ASEAN Investment Promotion Agencies Participated in Capacity Building Activities to Prepare for a Regional Investment Promotion

ADMIN ADMIN

Kuala Lumpur, 12-13 February 2025 - ASEAN Investment Promotion Agencies (IPAs) progressed further on implementing the ASEAN Regional Investment Promotion Action Plan (RIPAP) through a workshop held on 12–13 February 2025 in Kuala Lumpur. This workshop is the first capacity building workshops organised by Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) to support the ASEAN Coordinating Committee on Investment (CCI) in implementing the RIPAP.

This workshop focused on developing the baseline knowledge in the first two (2) sectors of focus under phase I (2025-2027) of the RIPAP, namely biofuels and Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS). The RIPAP consists of a set of action plans for up to six (6) sectors for 2025-2030. It featured expert presentations and hands-on exercises that provide deep insights into each sector’s value chains, market dynamics, and investment drivers. Invited experts for this first workshop included Mr. Bharadwaj Kummamuru from the World Bioenergy Association, Ms. Jessica Olsson from Business Sweden, and Mr. Andreas Dessler from the FDI Center.

Practical exercise between ASEAN IPAs were important part of the workshop, aiming at gaining a better understanding of how to position ASEAN’s collective advantages in both sectors. It conducted exercise between attending AMS as well as Timor Leste investment agencies, to identify and share policy and regulatory framework, market information, supporting ecosystem, and investment promotion materials.  In addition, this workshop also discussed Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to monitor the RIPAP’s implementation progress.

Capacity building is a one of key components of the RIPAP which include activities such as direct outreach, engagement with industry multipliers, and marketing efforts, hence it serves as an integral part of the implementation strategy. Progress on RIPAP implementation represents the region’s continued commitment to realise a collective approach to investment promotion, presenting ASEAN as one compelling investment destination with focus on green transition and post-pandemic recovery sectors.

The second workshop for the implementation of RIPAP is scheduled to be held on 27 – 28 March 2025 in Bangkok, Thailand, back-to-back with the 87^th Meeting of the ASEAN Coordinating Committee on Investment (87^th CCI).