The number of new investor-state claims notified against Vietnam in 2027 won't fall below the 2024-2026 average, despite Hanoi's new dispute-resolution decree being framed as "prevention."

The new decree centralises how ministries handle foreign investor lawsuits and arbitration notices under a Deputy PM-led committee, but its prevention tool is mediation launched only once a claimant has already signalled intent to sue, not a fix for root causes like inconsistent provincial licensing or unresolved renewable-tariff arrears. Expect it to curb escalation to formal arbitration, not the underlying flow of disputes being triggered.