2018 Programme
Download key background documents here:
Preliminary programme. Session times and venues are subject to change.
Day 1
22 Oct 2018
14:00 - 14:15
1st & 3rd floor
Official Opening of the Investment Village
The official opening of the Investment Village, involving high-level UN and partner country officials, will take place on 22 October at 14:00. Event Manager: Mr. Massimo Meloni Contact email:... Read More
15:00 – 16:00
Assembly Hall and Foyer
Grand Opening
The opening ceremony will take place in the presence of the highest-level representation from the host country, Switzerland, UNCTAD member States, the global business community, as well as other investment... Read More
16:00 - 16:30
Assembly Hall
2018 UNITED NATIONS INVESTMENT PROMOTION AWARDS
Investment for the Sustainable Development Goals Held since 2002, the United Nations Investment Promotion Awards celebrate the exchange of best practice in investment promotion. The Awards will be presented to... Read More
16:30-18:30
GLOBAL INVESTMENT GAME CHANGERS SUMMIT: Pioneering solutions for a better world
New ideas can transform the world we live in and rewrite the rules and policies that govern it. Mobilizing investment and channeling it towards the SDGs require above all new... Read More
18:30
Welcome Reception and Cultural Performance
Day 2
23 Oct 2018
10:00 – 13:00
Assembly Hall
Global Leaders Investment Summit I: Investment in a new era of globalization
The Summit convenes Heads of State and government and CEOs of global companies to share their vision for the future. Their insights will set the tone for the rest of... Read More
13:15-14:45
Room XXIII
Talking Business: Eastern Europe and Central Asia
“Talking Business” are interactive sessions between governments and business. They provide a platform to showcase investment opportunities in countries, explore new investment horizons and interact with high-level country representatives. Participant... Read More
13:15 – 14:45
Delegates Dining
LEADERS LUNCHEON: MEETING OF THE INVESTMENT ADVISORY COUNCIL (by invitation only)
Launched in 2001, the UNCTAD-International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Investment Advisory Council brings together global leaders from the public and the private sphere to brainstorm on innovative means to increase... Read More
14:30-17:30
Room XXV
FOSTERING INVESTMENT IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW ANTIBACTERIAL TREATMENTS
Antimicrobial resistant infections (AMR) are on the rise and pose a significant global risk. Developing countries, in particular, are vulnerable because they often lack key medical resources. The development of... Read More
14:30-17:30
Room XXIV
Investment and the Digital Economy
The rapid rise of the digital economy is reshaping global investment, and ensuring that that every country can participate and benefit from the digital economy will require proactive policies engaging... Read More
14:45-18:00
Room XVII
Sustainable Stock Exchanges (SSE) Global Dialogue
The Sustainable Stock Exchange (SSE) initiative – launched by UNCTAD, the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) –... Read More
15:00 – 18:00
ROOM XXVI
Investment Promotion Conference
Session 1: Promoting Investment in the SDGs – Connecting the Actors Bridging the enormous SDG financing gap (estimated at $2.5 trillion annually in developing countries) will require increased private investment.... Read More
15:00 - 17:00
Room XI
THE AFRICAN, CARIBBEAN AND PACIFIC GROUP OF STATES (ACP) MINISTERIAL ROUNDTABLE
Trade and Investment policies for Development Trade and investment policies often work in silos. In the context of global value chains (GVCs) they can have unintended and counterproductive reciprocal effects.... Read More
15:00 - 18:00
Room XX
INVESTING IN SPORTS FOR SDGs
The United Nations have long recognized the contribution of sport to human and social progress and its member states reaffirmed the role of sport in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable... Read More
15:00-17:00
Room XXIII
Legislating for sustainable development
Tripartite between Parliamentarians, Government and Business Leaders As national legislators, parliaments have a vital role to promote investment in sustainable development and set appropriate regulatory frameworks. This role extends to... Read More
16:00 – 18:00
Room XXIII
THE INVESTMENT, TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT NEXUS
Organized together with the World Trade Organization (WTO), the high-level event will shed light on the evolving relationship between trade, investment and development in the new era of globalization and... Read More
16:00 – 18:00
Room XXII
MAIN OBSTACLES AND SOLUTIONS TO INVESTMENTS IN AFRICA
Accelerating private sector engagement and investments in Africa is a priority to achieve sustainable development and inclusive growth in the continent. There is a need to develop new strategic ties... Read More
18:30
Reception
Day 3
24 Oct 2018
09:00 - 10:00
Room XI
INTERACTIVE BREAKFAST ENCOUNTER (by invitation only)
Investment Policies and Practices for Global Value Chain Upgrading Connecting to global and regional production networks can provide SMEs and developing country firms significant opportunities to cater to new markets... Read More
10:00 – 13:00
Assembly Hall
GLOBAL LEADERS INVESTMENT SUMMIT II: Investment in a new era of industrialization
The second Summit will look into the impact of new industrialization. New industrialization (based on digitalization, robotics and big data) is bound to affect all aspects of the way in... Read More
10:00 – 13:00
THIRTY-FIFTH ANNIVERSARY SESSION OF THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL WORKING GROUP OF EXPERTS ON INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS OF ACCOUNTING AND REPORTING (ISAR)
The Intergovernmental Working Group of Experts on International Standards of Accounting and Reporting (ISAR) promotes high quality and internationally comparable financial and environmental, social and governance (ESG) reporting by enterprises.... Read More
10:00-13:00
Room XX
Blockchains for Sustainable Development
Blockchain technologies may have a profound impact on development-oriented investment, not only by revolutionizing global payment systems but also through improvements to access to finance, supply chain management, digital identities... Read More
11:00 - 13:00
Room XXIII
THE GLOBAL I-GUIDES MEETING: How the Online Investment Guides Can Help Promote and Facilitate Investment
The online investment-guides have proven to be helpful tools for investment promotion agencies to attract better quality investment to these countries and develop their capacity for investment promotion. At the... Read More
13:15 – 14:45
Room XXIII
Talking Business: Africa
“Talking Business” are interactive sessions between governments and business. They provide a platform to showcase investment opportunities in countries, explore new investment horizons and interact with high-level country representatives. Participant... Read More
13:15 - 14:45
Delegates Dining
LEADERS LUNCHEON (BY INVITATION ONLY)
Event Manager: Mr. Alexandre Dabbou Contact email: alexandre.dabbou@unctad.org
13:15 - 14:45
Delegates Dining
NORDIC IPAs LUNCHEON (BY INVITATION ONLY)
Organized in collaboration with the World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies Event Manager: Ms. Natalia Guerra Contact email: natalia.guerra@unctad.org
15:00 – 18:00
Room XXVI
High-level International Investment Agreements (IIA) Conference 2018
Going beyond IIAs: Fostering Coherence through Phase 3 of Reform Mobilizing investment and channelling it towards the SDGs require adequate policy frameworks, at both the international and national levels, and... Read More
15:00 - 17:30
Assembly Hall
INVESTING IN PEACE AND SECURITY
High-level Colloquium in the context of UN Day Foreign direct investment can play a vital role in fragile and conflict-sensitive regions, thereby ensuring that peace and security lay the foundation... Read More
15:15-17:45
Room XXV
Responsible Agricultural Investment
Achieving Zero Hunger (SDG2) requires significant increases in investment in agricultural value chains. At the same time, international investment in agriculture comes with a broad range of social, economic, and... Read More
15:00-17:30
Room XI
ENTREPRENEURSHIP, MIGRATION AND THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS (SDGs)
Promoting the social and economic inclusion of migrants and refugees in host countries Entrepreneurship can be a means to integrate migrants and refugees into local economies and bolster their positive... Read More
15:30 – 18:00
Room XXIV
Sovereign Wealth and Pension Funds Dialogue
Partnering for Long-term Sustainable Development Sovereign wealth funds (SWFs) manage assets of over $6 trillion, and public-sector pension funds (PPFs) worldwide almost triple this figure. With a long-term investment horizon,... Read More
16:00 – 18:00
ROOM XX
LDC MINISTERIAL AND BUSINESS EXECUTIVE ROUNDTABLE
Mobilizing Investment in Least Developed Countries (LDCs) Organized in collaboration with the United Nations Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island... Read More
16:00 - 18:00
Room XXII
SUSTAINABILITY, COMMODITIES AND DERIVATIVES
Commodity producers and users are increasingly focused on specific sustainability aspects of commodities and are exploring ways to address these across the value chain, including in the products they use... Read More
17:15-18:00
ISAR Honours 2018
The ISAR Honours ceremony will award key new developments in the area of sustainability reporting and the SDGs, while celebrating 35 years of the Intergovernmental Working Group of Experts in... Read More
18:30
Hospitality and Cultural Event
18:45
Global Enterprise Registration (GER) Award
During the Hospitality and Cultural Event, the Global Enterprise Registration (GER) Awards will be presented. The Global Enterprise Registration portal (GER.co) is a world index of online business registration sites... Read More
Day 4
25 Oct 2018
09:00 - 10:00
Room XI
INTERACTIVE BREAKFAST ENCOUNTER (by invitation only)
Sustainable Investment Facilitation Policies and Practices In order to attract foreign direct investment, many countries have recognised the importance of focusing on domestic reforms in the area of investment facilitation... Read More
10:00-13:00
Room XX
Ministerial Roundtable on Entrepreneurship
Part I: Entrepreneurship Policy: Challenges and Results Developing entrepreneurship is a key element of strategies that support the attainment of the SDGs, particularly SDG9, to build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive... Read More
10:30-13:00
Room XXII
SUSTAINABILITY BONDS: INNOVATIVE TOOLS FOR FINANCING THE SDGs
Sustainability bonds, or “SDG bonds”, are fixed-income investments that can help bridge the SDG financing gap in developing countries. Specifically developed (and explicitly labelled) to fund projects that have positive... Read More
10:00-13:00
Room XXIV
PEOPLE-FIRST PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS (PPPs)
PPPs are an innovative financing mechanism to close the SDG investment financing gap in infrastructure and public services. Increasing the involvement of private investors in SDG-related infrastructure and public services... Read More
11:00 - 14:00
Room XXV
High-Level Roundtable on Regional Integration and Investment Policy
Promoting FDI for regional integration Most regional economic cooperation organizations consider FDI an important factor for sustainable economic development and regional integration. Some regional organizations and cooperative frameworks have been... Read More
13:15-14:45
Room XXIII
Talking Business: Middle East and North Africa (MENA)
“Talking Business” are interactive sessions between governments and business. They provide a platform to showcase investment opportunities in countries, explore new investment horizons and interact with high-level country representatives. Participant... Read More
13:15 - 14:45
Mobilizing investment for Inclusive and Sustainable Industrial Development in Africa
The 2018 World Investment Report identifies the challenges that developing countries will be facing to attract international investment for inclusive and sustainable industrial development. These challenges – as the report... Read More
14:30-17:00
XXIV
WOMEN FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Women economic empowerment to transform the investment and entrepreneurship landscape Women’s economic empowerment has been identified as a key means for development and attaining the SDGs. Investment by MNEs can... Read More
15:00 – 18:00
Room XX
MINISTERIAL ROUNDTABLE: 21st Century Global Investment Policymaking
A global policy environment that effectively mobilizes investment in sustainable development is more important than ever. In response to this challenge, more than 160 countries have used UNCTAD policy tools... Read More
15:00 - 17:00
Room XXII
FAMILY BUSINESSES AS A FORCE FOR LONG-TERM GOOD
The Sustainable Development agenda is deeply aligned with the raisons d’être of values-based, impact-driven family businesses. Through quality job creation, fair contracts and ethical investments, responsible family businesses have earned... Read More
15:30-18:00
Smart Beta: Passive Investment Strategies for Sustainable Development
Portfolio investment that track one or more market indices is expected to cover 22 per cent of global assets by 2020. Within this “passive investment” space there is increasing talk... Read More
18:00
Assembly Hall
Empretec Women in Business Awards 2018
Organized together with UN Women and the Commonwealth Women Business Forum, the Empretec Women in Business Award are granted to women-owned businesses that have benefited from the business development services... Read More
19:00 - 21:00
Reception
Day 5
26 Oct 2018
8:30 – 10:00
Room XXII
INTERACTIVE BREAKFAST ENCOUNTER (BY INVITATION ONLY)
Blended Capital: SDG Aligned Investment Opportunities in Developing Countries SDG aligned investing, a form of impact investing, incorporates social and environmental considerations front and centre in the decision-making criteria for... Read More
09:00-16:00
XI
MULTI-DISCIPLINARY ACADEMIC CONFERENCE
Setting the Future Investment Research Agenda The UNCTAD Academic Network on Investment convenes scholars of international business, economics, law and other relevant fields for a day-long multi-disciplinary academic conference. Co-organized... Read More
10:00 – 13:00
XXIII
SPECIAL ECONOMIC ZONES: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES
Special Economic Zones (SEZs) can be regarded as an investment in industrial infrastructure and a services provider to attract and facilitate foreign investment, integrate local firms into global value chains, promote export-oriented growth and generate employment. For many countries, these zones are an important instrument... Read More
10:00 - 13:00
XXIV
WOMEN ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND THE SDGS
This interactive session, organized in collaboration with UN Women, shares views on policies and good practices to develop an effective ecosystem to support women entrepreneurship, which is an essential part... Read More
10:00-13:00
XXVII
Creating more and better jobs through investment
Investment contributes most effectively to sustainable development when it maximizes the creation of high quality jobs in which the human rights of workers, the local community and consumers are respected.... Read More
10:30 – 13:00
XXII
USING BLENDED CAPITAL TO FINANCE THE SDGS
Blended finance uses a mix of public and private finance to fund projects with high development impact. Public finance is used to crowd in private sector financing that would otherwise... Read More
14:00 - 17:00
Room XXVII
Ambassadors Roundtable on Investing in the SDGs
Investment is a key driver for sustainable development: attaining the SDGs will not be possible without investment. As the same time, investment is a matter that cuts across various issues,... Read More
14:00 – 16:30
XXII
ROLE OF CENTRAL BANKS IN GREENING THE FINANCIAL SYSTEM
Central banks are becoming increasingly involved in green finance. Indicators of this growing interest include the creation of the Central Bank and Supervisors Network for Greening the Financial System (established... Read More
17:00 – 18:00
Room XXVII
Forum Outcome and Closing
The Forum’s Closing Session will bring together high-level officials from UNCTAD and the partner organizations to report on the outcomes of the various sessions, presenting the immediate deliverables list and... Read More
18:00
Reception
Investment Village
09:00 – 18:00, Tuesday, 23 – Friday, 26 October
Country and Organization Exhibition
The World Investment Forum will offer member States the possibility to showcase their countries’ investment opportunities in the Investment Village. The Village, located in the proximity of the main meeting rooms of the Forum, will feature public investment exhibitions, ensuring visibility and interaction.
The official opening, involving high-level UN and partner country officials, will take place on 23 October at 13:00.
Private Sector Solutions for Sustainable Development
The private sector will be a vital partner to public efforts to direct more investment effectively towards sustainable development. This session, organized in the format of investment stakeholders networking breakfasts or luncheons, will be the opportunity for private sector entities – global TNCs, SMEs and Foundations – to present their existing programmes and initiatives in support of sustainable development to the international community.
Parallel Events
Wednesday, 24 – Friday, 26 October
10:00 – 13:00 and 15:00 – 18:00, Friday 10:00 – 18:00
Thirty-fifth anniversary session of the Intergovernmental Working Group of Experts on International Standards of Accounting and Reporting (ISAR)
Monday, 22 – Friday, 26 October
UNCTAD Youth Forum 2018
Youth Entrepreneurship: A Force Towards Inclusive and Sustainable Growth
Side Events
Monday, 22 October; 09:30–13:00, 16:00-18:00
Financing the SDGs: How can parliaments bridge the gap?
Symposium for parliamentarians
Monday, 22 October; 10:00–13:00
Investment Promotion Agencies (IPA) Workshop
Showcasing Investment in Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Projects
Monday, 22 October; 10:00 – 13:00