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The Mekong–Republic of Korea Cooperation Fund (MKCF) officially announces its 9th Call for Proposals to support regional development initiatives in the Mekong subregion Financial assistance ranges from USD 300,000 to USD 1,000,000 per project across seven priority areas, including culture and tourism, human resource development, agriculture, infrastructure, information technology, environment, and non-traditional security.
About MKCF
Established in 2013, the Mekong–ROK Cooperation Fund (MKCF) aims to support collaborative projects between the Republic of Korea and Mekong countries: Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam.
This initiative is part of the broader Mekong–ROK cooperation framework and seeks to promote sustainable growth, regional integration, and partnership strengthening between Korea and Mekong nations. MKCF prioritizes regional impact projects aligned with the national development goals of member countries.
In the 2019 Mekong–Han River Declaration, MKCF identified seven priority sectors to maximize the benefits of multilateral cooperation. The 9th call continues to offer grants between USD 300,000 and USD 1,000,000 per project.
Who Can Apply?
Eligible Applicants
Eligible applicants include:
- Government agencies and autonomous institutions from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam, Thailand, and Korea.
- NGOs, research institutes, and educational institutions from Mekong countries and Korea.
- International organizations, including UN agencies and international NGOs with offices in the Mekong region and Korea.
- Organizations must have at least five years of project implementation experience.
⚠️ Note: MKCF does not fund individual applicants.
2. Funding Amount & Duration
Grant range: USD 300,000 – USD 1,000,000 per project
Implementation period: 2–3 years
MKCF encourages triangular or quadrilateral cooperation with other donors such as MRC, Japan, USA, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, and Canada.
⚠️ Ineligible expenses include:
Infrastructure construction, Office rental and utility bills
Priority Funding Areas
Proposed projects must fall under one of the following seven priority areas:
1. Culture & Tourism
- Cultural heritage preservation and restoration
- Youth education in arts, sports, and creative industries
- Cultural tourism development (e.g. art, music, cultural exchange, startups)
- Promotion of smart tourism and digital applications for sustainability
2. Human Resource Development
- Digital skills training and workforce upskilling
- TVET and CTE cooperation
- MSME capacity-building and support
- Green innovation in vocational education
3. Agriculture & Rural Development
- Agri-value chain development and supply chain expansion
- Productivity improvement and market access
- Agricultural digitalization
- Food security and safety enhancement
4. Infrastructure
- Capacity-building in infrastructure management
- Essential infrastructure for rural and agricultural development
5. Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
- ICT in disaster risk management and climate adaptation
- Agri-tech and market information systems
- Digitalization of MSMEs, fintech, and e-commerce
- Expansion of telecom infrastructure in remote areas
6. Environment
- Promotion of green transport and electric vehicles (EVs)
- Natural resource protection and climate resilience
- ESG adoption in production practices
7. Non-Traditional Security Challenges
- Migrant worker protection and safe migration
- Disaster risk reduction capacity
- Cross-border crime, trafficking, and drug prevention
- Cybersecurity strengthening
How to Apply
📌 Step 1: Prepare an Expression of Interest (EOI) using the official template.
📌 Step 2: Submit the EOI to your country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) by March 31, 2025.
📌 Step 3: If shortlisted, you will be invited to submit a full proposal.
📌 Step 4: MKCF reviews and announces the selected projects.
📧 National Focal Points for Inquiries
Vietnam: Vietnam: Mr. Phan Hoang Dung – mekong.mofa@gmail.com
Campuchia: Ms. Angkearbos Hong – hongangkearbos@gmail.com
Laos: Ms. Noy Amphone – mekong.dialoguepartners@gmail.com
Myanmar: Mrs. Chaw Su Mya – srcd.myanmar@gmail.com
Thailand: Mr. Phonlakrit Warawat – phonlakrit.w@mfa.go
Republic of Korea: Mr. Kim Dong Hoo – rokmekong2014@mofa.go.kr
🔗 Chi tiết xem tại: www.mekongrok.org
