e-Asia and Knowledge Partnership Fund

What is the fund?

The fund was established in June 2006 by the Republic of Korea. It aims to to bridge the digital divide and promote improved access to information and creating and sharing of knowledge through information and communications technology (ICT) in the Asia and Pacific region.

What are the priorities?

The fund aims to contribute to poverty reduction and the economic and social development in ADB's developing member countries (DMCs) through its two windows: the e-Asia program and the knowledge partnership program.

What kind of activities will be financed from the fund?

The e-Asia program aims to achieve the objectives by:

• strengthening the capacity of DMCs to achieve the targets of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Plan of Action
• providing technical assistance (TA) for promoting information and communication technology (ICT) and bridging the digital divide, through national and regional e-strategies

The knowledge partnership program aims to achieve the objectives by:

• strengthening the capacity of DMCs to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)
• facilitating the creation and sharing of experience, information, and knowledge in the Asia and Pacific region.

Who is eligible to receive the grant?

Projects from all ADB DMCs will be eligible for funding.

Who supports the fund?

The Republic of Korea has set up US$20 million in support of this fund. On 1 December 2010, the Government of Korea provided additional contribution to the Fund, amounting to US$6.37 million (KRW 7.38 billion), plus another US$ 6 million in October 2011.