The Malaysian Technical Cooperation Programme (MTCP) was first initiated at the First Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Sydney in February 1978. It 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, Malaysia through MTCP shares its development experiences and expertise with other developing countries. The MTCP was first formulated based on the belief that the development of a country depends on the quality of its human resources. The programme forms part of the commitment of the Malaysian Government towards the promotion of technical cooperation among developing countries, strengthening of regional and sub-regional cooperation, as well as nurturing collective self-reliance among developing countries.

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, good governance, health services, education, sustainable development, agriculture, poverty alleviation, investment promotion, ICT and banking. More than 100 short-term specialised courses are offered by more than 50 MTCP training institutions, many of which are centres of excellence for training. Since its launching, more than 20,000 participants from 140 countries have benefited from the various programmes offered under the MTCP.

The MTCP has been managed by the Economic Planning Unit, Prime Minister’s Department since its inception. In a move to further enable MTCP to spread its wings wider and stronger, the Malaysian Government has decided to transfer the MTCP to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 1 January 2010. It is envisaged that emplacing it under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs could provide the synergy and support it requires in line with Malaysia’s foreign policy. As the focal point for the MTCP, Wisma Putra is responsible to formulate policies, fund, coordinate, monitor and evaluate the MTCP programmes.

The objectives of MTCP are as follows:

• To share development experiences with other countries;
• To strengthen bilateral relations between Malaysia and other developing countries;
• To promote South-South Cooperation; and
• To promote technical cooperation among developing countries.

There are five types of cooperation available under the MTCP as follows:

• Provision of long-term fellowship and scholarship for post-graduate and undergraduates courses at Malaysian Public Universities;
• Provision of short-term specialized training for participants at various training institutions and Government agencies in Malaysia;
• Study visits and practical attachment at participating Governments agencies in Malaysia;
• Advisory services by Malaysian experts; and
• Other assistance, including socio-economic projects and provisions of supplies and equipment on a very selective basis.

Third Country Training Program (TCTP)

In 2013, the Government of Malaysia through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) has collaborated with MATRADE and the Government of Japan through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to conduct a new technical assistance program. This program is known as the Third Country Training Program (TCTP) entitled “Trade Facilitation for African Countries”

This implementation is an outcome from the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) IV meeting. One of TICAD IV initiative is to achieve mutual cooperation with African Countries in overcoming global challenges through capacity building. Malaysia and Japan are among the countries that are actively carrying out this initiative.

The TCTP is also seen as a medium to fulfill the government’s commitment in strengthening the South-South Cooperation in the area of capacity building among developing countries. The target participants in the TCTP programme are specifically from the trade promotion organisation or Ministry that handles trade promotion activities. This program will be held once a year from 2013 – 2015.

The main objectives of the course are:

• Exposing participants to Malaysia's trade policies, programmes and strategies in enhancing Malaysia's exports overseas.
• Providing an insight on MATRADE's organizational operation and methodology in promoting Malaysian products and services.
• Sharing Malaysia's experience in trade promotion, particularly in organizing trade exhibitions, trade missions and managing the trade exhibition centre.
• Raising awareness among participants of global and regional trade developments and issues.
• Fostering closer rapport among participating countries through sharing of expertise in trade promotion.
• Establishing greater understanding in matters of mutual concern and interest, especially in trade promotion involving goods and services.

The TCTPs that MATRADE has organised are:

• Trade Facilitation For African Countries – 2013
• Trade Promotion For African Countries – 2015