Manila, 21 September 2026: ERIA presented its contributions to the regional MSME agenda at the ASEAN MSME Summit 2026, held at the Likhang Filipino Exhibition Hall in Pasay City. Themed ‘Navigating the Future Together: Building Future-Ready ASEAN MSMEs’, the Summit was co-organised by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Philippines and the ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC) Philippines, in co-ordination with the ASEAN Co-ordinating Committee on MSMEs (ACCMSME) and the ASEAN Secretariat. The Summit was a flagship event of the Philippines’ ASEAN Chairship 2026.

ERIA President Tetsuya Watanabe attended the opening of the Summit, underscoring ERIA’s continued commitment to supporting ASEAN’s MSME development agenda.

The Summit opened with welcome remarks by Hon. Ma. Cristina A. Roque, Secretary of the DTI Philippines and Chair of the ASEAN Economic Ministers (AEM) 2026. The opening set the stage for discussions amongst policymakers, business leaders, MSME practitioners, development partners, and regional and international experts on strengthening MSME development across ASEAN. Discussions addressed key issues including regional market expansion, access to finance, digital transformation, cross-border growth, and stronger co-operation amongst ASEAN Member States and their development partners.

The programme featured perspectives from ASEAN businesses and regional and international institutions, including ERIA, the ASEAN Foundation, the International Trade Centre (ITC), UN ESCAP, the OECD, and the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). Discussions explored practical approaches to connecting ASEAN MSMEs with markets, knowledge, financing, digital opportunities, and co-ordinated support for sustainable growth.

A key session, ‘Building ASEAN’s MSME Legacy’, showcased regional initiatives aimed at strengthening the ASEAN MSME ecosystem. ERIA contributed to the session through two initiatives: the Feasibility Study on the Establishment of an ASEAN Centre of Excellence for MSMEs (ACE-MSMEs) and Private Sector Impressions and Assessments on MSME Development in ASEAN.

Representing ERIA, Megawati, Trade Policy Fellow, presented findings from Private Sector Impressions and Assessments on MSME Development in ASEAN. Conducted in partnership with ASEAN-BAC Philippines, the initiative draws directly on feedback from businesses to assess their views of existing ASEAN MSME support programmes, identify areas for improvement, and provide insights into future priorities and partnerships for MSME development in ASEAN.