DHL Express and ASEAN Business Advisory Council partner to strengthen MSME competitiveness and advance ASEAN trade integration

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DHL Express and the ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC) have formalised a strategic collaboration through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to advance trade facilitation, strengthen supply chain resilience, and empower micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the ASEAN member states. The initiative underscores a shared commitment to accelerate ASEAN’s economic integration and global competitiveness.

The partnership will focus on four key areas:

  • Empowering MSMEs, including women-led businesses, with enhanced access to and effective participation in cross-border trade
  • Strengthening supply chain resilience and promoting digital logistics adoption
  • Advancing decarbonization practices in the region
  • Harmonising supply chain and digital trade standards through policy advocacy

These focus areas align with ASEAN’s broader ambition to enhance intra-regional and global trade connectivity. Equally, it highlights DHL’s GT20 initiative, which prioritises the world’s 20 most significant markets; six of these are ASEAN member states. Through this collaboration, both organisations will work to reduce barriers to cross-border commerce and improve customs processes and standards. ASEAN businesses – particularly MSMEs – will be able to gain a competitive edge in the global trade landscape.

“ASEAN’s strength will not be measured by the success of a few, but by the number of people we bring into the circle of growth and opportunity,” said ASEAN Business Advisory Council Chair Jose Ma. Concepcion III. “Advancing Prosperity for All” means building an ASEAN where businesses of all sizes can grow and innovate. Through stronger regional collaboration, and this partnership with DHL, we want to ensure that no one – especially MSMEs and the small entrepreneurs – is left behind.”

“Global trade has proven its resilience time and again, and ASEAN continues to stand out as a critical pillar of that growth. MSMEs are at the heart of ASEAN’s economies, and their ability to compete internationally will define the region’s next phase of development. DHL has been a constant in enabling cross-border trade – providing the infrastructure, expertise and reliability that businesses depend on. Our partnership with ASEAN-BAC and our GoTrade program show that we are doubling down on our commitment to MSMEs so that they can confidently scale beyond their home markets,” said Herbert Vongpusanachai, Senior Vice President for Commercial – Asia Pacific, DHL Express.

Asia remains a key anchor in global trade, according to the latest DHL Global Connectedness Report, with ASEAN also contributing significantly to trade flows. As a prominent manufacturing base that handled USD4.4 trillion (~EUR3.79 trillion) in merchandise trade, it is essential to ensure the region’s MSMEs receive the support they need to scale.

Under the MoU, DHL will provide expertise via its GoTrade program* and related MSME support initiatives. GoTrade training programs will be introduced region-wide to help MSMEs navigate complexities such as digital, finance and logistics when trading internationally. The DHL GoTrade program is a DHL strategic initiative that aims to unlock global trade opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises.

Meanwhile, ASEAN-BAC Philippines, as chair for 2026, continues to champion MSMEs as a core priority embedded across its four strategic pillars: People (inclusivity), Planet (sustainability, Platform (innovation), and Productivity (competitiveness). Its flagship legacy project, the ASEAN mentorship for Entrepreneurs Network, launched during its last chairmanship in 2017, will be expanded into a digital platform to further scale mentorship, market access, innovation support, and regional opportunities for MSMEs across the region.

The collaboration will also reinforce the region’s strategic importance in global supply chains. By jointly developing research papers on ASEAN trade challenges faced by MSMEs, promoting digital trade processes, and engaging governments on aligned standards, DHL and ASEAN-BAC aim to further elevate ASEAN’s position in international trade networks.

The global DHL GoTrade Summit will also be held in Manila this year. Both ASEAN-BAC and the Department of Trade and Industry of the Philippines are partners of the event, which convenes experts and policymakers to ideate and discuss ways to help MSMEs trade better across borders.