Bangkok, Thailand, June 8, 2026 – To ensure effective and outcome-oriented implementation of regional projects, the Mekong-Republic of Korea (RoK) Cooperation has renewed the Mekong Institute’s PRIME project for a second phase. Itself a project supported by the Mekong-ROK Cooperation Fund (MKCF), the “Regional Project Identification, Monitoring and Evaluation of MKCF Projects,” now known as PRIME 2.0, builds on the gains and lessons of its first phase of implementation. 

In an inception meeting for PRIME 2.0, MKCF Director Mr. Madhurjya K. Dutta emphasized that strengthening monitoring and evaluation (M&E) is crucial not just for demonstrating results, but for actively driving project outcomes. He added that “close stakeholder engagement ensures real-time changes are captured to effectively address emerging challenges and maximize the project’s actual impact in the region.” 

PRIME 2.0 reflects the Mekong-RoK Cooperation’s ongoing efforts to strengthen regional coordination and synergy, enhance institutional capacity in regional project design and implementation, and strengthen M&E system for regional project management and strategic decision making across the Mekong region. 

Attended by over 50 stakeholders representing seven related ministries, MKCF focal points from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Mekong countries and Project Implementation Agencies (PIAs), the inception meeting reported on the strong commitment of stakeholders to continue building on the achievements of MKCF.  

PRIME 2.0 Project Manager Ms. Stephanie Mapaliey provided a comprehensive presentation of project objectives, roadmap to activity level, and MKCF’s approach to enhancing the effectiveness of its projects in addressing pressing regional issues. PIAs were also apprised of upcoming stakeholder engagement events under PRIME and MKCF. 

Hue, Viet Nam, June 9, 2026 – The Mekong–Republic of Korea (RoK) Cooperation is working to spur a more vibrant creative industry in Hue, Viet Nam by generating investment opportunities through the Creative4Mekong project. Funded by the Mekong–RoK Cooperation Fund (MKCF) and implemented by the Mekong Institute (MI), the project convened a consultation meeting where stakeholders expressed their commitment to advancing the development of Investment Opportunity Profiles (IOPs).

The meeting, attended by representatives from Viet Nam’s Department of Tourism, Department of Finance, Hue University, and CoPlus in Hue, highlighted strong interest in creating clear, practical, and locally owned IOPs that align with Hue’s development priorities and attract potential investors.

Hue’s priority areas include creative and sustainable infrastructure, such as waste management and heritage area improvements, heritage-based tourism experiences, digital transformation and smart tourism, and capacity building for MSMEs and creative entrepreneurs. “The discussion emphasized the importance of defining project ownership, financing models, investor benefits, and implementation arrangements to ensure investment readiness,” shared Mr. Sa-nga Sattanun, Senior Program Coordinator at MI.

Building on these discussions, the Thua Thien Hue Department of Tourism reaffirmed Hue’s strong tourism recovery and rising number of international visitors, positioning the city as a priority destination for cultural and creative investment. Hue University highlighted its role in research, training, and MSME support, and proposed collaboration in areas such as smart tourism platforms, digital heritage interpretation, and sustainable tourism promotion. The Department of Finance outlined potential incentives, including tax exemptions, to strengthen investor interest, while CoPlus, a startup incubator and SME service provider, emphasized the importance of clearly defining project scope, ownership, and investor benefits.

The consultation discussed the next steps, including finalizing IOP criteria and templates, shortlisting promising project concepts, preparing communication materials, creating a digital information-sharing page for outreach, and coordinating with local authorities for event approvals.

Ms. Thongvone Sosamphan, Project Coordinator for Creative4Mekong, said that similar work will be carried out across the project’s four other target heritage destinations—Ayutthaya (Thailand), Siem Reap (Cambodia), Luang Prabang (Lao PDR), and Bagan (Myanmar)—to identify and develop locally relevant IOPs that reflect each destination’s unique cultural and creative assets.

The completed and validated IOPs will be uploaded to the project’s online platform, “Explore Mekong Heritage,” and presented to investment stakeholders during a separate meeting with government agencies, investors, development partners, academic institutions, and financial institutions. “This next engagement, scheduled for mid-September in Hue, aims to facilitate dialogue, partnership building, and investment decision-making,” said Ms. Somsamphan.

Creative4Mekong is a three-year regional project that strengthens creative industries, preserves cultural heritage, and promotes sustainable tourism across five World Heritage Sites in the Mekong region. It fosters capacity building, digital promotion, intellectual property protection, and cross-border collaboration to build a stronger regional ecosystem.

June 8, 2026 — the Mekong Institute (MI) Project Office in Bangkok welcomed delegates from the Nepal Development Research Institute (NDRI) led by its Executive Director, Dr. Shikha Thapa Magar. The meeting discussed potential areas of cooperation including sustainable agriculture and value chains, water and climate resilience, social protection for informal workers, digital innovation and capacity building, and opportunities for joint project development and funding. 

In his remarks, Mr. Madhurjya K. Dutta, Director of Special Projects and Resource Mobilization Division and Mekong–Republic of Korea Cooperation Fund (MKCF), said that MI looks forward to “translating this kickoff visit into practical regional collaborations that benefit communities across Nepal and the Mekong region.”  

Dr. Magar added that “NDRI is keen to deepen partnerships with MI to bring regional knowledge, technology solutions, and funding avenues to Nepal, particularly on water, agriculture, and social protection for informal workers.”  

The meeting was attended by officials from NDRI, MKCF Secretariat and PRIME 2.0 project.

Vientiane Capital, Lao PDR, June 16, 2026 – Food safety is becoming a sharper test for Lao PDR’s agrifood sector as farmers, cooperatives and businesses respond to climate pressures, changing markets and rising consumer expectations. Today in Vientiane Capital, national institutions, technical experts, producers, businesses and development partners met to turn food safety lessons into practical routes for wider action. 

The Food and Drug Department (FDD), Ministry of Health of Lao PDR, and Mekong Institute (MI), through the Mekong CREATES project, jointly convened the Mekong CREATES Agrifood Systems Forum 2026 under the theme “From Burden to Solutions: Advancing Safe Agrifood Systems in Lao PDR.” 

Held in observance of World Food Safety Day 2026, whose global theme is “From Burden to Solutions – Safe Food Everywhere,” the forum brought together more than 50 representatives from government agencies, academia, the private sector, farmer organizations, development partners, and Mekong CREATES alumni. 

The forum focused on a clear priority: moving from discussions to action. Participants examined ways to strengthen food safety governance, improve sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) systems, promote traceability and standards, and support farmers, cooperatives, SMEs, and agribusinesses to meet market and consumer requirements.  

Opening the forum, Souksomkhouane Chanthamat, Director General of the Food and Drug Department, Ministry of Health of Lao PDR, said food safety is not only a public health priority, but also a foundation for food security, economic development, trade competitiveness, and consumer confidence. He called for a stronger coordinated action across sectors to ensure safe food from farm to table and to support Lao PDR’s sustainable development goals. 

In her welcome remarks, Orn-uma Polpanich, Director of the Green Transition and Nexus Solutions Department at MI, said food safety and climate resilience are now closely linked across agrifood systems across in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS). She highlighted that partnerships, practical skills, and local capacity development are essential to helping producers, businesses and institutions respond.  

The morning sessions examined emerging food safety risks and policy responses in Lao PDR through a One Health lens, recognizing the close links between human, animal, plant, and environmental health. Participants also explored opportunities to strengthen SPS systems, food safety standards, traceability mechanisms, and regulatory frameworks that support agricultural production, market access, and consumer protection. 

A session on scalable solutions showcased practical experiences from farmers, agribusinesses, and innovators working to improve food safety in agrifood value chains. Presentations highlighted safe production practices led by farmers, traceability systems for export markets, food safety standards, and market-oriented approaches that can improve product quality, strengthen consumer trust, and create better opportunities for farmers and agribusinesses. 

A central feature of the forum was the Mekong CREATES Learning Lab, where alumni and partners reviewed project-supported initiatives and identified priorities for the next stage of action. Participants pointed to clear gains, including wider sharing of food safety knowledge, stronger partnerships between cooperatives and buyers, improved awareness of food hygiene standards, practical demonstrations, and the development of policy briefs and tools. 

Participants also identified barriers that must be addressed if solutions are to reach more people. These include limited financing, high investment costs, lack of equipment and local manufacturers, limited research and development support, digital literacy gaps among farmers, and the need for stronger communication and coordination. 

Looking ahead, participants identified four priority pathways for the next three years: stronger capacity, enabling policies, strategic investment, and deeper partnerships. Proposed actions include expanding training on food hygiene, digital tools, biocontrol and food safety assessment and standards;  improving policy development and advocacy; increasing access to green and climate finance; supporting equipment and infrastructure for farmer organizations and SMEs; and strengthening laboratory, inspection, and traceability systems. 

The message from the forum was clear. Lao PDR already has practical food safety solutions, committed institutions and active producers working to improve agrifood systems. What is needed now is the policy support, investment, and long-term collaboration to take those solutions further.  

The forum concluded with a shared call to turn knowledge into action and build safer, more resilient agrifood systems that protect consumers, support farmers and help Lao PDR compete in higher-value markets. 

About Mekong CREATES 
Mekong CREATES, or Mekong Capacity-Building for Resilient and Enhanced Agricultural Technologies and Food Systems, is implemented by MI with support from the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT). The project works with partners in Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, and Viet Nam to strengthen capacity, collaboration, and practical action for safer, more resilient, and more sustainable agrifood systems. 

Phnom Penh, Cambodia – 10 June 2026 – Cambodia is accelerating efforts to make safe food the norm for every consumer, in every community, not just in model farms or pilot projects.

That ambition drove conversations at the Mekong CREATES Agrifood Systems Forum 2026, held under the theme “From Burden to Solutions: Safe Food Everywhere.” The forum convened government officials, farmers, cooperatives, businesses, researchers, youth leaders, and development partners to identify how proven food safety approaches can be expanded across Cambodia’s agrifood system.

Food safety has moved to the center of Cambodia’s development agenda. It underpins public health, builds consumer trust, improves nutrition, and unlocks access to higher-value markets. At the same time, climate change, shifting supply chains, and tightening market requirements are intensifying risks across the food system.

These pressures frame Cambodia’s Second Roadmap for Food Systems for Sustainable Development 2025–2030, which positions food safety as a strategic, game-changing priority.

Mr. Meas Vanna, Deputy Director of the Department of Policy Development at the Council for Agriculture and Rural Development (CARD), outlined the policy direction, calling for coordinated investment, stronger governance, policy alignment, and digital systems to support safe and healthy food environments. H.E. Dr. Kao Muy Thong, Deputy Secretary General of the Council for Agriculture and Rural Development, echoed that ambition with a direct challenge to participants.

“Cambodia must turn evidence and dialogue into practical action. We need scalable solutions that can be replicated, expanded, and embedded across the country’s agrifood systems.”

Mr. Hang Suviddya, Deputy Secretary General of the General Secretariat of Population and Development at the Ministry of Planning and Member of the Mekong Institute Steering Committee, added that scaling solutions requires more than technical fixes.

“The challenge is not only identifying solutions, but creating the partnerships and enabling environment needed to scale them across Cambodia and the Greater Mekong Subregion.”

Delivering the keynote on behalf of FAO Cambodia, Davronjon Okhunjonov, Technical Advisor at the Food and Agriculture Organization in Cambodia, placed food safety at the intersection of health and economic resilience.

“Safe food is essential, not only for our health, but for stronger food systems, sustainable development, and economic growth.”

Mr. Chap Vibol, Director of Program Quality and Development at World Vision Cambodia, drew attention to the social stakes, particularly for children and vulnerable groups, calling on government, development partners, businesses, and local communities to work together so that safe and nutritious food reaches those who need it most.

Participants also confronted a growing reality: climate change is not a distant threat to food safety, it is already here. Rising temperatures and extreme weather events are affecting production quality and multiplying risks across value chains.

“Farmers are already experiencing its effects on production, quality, and food safety,” said Mr. Norng Sivouthan, Country Director of HEKS/EPER Cambodia. “Building resilience requires stronger collaboration among institutions, farmers, businesses, and communities.”

Representatives from Fuchs (Cambodia) Co., Ltd., Teuk Hout Meanchey Agricultural Cooperative, Memot Tboung Khmum Pepper Modern Agricultural Cooperative, UNICA enterprise, and youth-led research teams shared experiences from the field, covering digital traceability, safe post-harvest handling, farmer-led food safety practices, women-led food safety initiatives, and community-based research on food production.

Participants then worked through an interactive Scaling Canvas session to identify how successful food safety approaches could be replicated and expanded through stronger partnerships between government agencies, development partners, private sector actors, researchers, and youth groups.

The central message was clear: Cambodia does not need to start from zero. The foundations are in place. The priority now is connecting and scaling what works, so that safe food becomes consistently available in every market and every community.

—–

The forum was convened through Mekong CREATES, implemented by MI with support from the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, in partnership with CARD, World Vision Cambodia, and other national and international partners. The event also marked Cambodia’s observance of World Food Safety Day 2026.

Mekong CREATES (Mekong Capacity-Building for Resilient and Enhanced Agricultural Technologies and Food Systems) is a regional initiative that strengthens local capacities, promotes innovation, and fosters collaboration to advance inclusive, climate-resilient, and sustainable agrifood systems across the Greater Mekong Subregion.