Virtual, 21 October 2026: ERIA, together with its research partner, the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS), presented the Executive Summary of the Feasibility Study on the Establishment of the ASEAN Centre of Excellence for MSMEs (ACE-MSMEs) at the 22nd Meeting of the ASEAN Coordinating Committee on Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (ACCMSME), held in hybrid format on 21 October 2026.

The ERIA delegation comprised Dr Dionisius A. Narjoko, Megawati, Cynthia Eka Wahyuni, and Ressita Ramadhani. The presentation was delivered jointly by Megawati of ERIA and Dr Francis Mark Quimba of PIDS.

Supported by the ASEAN-Canada Plan of Action Trust Fund, the study assesses opportunities to strengthen existing ASEAN mechanisms for supporting micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) through improved co-ordination, accessibility, and effectiveness. Drawing on regional and international benchmarking, stakeholder consultations, and private-sector assessments, the presentation shared the study’s key findings and recommendations with ACCMSME members and sought their further guidance towards finalising the feasibility assessment.

Additional complementary inputs were presented by Zaki Raheem, drawing on reports from the U.S.-ASEAN Partnership Program (UAPP).

Through this initiative, ERIA reaffirms its commitment to supporting ASEAN and its Member States with evidence-based policy recommendations to strengthen MSME competitiveness and inclusiveness, and advance regional economic integration.