Southeast Asian countries have made substantial improvements to the investment climate over the past two decades. This has contributed to FDI flows increasing by a factor of nine over that period, culminating in a record $223 billion in FDI inflows in 2022. Investors are attracted to Southeast Asia by the region’s competitive advantages including improvements in business regulations and infrastructure, increasing domestic demand from a growing middle class, proximity to global supply chains, and expanding network of next-generation free trade agreements. Southeast Asian governments are now looking to boost not just the quantity but the quality of investment, by focusing on encouraging FDI that makes a greater contribution to sustainable outcomes. Governments outside the region are aware of Southeast Asia’s growing economic importance and are strengthening their partnerships through bilateral and multilateral frameworks. To open this session, the OECD will deliver a briefing on investment trends in Southeast Asia, which will examine the sectors driving investment growth, the role of supply chains, and policies that attract quality and sustainable investment and maximise the benefits of FDI. Delegates will then be invited to share priorities and strategies for strengthening sustainable investment partnerships in the region in the light of these current trends.

Southeast Asia has developed rapidly over the past two decades and the region is a major engine of global economic growth. Southeast Asian economies’ greenhouse emissions are projected to significantly increase in the next two decades, driven by energy emissions. Addressing this requires scaling up of clean energy technologies, including in renewable power, energy efficiency and decarbonisation of industry, while phasing down emissions-intensive infrastructure. However, ASEAN countries have been facing a widening infrastructure investment gap. While the ADB estimates a required spend of 5% of GDP per year on infrastructure, and an additional 0.7% to mitigate carbon emissions and boost resilience, spending to date has been far lower. Strained public budgets cannot bridge the gap alone; accelerating private investments will be part of the solution. Attracting investment will require addressing sector-specific and cross-cutting policy, regulatory and financial hurdles, as well as regional approaches across Southeast Asia to share experiences and mobilise investment at scale. To open this session, the OECD will brief participants on key outcomes and lessons of current clean energy partnerships with Southeast Asia. Participants will also hear a major investor reflect on their practical experience investing in the region.

Viet Nam has made important steps towards greater investment openness in recent years. This session will focus on how Viet Nam can attract not just more but better investment, and how foreign investment can contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and the realisation of national socio-economic strategies.

The OECD Declaration on International Investment and Multinational Enterprises is a policy commitment by adhering governments to provide an open and transparent environment for international investment. This session will draw on OECD analysis to investigate the benefits of greater adherence by Viet Nam to the Declaration and the possibility of future adherence to this key OECD instrument.