Capacity building in regional infrastructure project management (e.g., roads, power, communications).
- Development of critical rural infrastructure to support agricultural growth.
- Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
- ICT applications for regional disaster risk management and climate adaptation (e.g., early warning systems).
- ICT solutions for agricultural production and market information systems.
- MSME digitization, fintech, and e-commerce development.
- Enhancing ICT infrastructure and broadband connectivity in rural and remote areas.
- Promoting digital transformation, including IoT, AI, big data, and blockchain applications.
- Environment
- Promotion of electric vehicles (EVs) and green transportation solutions.
- Sustainable natural resource management and climate resilience initiatives.
- Advancing ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) practices in production sectors.
- Non-traditional Security Challenges
- Facilitating safe labor migration within the Mekong region.
- Enhancing disaster management strategies for natural hazards.
- Addressing transnational crime, including illegal drug trafficking and human trafficking.
- Strengthening cybersecurity and ensuring a secure cyberspace.
- Promoting cross-border collaboration to combat illicit trafficking and other security threats.
- Culture and Tourism
Funding Information
- The MKCF provides grants ranging from $300,000 to $1,000,000 per project.
Duration
- Project duration is 2–3 years.
Eligibility Criteria
- Entities eligible to apply for the MKCF include:
- Government agencies and autonomous organizations from Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Vietnam, and Thailand (CLMVT), as well as the ROK.
- Non-governmental organizations (NGOs), academic institutions, and training institutes from CLMVT and the ROK.
- International organizations, including UN agencies and international NGOs with offices in the Mekong countries and the ROK.
- Organizations with at least five years of experience in implementing development projects.
- Note: The MKCF does not provide funding or assistance to individuals.
For more information, visit Ministry of Foreign Affairs.