Hanoi, Viet Nam, May 12, 2026 – To enhance the capacity of foreign service personnel in Mekong countries to navigate evolving regional development challenges and geopolitical shifts, the Mekong-Republic of Korea (RoK) Cooperation is supporting the “Mekong Diplomacy Capacity Building Project (Mekong CaB),” that will be implemented by the Diplomatic Academy of Viet Nam (DAV). Funded under Call 9 of the Mekong-RoK Cooperation Fund (MKCF), the regional program will bring together diplomatic institutions from Cambodia, Lao PDR, and Viet Nam to enhance diplomatic capacity and advance regional cooperation.

During the program launch, DAV President, Dr. Nguyen Hung Son highlighted the profound changes taking place in the global development landscape, emphasizing that cooperation and collaboration are becoming increasingly crucial for countries in the Mekong region.

In his congratulatory remarks, Mr. Madhurjya Kumar Dutta, Director of MKCF at the Mekong Institute (MI), stressed the importance of development diplomacy in the current sensitive geopolitical environment and expressed optimism about the unique perspectives and comparative experiences that closer collaboration between Mekong countries and the RoK can bring to the Mekong diplomatic community.

The MDTP is designed to strengthen the professionalism, adaptability, and international engagement capacity of diplomatic officers through practical training, institutional exchange, and regional networking, particularly on emerging global issues such as digital diplomacy, cyber threats, artificial intelligence, and green growth. The program will enhance skills in crisis response, multilateral negotiation, and anticipatory decision-making, while promoting inclusive participation and institutional learning among participating countries.

The program will develop training curricula for trainers and foreign service officers that reflect country-specific contexts while fostering a shared understanding of regional issues. It also aims to reinforce the role of diplomacy in maintaining regional stability and promoting long-term peace and development.

For more information, please contact:

Mekong Institute

Email: [email protected]