Applications open for ASEAN Reporters Tour Program

The Reporter Tour will include briefings with U.S. Government officials, including from (but not limited to) the Department of State, Department of Commerce, Department of Defense, the U.S. Trade Representative, Department of Energy, Department of Transportation, and the National Security Council; Congress; industry groups, such as the U.S.-ASEAN Business Council, the American Chamber of Commerce; economic experts at think tanks and elsewhere; and private sector companies with significant interests and investments in the ASEAN region. Examples include Microsoft, Amazon, and Google. USASEAN will take the lead on arranging government meetings, and may assist if needed on arranging non-governmental meetings.

Program Objectives

• The 2024 ASEAN Reporters Tour is the second iteration of a USASEAN-funded program to build a network and a sense of collective identity among regionally focused journalists from each of the member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, while providing information and insight from important and credible voices on a range of issues. The 2024 program will highlight the positive economic relationship between the United States and ASEAN, with a secondary focus on emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and the digital economy, as well as how the public and private sectors of the United States work with and support ASEAN and its member states. The program should also adhere to DEIA principles in support of the participants and should ensure the same principles are featured as one aspect of the engagements and messaging.
  • Mission Objective 2.2: Collaboration with ASEAN on cybersecurity, science, technology, and innovation is strengthened to address future challenges and to explore new opportunities.
  • Mission Objective 1.3: ASEAN governments and peoples recognize the U.S. contribution to ASEAN centrality and U.S. commitments to the Indo-Pacific.
• The ASEAN Reporters Tour will be designed for 12 relevant issue-focused journalists chosen by the U.S. missions in the region. Additionally, two staff from PAS USASEAN will participate in the entire trip, but will be funded separately. The trip will take place in Washington, D.C., and Seattle, and should include travel from Bangkok to each of the locations in the United States and back to Bangkok. Travel to and from Bangkok, as well as other associated costs for that travel, will be funded separately.
• The Reporters Tour will have a virtual orientation a few weeks ahead of departure.
• The purpose of the virtual pre-departure orientation will be to:
  • Confirm that participants will be prepared in time for their travel, including but not limited to U.S. visas;
  • Answer questions about the program, including movements, engagements, ground rules, and other relevant questions;
  • Solicit feedback on the program and determine any necessary/possible changes;

Purpose

• The purpose of the Reporter Tour will be to:
  • Enhance participants’ understanding of the robust U.S. economic relationship with the ASEAN region, complete with tangible examples;
  • Strengthen participants’ knowledge base of U.S. policy on AI, the digital economy, and cybersecurity in Southeast Asia;
  • Counter PRC misinformation/disinformation regarding U.S. economic engagements in the region;
  • Demonstrate U.S. leadership in emerging tech;
  • Highlight the positive role of U.S. investment in the region; and
  • Provide insight into American life, including that of relevant diaspora and the November 5 election.

Funding Information

• Total available funding: $110,000
• Award amount: $110,000
• Length of performance period: 4 months
• Number of awards anticipated: One

Participants and Audiences

• PAS USASEAN will work with the bilateral U.S. missions throughout the region to identify participants, who will all be proficient English speakers; Please allow some funding in the budget to include accessibility needs, such as sign language. Accessibility must be provided, if required.
• The grant recipient will be responsible for arranging and using cooperative agreement funds to cover all elements related to participant travel including international and domestic flights, travel to and from airports, accommodations, per diem, meals during the program, and travel insurance.

Priority Region 

• Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Laos, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and Timor-Leste.

Eligibility Criteria

• The following organizations are eligible to apply:
  • U.S. public and private educational institutions
  • U.S. not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks
• In order to be eligible to receive an award, all organizations must have a unique entity identifier.

For more information, visit U.S. Mission to ASEAN.