Voluntary Multi-Donor Trust Fund (VMDTF) for financial support to attend IMO GHG meetings

The Council, at its 128th session, endorsed the establishment of the Voluntary Multi-Donor Trust Fund (VMDTF) providing financial assistance to representatives of developing countries, in particular SIDS and LDCs, in attending the IMO GHG related meetings. The VMDTF is open to voluntary contributions from all States, non-governmental organizations, intergovernmental organizations, other interested entities, and individuals, noting that contributions will remain anonymous, unless otherwise requested, without option of donors to target specific beneficiary States or regions with their contributions, beyond supporting the Fund's overall mandate, in order to prevent undue influence. More information about the VMDTF, including its terms of reference, can be found in Circular Letter No.4703.

Between 2023 and 2024, the VMDTF was responsible for funding 69 participants from 39 different Member States to come to IMO Headquarters, London, to attend IMO GHG-related meetings. An update on the first year of operations of the VMDTF, as reported to the Council, at its 132nd session, can be found here.

A new call for applications was issued in May 2025. To apply for funding to attend 2025 meetings, namely 2nd extraordinary session (MEPC/ES.2) and the Intersessional Working Group on Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships (ISWG-GHG 20), please see Circular Letter No.5011. Please note that the deadline for all applications is 20 July 2025.

Please feel free to direct any related queries to: vmdtf-developingcountries@imo.org