THE Regional Policy Dialogue on “Moving Forward to the New Trend of International Investment Agreement (IIA) – Bringing the Concept of Sustainable and Responsible Investments (SRI)” was held in a hybrid format at the MGallery Hotel in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar, on 18-19 November 2025.
The event was co-organized by the Ministry of Investment and Foreign Economic Relations (MIFER) and the ASEAN Secretariat with funding support of the ASEAN-Hong Kong, China Free Trade Agreement (AHKFTA) – ECOTECH (AHKECOTECH) Work Programme.
At the opening session, Union Minister for Investment and Foreign Economic Relations Dr Wah Wah Maung delivered the opening speech, stressing that incorporating the concept of sustainable and responsible investment into the upgraded and future regional IIAs would help to mitigate investment disputes. Furthermore, it can secure the host state’s right to regulate and contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at both national and regional levels. The Union Minister also highlighted that efforts to adopt the ASEAN Guidelines on Sustainable Investment (ASIG) at the regional level reflect the collective commitment of all ASEAN Member States.
Following the Union Minister’s opening speech, opening remarks were delivered by Mr Char Chi Man, Hong Kong Co-chair of the AHKFTA Subcommittee on Investment, Ms Rozieyanahayu Ab Rahman, ASEAN Co-chair of the AHKFTA Subcommittee on Investment, and Ms Yuanita Ruchyat, Senior Officer at Services & Investment Division of the ASEAN Secretariat, concerning the potential inclusion of sustainable and responsible investment provisions in regional investment agreements, as well as the importance of regional cooperation in investment policy formulation.
Then, the event proceeded with presentations and panel discussions focusing on the relationship between sustainable and responsible investment and International Investment Agreements (IIAs), and how this relationship can mitigate disputes between investor and the host state, delivered by the international representatives from the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), and the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), alongside international experts. Also, representatives from the ASEAN Working Group on Investment of ASEAN Member States presented their respective national efforts toward achieving sustainable development.
The Regional Policy Dialogue was conducted for two days. The opening ceremony was attended by a total of 150 participants led by Union Minister Dr Wah Wah Maung, Deputy Minister Daw Than Than Linn, Deputy Minister U Thant Sin Lwin, Permanent Secretaries, Directors-General, and senior officials from relevant ministries, representatives from the ASEAN Secretariat, ASEAN Member States, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (China), and international experts. — MIFER
