IMPROVING POLICY COHERENCE TO ATTRACT EXPORT-ORIENTED FDI FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: TAKING FORWARD PHASE 3 OF IIA REFORM

Organized by CUTS International, this session addresses the challenges that developing countries face when designing investment policies for sustainable development and features the range of UNCTAD’s tools available for them to respond to these challenges (e.g. Investment Policy Framework for Sustainable Development (2015 version) or the Reform Package for the International Investment Regime (2018 version)). Particular attention will be given to investment policy coherence issues that arise when aiming to attract export-oriented foreign investment that generates concrete sustainable development benefits.

Issues for debate

• Looking at regulatory frameworks that potentially disincentivise foreign investors, what are the policy objectives underpinning them?
• How to balance the concerns of foreign investors with those of host countries (including with respect to creating linkages and building capacities for local stakeholders and local industries)?
• How to build the capacity of developing and least developed countries to achieve coherence among national investment policies to attract foreign investment for sustainable development?