Australia’s Market Development Facility (MDF) helps countries in the Indo-Pacific region to grow through improved productivity, economic diversification, competitiveness and trade. 

MDF helps business partners and government to identify markets that have high potential to grow, be profitable, and deliver social and environmental value. 

Our aim is to do good by supporting good business. MDF supports business investment and innovation that reduces poverty, economically empowers women and combats climate change. We currently operate in Fiji, Timor-Leste, Samoa, Vanuatu, Tonga and Sri Lanka.

MDF is funded by the Australian Government. It is implemented by Palladium, in partnership with Swisscontact. 

About RT4D

The Regional Trade for Development (RT4D) initiative is funded by both the Governments of Australia and New Zealand. It assists ASEAN Member States (AMS) in meeting their commitments and realising the advantages offered by the Agreement establishing the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area, or AANZFTA, and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, or RCEP.

Through the AANZFTA Implementation Support Program (AISP) and the RCEP Implementation Support Program (RISP), RT4D provides tailored support to enhance the capabilities of ASEAN Member States by strengthening skills, building networks, facilitating policy options and ensuring that trade benefits everyone, including Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), women and people with disabilities.

The Governments of Australia and New Zealand have committed up to AUD 48.7 million to fund RT4D from 2020-21 to 2027-28.

Project Summary

The RCEP Implementation Support Program (RISP), implemented by the RT4D Facility, aims to support AMS to realise the full benefits of RCEP through the provision of capacity-building support and access to technical expertise.

The following project is approved under RISP.

• Project name: Promoting the utilisation of RCEP, especially in digital trade, through better understanding and enhanced engagement of the private sector, MSMEs and women-led businesses.

• Project Objectives: In celebration of the third anniversary of RCEP’s entry into force, this project aims to reinforce the practical utilization of RCEP commitments by MSMEs and women-led enterprises through the following objectives:

o to assess the awareness and utilization of RCEP among MSMEs, women led businesses in Viet Nam, identifying gaps and areas for improvement. 

o to address identified gaps by raising awareness and improving communication on RCEP benefits among MSMEs and women-led enterprises, especially in digital trade, through capacity-building workshops and the development of user-friendly materials to enhance understanding and utilization.

o to strengthen collaboration between the MSMEs and women-led enterprises, and policymakers to improve FTA implementation and support. 

About RT4D

The Regional Trade for Development (RT4D) Facility supports ASEAN Member States to maximise benefits from the upgraded ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (AANZFTA) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Agreement. Under the operation of the RT4D, the Trade and Gender Equality Incubator (TGEI), with funding support from Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), tests ideas and methods, drawing on promising practice to advance gender equality within trade-related policies, technical cooperation, and development programming.

Project Summary

The General Department of Customs and Excise in Cambodia (GDCE) of the Royal Government of Cambodia is committed to advancing gender equality throughout the whole organisation, at policy, culture, and practice level. TGEI is supporting the GDCE to implement the project Progressing gender equality for all, leading to greater gender equality and inclusion outcomes in GDCE’s policy, practices, and services. In 2024, the GDCE approved an eight-point Gender and Diversity Action Plan to achieve this objective. This work is being conducted in close cooperation with members of the GDCE’s Gender Equality Working Group. The RT4D Facility now seeks a firm/organisation (the Consultant) to support project implementation in line with the project objectives, beneficiaries, outcomes and activities outlined below.

TGEI is supporting the General Department of Customs and Excise (GDCE) through the project “Progressing Gender Equality for All,” which aims to enhance gender equality and inclusion across GDCE’s policies, practices, and services. The project developed an Organisational Gender Equality and Diversity Action Plan for the period of July 2024 to December 2026 with the following intended outcomes:

1. Improved institutional capacity on gender equality and diversity (GED).

2. A safe workplace policy, practice, and culture for all staff and customers.

3. Gender responsive and inclusive trade facilitation for SMEs.

4. Internal recruitment system is prepared to employ and accommodate persons with disabilities in the workplace.

5. Staff and customers who live with disabilities can access GDCE facilities with a high level of safety and comfort.

6. Increased institutional capacity of GDCE to monitor and report the progress of GED initiatives.

7. Increased job satisfaction, particularly among female staff, staff with health conditions, and those with caregiving responsibilities, as well as the provision of flexible work options for all staff.

8. Improved capacity of GDCE staff to effectively integrate GEDSI principles in their communications.