Voya Investment Management, the asset management business of Voya Financial, Inc. (NYSE: VOYA) announced that it has recommended, and the Boards of Trustees of the Voya Asia Pacific High Dividend Equity Income Fund (TICKER: IAE) and the Voya Emerging Markets High Dividend Equity Fund (TICKER: IHD) have each approved, a merger of their respective fund into the Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Equity Fund (TICKER: IEMLX), an open-end fund. Voya Investment Management also announced that it has reached agreement with a large institutional investor in each of IAE and IHD to support the mergers and remain a passive investor for a period of time.

IAE and IHD will each hold a special meeting of shareholders to consider approval of the transaction. Detailed information on the proposed mergers, and each fund’s respective meeting, will be contained in proxy materials expected to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission in the coming weeks.