The Third Asean Investment Forum 2025 (AIF 2025) convened today in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, bringing together Asean Economic Ministers responsible for trade and investment, senior government officials, global investors, investment promotion agencies, and prominent private sector leaders.
Held under Malaysia’s Asean Chairmanship in 2025, the Forum aimed to reinforce Asean’s positioning as an integrated, resilient, and investor-ready region by promoting foreign direct investment (FDI) as a key driver of inclusive and sustainable economic transformation.
Co-organised by the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI) of Malaysia, Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA), Asean Secretariat (ASEC), Asean Coordinating Committee on Investment (CCI), Asean Business and Advisory Council (Asean-BAC), and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), AIF 2025 marked a significant milestone in the early implementation of the Asean Regional Investment Promotion Action Plan (RIPAP) 2025–2030, launched at the 2024 AIF in Lao PDR.
This year’s Forum featured a curated pipeline of investment-ready projects across strategic sectors identified under RIPAP, including biofuels and solar power. These sectors were selected for their strong growth potential, alignment with national development goals, and their relevance to regional value chains.
For investors seeking actionable entry points into Asean’s sustainable industrial transformation, the Forum offered direct access to credible projects, valuable country-level insights, and opportunities for regional collaboration.
Participants engaged in a full-day programme featuring sector-specific discussions, practical investment showcases, and networking opportunities. Sessions highlighted integrated investment prospects in industrial decarbonisation, smart manufacturing, health and life sciences, and renewable energy. The Forum also served as a platform for dialogue among investment promotion agencies, policymakers, and private-sector stakeholders to foster sustainable and inclusive investment flows.
A high-level ministerial plenary explored Asean’s competitiveness in a shifting global landscape, emphasising the region’s role as a stable and trusted partner for quality investment. Ministers discussed the importance of strengthening regional coherence, aligning national promotion strategies with Asean-wide sectoral priorities, and leveraging FDI to support sustainability, innovation, and inclusive growth.
In her opening remarks, Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Secretary of ESCAP said, “In this moment of change, Asean’s collective voice and regional strength matters more than ever. The world looks to Asean not only as a market of opportunity, but as a partner in building a more predictable, connected, and sustainable investment landscape.”
Ajay Sharma CMG, British High Commissioner to Malaysia highlighted, “The UK remains a steadfast partner in Asean’s green transition, bringing not only funding but also technical expertise and global partnerships to turn ambition into investable projects. UK initiatives like the Asean Green Investment Catalyst are enablers that support Asean transition from planning to action, mobilising capital for renewable energy, sustainable transport, and low-carbon industries across the region.”
In his closing remarks on behalf of Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, Secretary-General of Asean, Satvinder Singh, Deputy Secretary-General for the Asean Economic Community said, “Asean’s investment policy needs to unlock not only the full potential of our region’s full economic growth, but also to preserve the sustainability and inclusivity of such growth in line with the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.”
Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Aziz, Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI), Malaysia further reflected, “Asean’s strength lies in its unity and shared purpose. Through our Priority Economic Deliverables (PEDs), we are effectively advancing a cohesive regional investment proposition, reinforcing our position as an integrated, resilient, and investor-ready region, while laying the foundation for inclusive and sustainable growth. Through deeper collaboration between investors, governments, and investment promotion agencies, we are also shaping Asean into a dynamic hub for opportunity, innovation, and long-term prosperity.”
AIF 2025 reaffirmed Asean’s position as a stable, transparent, and dynamic investment destination. It also contributed to the broader efforts of implementing RIPAP 2025–2030, which seeks to align national investment strategies with shared regional priorities. As Asean’s flagship platform for promoting inclusive and sustainable investment, the Forum continues to play a central role in advancing Asean’s economic transformation and achieving its development goals.
For more information: https://www.unescap.org/events/2025/third-Asean-investment- forum-2025.