To sustain the gains of projects supported by the Mekong–ROK Cooperation Fund (MKCF), the Mekong–ROK Cooperation (MKC) Forum held on May 14 in Hanoi, Viet Nam, provided a space for sectoral groups to discuss emerging regional challenges and help shape the new Mekong–ROK Cooperation framework. Following dynamic breakout sessions, discussions highlighted climate resilience, digital innovation, inclusivity, collaboration, and scalability as cross-cutting priorities that MKCF can build on in its next phase of programming.
Organized by the Mekong Institute (MI), and sponsored by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea (ROK) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Viet Nam, the first-ever MKC Forum aimed to address emerging regional sectoral challenges, explore opportunities to scale or replicate pilot project outcomes, and develop actionable strategies for sustainable sectoral development across the region. Forum participants were divided into seven groups based on the priority sectors defined in the Mekong–ROK Plan of Action 2021–2025: Agriculture and Rural Development, Infrastructure, Environment, Culture and Tourism, Human Resources Development, Information and Communication Technology, and Non-traditional Security Challenges. Each group included representatives from foreign missions and ministries, development partners, academia, the private sector, and MKCF project implementation agencies (PIAs) from Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand, Viet Nam, and the ROK.
At the plenary session following the breakout discussions, MKCF Director Mr. Madhurjya Kumar Dutta—who also leads MI’s Trade and Investment Facilitation (TIF) Department—encouraged PIAs and stakeholders to co-create ideas. “We’re moving beyond the typical call-for-proposals model—what we want now is early engagement from those creating the ideas. This is your opportunity to build collaborations around specific project ideas—you don’t have to wait for a call to share your concepts with us. We are here to help proponents design impactful projects—from inception to results and scaling up,” said Mr. Dutta, adding that the MKCF Secretariat is ready to support project development year-round.
Nearly all sectors recommended strengthening the focus on climate resilience and environmental sustainability in MKCF programming. Proposed directions include promoting climate-smart agriculture (CSA), advancing low-carbon innovations, investing in resilient rural infrastructure, and expanding efforts around carbon markets and circular economy models. Addressing climate-related risks and the health–environment nexus also emerged as key considerations under non-traditional security.
Digital transformation and data-driven approaches are shared priorities across sectors. Recommendations include expanding the use of farmer-centric digital tools in agriculture, promoting ICT-based logistics and digital literacy in infrastructure, and accelerating digital transformation for MSMEs in the tourism and culture sector. Other ideas include enhancing online learning platforms in human resource development, strengthening satellite data use and interoperability under ICT, and advancing AI governance and early warning systems to address non-traditional security challenges.
Inclusivity and collaboration emerged as interlinked priorities, with an emphasis on engaging marginalized groups and strengthening cross-border and cross-sector partnerships. Suggested directions include advancing community-led approaches in agriculture and security, promoting inclusive design in infrastructure, and ensuring greater access for cross-border workers and persons with disabilities in human resource development. In tourism, inclusive strategies such as cultural protection and community participation were highlighted, along with broader efforts to promote public–private–community partnerships. Across sectors, strong support was expressed for shared data systems, and joint working groups connecting government, academia, civil society, and the private sector.
The plenary underscored that future projects must be designed with multi-stakeholder involvement and scalability in mind, with proposals to expand proven models for long-term impact. Suggestions include replicable capacity-building approaches such as Training-of-Trainers (ToT) programs and increased support for MSMEs to broaden the reach of successful initiatives. “Scalability and replication are possible when we look beyond money and tap into the diverse strengths of our partners,” explained Mr. Dutta.
Co-moderating the plenary presentations, Ms. Megan Sullivan, Program Management and Facilitation Consultant of the MKCF, emphasized the need to diversify funding sources and partners, noting how MKCF is already engaging the private sector. “The spark is already lit to bring in the private sector. Platforms like the MKCF are showing us how this collaboration has already started—and there’s a real opportunity for traditional funders like the Republic of Korea to lead the way in partnering with the private sector.”
Meanwhile, Ms. Wen Hao, MKCF-PRIME Project Manager and overall lead for the MKC Forum, encouraged PIAs to continually document their project results. “We look forward to seeing more project activities and reports. We’re also eager to engage with you in identifying the most effective monitoring and evaluation (M&E) tools to strengthen your M&E systems and better capture your most impactful results.”
Results and achievements of MKCF-supported projects from Calls 1 to 8 have been captured in a compilation of Stories of Change, which was rolled out during the forum alongside a Directory of MKCF Projects from 2013–2025. The two knowledge products—accessible on the MI website—are meant to serve as catalysts for continued collaboration, innovation, scaling, and impact in the years ahead.
Capping off the event was Mr. Suriyan Vichitlekarn, MI Executive Director, who noted that the forum had become more than a knowledge-sharing event. “It’s a space where we truly learn from one another. It has become a valuable policy sounding board—where we exchange ideas, recognize efforts, and provide inputs that can be fed directly into policymaking processes,” said Mr. Suriyan. He added that challenges faced in one sector can offer insights into another and open opportunities for collective learning.
