Malaysian Technical Cooperation Programme (MTCP)
The history of the Malaysian Technical Cooperation Programme (MTCP) dates as far back as the First Commonwealth Heads of States (CHOGM) Meeting in Sydney in February 1978, where the idea was first conceived. The MTCP was officially launched on 7 September, 1980 at the Commonwealth Heads of State Meeting in New Delhi, India, to signify Malaysia’s commitment to South-South cooperation, in particular Technical Cooperation among Developing Countries (TCDC).
In line with the spirit of South-South cooperation, the MTCP, which is a bilateral technical cooperation programme, shares development experiences with other developing countries. This “prosper-thy-neighbour” philosophy is the underlying basis for the MTCP. The Programme provides various forms of technical cooperation in areas where Malaysia has the experience and expertise. The MTCP emphasises the development of human resources through the provision of training in various areas which are essential for a country’s development such as public administration, agriculture, poverty alleviation, investment promotion, ICT, banking and English language.
The Economic Planning Unit, which is the national focal point for all technical cooperation, is responsible for the administration and coordination of MTCP activities. Since its inception, the MTCP has expanded in terms of its scope and coverage with emphasis on the exchange of development experience. More than 2,000 participants from 135 member countries come to Malaysia annually under the MTCP. Currently the MTCP has a membership of about 13,400 alumni worldwide. About 130 short-term specialized courses are offered by the 35 MTCP training institutions, many of which are centres of excellence for training, with the aim of building human capital in other developing countries.
The objectives of MTCP are :
1. To share development experience with other countries;
2. To strengthen bilateral relations between Malaysia and other developing countries;
3. To promote South-South Cooperation; and
4. To promote technical cooperation among developing countries.
