Latest updates

News & insights.

Press releases, publications and official announcements from UNCTAD, the State of Qatar and the WIF 2026 secretariat.

Update
21 January 2026 Update

World Investment Forum 2026 in Qatar to take place from 25-27 October 2026

The State of Qatar and UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) today announced that the 9th World Investment Forum (WIF) will be held in Doha, Qatar, from 25 to 27 October 2026.  Picture: H.E.  Ambassador Hend Al Muftah, Permanent Representative of Qatar to the UN Office at Geneva and other international organizations in Geneva; H.E. Ahmad Al-Sayed the Minister of State for Foreign Trade Affairs of Qatar; Rebeca Grynspan, Secretary-General of UN Trade and Development, Nan Li Collins, Director, Division on Investment and Enterprise and Head of the World Investment Forum, UN Trade and Development. The announcement was made jointly by H.E. Ahmad Al-Sayed the Minister of State for Foreign Trade Affairs of Qatar and UNCTAD Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan, on the margins of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos.WIF is the world’s leading platform for investment and development, convening stakeholders from more than 160 countries, including heads of state, ministers, CEOs, business leaders, sovereign wealth fund executives and representatives of international organizations.Investing in the futureUnder the theme ‘Investing in the Future’, WIF 2026 will examine how investment and finance systems must evolve in response to geopolitical fragmentation, climate urgency and rapid technological change. The Forum will look beyond short-term capital flows to focus on long-term value creation, productive capacity, and economic resilience.WIF 2026 will advance key global initiatives, by linking high-level policy dialogue to concrete action.“At a time of growing fragmentation and uncertainty, investment must once again become a driver of shared prosperity,” said UNCTAD Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan. “WIF 2026 will focus on how to align capital with long-term development, resilience, and opportunity.“We are proud to announce Qatar as the host of the World Investment Forum 2026. We intend for Doha to be a place of action, where public and private actors come together to shape the future of investment. We stand ready to partner with UNCTAD on this journey.” said H.E. Ahmad Al-Sayed the Minister of State for Foreign Trade Affairs of Qatar.A platform for action“At World Investment Forum, public and private leaders work together to turn long-term vision into investment action” said Nan Li Collins, Director of Investment and Enterprise at UNCTAD and Head of the World Investment Forum.The Forum’s programme will include the Global Leaders Investment Summit, the Sustainable Stock Exchanges Global Dialogue, the Investment and Enterprise Ministerial Roundtable, and sessions on climate finance, digital transformation, and inclusive growth.Further details on the programme, participation and registration will be announced in due course and shared via the World Investment Forum website.UN Trade and Development and the State of Qatar look forward to welcoming the global investment community to Doha in October 2026. View the WIF video here.About the World Investment ForumThe World Investment Forum is the United Nations’ leading platform for investment and development, organized biennially by UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD). Since 2008, WIF has convened heads of state, ministers, CEOs, sovereign wealth fund executives, stock exchange leaders, and the international investment community to address pressing challenges in investment for sustainable development. Visit worldinvestmentforum.unctad.orgAbout UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD)UN Trade and Development helps developing countries benefit from the global economy more fairly and effectively, providing research, analysis, technical assistance, and consensus-building support on trade, investment, finance, and technology. Visit unctad.org

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Update
23 October 2025

9th World Investment Forum set for 2026 in Qatar

The flagship UN platform will scale solutions and partnerships to power sustainable investment globally, ensuring finance fosters inclusive growth and shared prosperity.The 9th World Investment Forum will be hosted by Qatar in 2026, Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan announced on 22 October during the 16th United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD16) underway in Geneva, Switzerland.Held biennially by UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the forum is the leading global platform for investment and development.The 2026 forum will tackle the world’s most pressing investment challenges at a critical moment of global uncertainty, climate pressure, digital transformation and economic fragmentation.The need for inclusive growth, resilient economies and climate-smart finance is greater than ever.“Investment is about trust – trust in the future, trust in partnership, trust in shared prosperity,” said Secretary-General Grynspan.“How can we forge multi-stakeholder coalitions that channel sustainable finance where it's needed most.”The 2026 forum will build on the deliberations of UNCTAD16, notably its Business Leaders Dialogue, and advance other key global initiatives such as the UN Summit of the Future.“The 9th World Investment Forum in Qatar will bring together influential voices from across government, business and finance to shape the future of sustainable investment,” notes Nan Li Collins, UNCTAD director of investment and enterprise, also serving as head of the World Investment Forum.Strong partnership for sustainable developmentLooking ahead to the forum, host country Qatar reaffirms its commitment to advancing multilateral dialogue and mobilizing investment for shared prosperity.“We view this not simply as a ceremonial role, but as a substantive commitment to ensuring that WIF 2026 is action-oriented, inclusive and catalytic,” said Ahmad Mohamed A.Y. Al-Sayed, Minister of State for Foreign Trade Affairs of Qatar.“Let us seize this moment of global challenge as an opportunity, to rewire investment toward resilience, equity and shared prosperity. Qatar stands ready to host, catalyze and partner in this journey,” the minister added.Further details about the World Investment Forum 2026 will follow in the coming months, follow its official website for updates.

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Update
22 October 2025

Nan Li Collins, Head of the World Investment Forum

The Secretariat of the World Investment Forum is the Division on Investment and Enterprise  at UN Trade and Development. The Division is led by Director Nan Li-Collins and is the focal point within the United Nations systems for all issues related to investment and enterprise development.  It conducts cutting-edge policy analysis, provides technical assistance and builds international consensus on investment and enterprise.

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Update
29 September 2023

Youth Forum programme unveiled

The 4th UNCTAD Youth Forum will open its doors to a cohort of 500 youth to debate on emerging topics and prepare a Youth Declaration on Investing in the Future.From 16 to 20 October, the Youth Forum – which is part of the World Investment Forum – has youth who share the same passion for shaping a better world coming to Abu Dhabi.Two times Youth Forum participant Thomson Ch’ng from Malaysia explains “UNCTAD Youth is a network of global youth leaders from various backgrounds, aspiring to create positive changes across the world regardless of who you are and where you are.”Together with UNCTAD, youth designed a promising programme consisting of deep dive sessions, youth debates, unique Youth o’Clocks with VIP guests and workshops with an important focus on the creation of friendships for life.As part of the pillar on technological innovations, youth plan to deep dive into jobs and the power of human factors in the age of the 4th Industrial Revolution and start-ups for social impact. They will also debate on how AI can be a technology for good and delve into how to navigate the online world responsibly and create cyber security.The greening of industries has been chosen as a second pillar and incorporate discussions on how to foster a culture of green innovations within existing industries and mechanisms to support the adoption of green practices as well as how to get to global net zero emissions by 2050. In addition, there will be an exchange of views on the re-thinking of the future of consumption.Reimagining education is on the mind of the youth with a session on education 4.0 that transforms the traditional learning system and embraces technologies and innovation under the third pillar. Youth will also talk about education for sustainable development and how to navigates today’s interconnected challenges without compromising the future.Finally, soft skills development, a recurring and well appreciated subtheme, will this time focus on how to be a leader that motivates teams, negotiate win-win outcomes and speak in public and make presentations. Experts will join the youth and, in an interactive way, give insights and propose role plays.In total, over 30 sessions and workshops are designed that, in addition to what has been mentioned, include the need to break gender barriers and how to participate in political processes.Youth will be exposed to Youth o’Clocks with special guests who share inspirational stories and insights, an emergence into the world of blockchains and access to World Investment Forum sessions, among which on youth entrepreneurship, the future of urban ecosystems and businesses riding the circular wave.Last but not least, youth are in the design process of a Youth Declaration on investing in the future and more details are coming. The declaration will be formally handed over to UNCTAD and its member States at the closing of the World Investment Forum.As Linda Okero, a 2018 youth forum participant from Kenya said “Speaking at the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development-Youth Forum was a reminder that I may only be one person, but I can be one person that makes a difference. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide the kind of difference you want to make. Yours from now to make sure you can say you choose your life and didn’t settle for it.’’Since 2016, youth from around the world gather at the events of the United Nations body on trade and development, UNCTAD. Here under the overall theme of shaping the world we want, they exchange views, network and prepare a youth declaration in which they share their concerns and propose actions to be undertaken.

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Update
12 September 2023

World Investment Forum to mobilize financing for climate, energy, health and food

More than 7,000 stakeholders from 160 countries will convene in Abu Dhabi from 16 to 20 October to revitalize global investment flows across critical sectors.The UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) will hold the World Investment Forum 2023 to rally investments for climate action, clean energy, health care, food security and other development needs.Heads of state, more than 50 government ministers, over 150 CEOs of leading companies and stock exchanges, and thousands of investment stakeholders – from sovereign wealth fund managers and investment treaty negotiators to heads of international organizations – will participate in more than 130 events co-organized with over 80 partners. See the full programme.“As the world faces multiple crises, we urgently need investment stakeholders worldwide to ignite action, unlock more funds and channel them to vital sectors key to reducing the effects of these crises,” UNCTAD Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan said.According to UNCTAD's World Investment Report 2023, overlapping crises such as the war in Ukraine, high food and energy prices and debt pressures led to a 12% decline in global foreign direct investment in 2022.Opportunity to tackle interlocking issuesDr. Thani Al Zeyoudi, minister of state for foreign trade in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), said UNCTAD can play a major role in addressing and ultimately mitigating these interlocking issues.“It is an undeniably challenging moment for the global economy, and for the economies of the Global South in particular. As we confront the triple shocks of inflation, geopolitical uncertainty and climate change, balancing prosperity and sustainability requires a combination of innovation, investment and, perhaps above all, will,” Dr. Al Zeyoudi said.He added that the forum provides an opportune moment for the global investment community, supported by policymakers and institutions, to mobilize and direct capital to projects that can fast-track environmentally responsible and socially beneficial development.“As a consistent advocate for both equitable, inclusive growth and trade’s role in driving it, the UAE is eager to contribute to a solutions-oriented forum that can begin to write a positive new chapter for the world,” he said.Ahmed Jasim Al Zaabi, chairman of the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development and Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), said: “Abu Dhabi is taking a leading role in defining the new architecture for climate finance, through concrete actions including its recently released comprehensive regulatory framework for sustainable finance that rivals global standards.”By setting stringent requirements for sustainability-focused products and services, he added, the international financial centre of Abu Dhabi (ADGM) is putting in place a progressive framework that drives capital towards projects, advancing climate transition for a net-zero future.Mr. Al Zaabi added: “We look forward to welcoming global leaders, entrepreneurs, investors, and government representatives to the ‘Capital of Capital’, and we are confident that our collaboration will result in tangible outcomes that will benefit the global economy by supporting inclusive and advanced flow of trade and creating new opportunities for business owners and investors.”$2.2 trillion annual gap for energy transition in developing countriesOn climate action, this eighth edition of the World Investment Forum will highlight investment solutions that will feed into negotiations at the 28th UN climate change conference (COP28) scheduled for late November and December in Dubai.Forum participants will agree on actions to boost clean energy investments in developing countries, which face an investment gap of $2.2 trillion annually for the transition to low-carbon energy, according to the World Investment Report 2023.Financing a low-carbon futureThe forum will also address how the sustainable finance market can help build a low-carbon future and increase investment in sustainable energy.The value of the global sustainable finance market (bonds, funds and voluntary carbon markets) reached $5.8 trillion in 2022, despite the turbulent economic environment, including high inflation, rising interest rates, poor market returns and the looming risk of a recession that all affected the financial markets.$450 billion needed annually for health and foodThe forum will also explore opportunities to boost investment in health care. Developing countries alone need at least $100 billion in additional investment in health-care facilities and infrastructure each year.They will also examine how to increase public and private sector investment in agrifood systems to reduce food insecurity, foster rural employment, particularly for women and youth, and increase incomes.Countries need up to $350 billion annually for the next decade to transform agrifood systems, which can also help tackle climate change and biodiversity loss.From commitments to actionsThe forum will also offer countries a platform to translate their commitments on investment facilitation into tangible actions and reforms.James Zhan, the UNCTAD director who leads the World Investment Forum, said: “This is a golden opportunity for developing countries to examine how they can bridge investment gaps through more efficient investment promotion and facilitation.”Countries will explore how to make their investment facilitation services inclusive and address the specific needs of sectors and investor groups with a high development impact, such as social entrepreneurs and women, youth and rural investors.Event registrationRegistration for the forum is ongoing. Interested participants are invited to register here.Media accreditationJournalists wishing to cover the forum should apply for accreditation online. They must create an account on Indico before applying.Media accreditation requirements are available here.LogisticsPractical information on the venue, transportation, visas, travel and accommodation is available here.

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Update
30 August 2023

Energy transition calls for faster investment treaty reforms

UNCTAD presents a new toolbox to make international investment agreements actively support the shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources.Sweltering heatwaves each year underline the need for a faster energy transition and speedier reform of international investment agreements (IIAs) to support the shift away from fossil fuels.To reach net zero emissions by 2050, annual clean energy investment worldwide needs to more than triple to $4 trillion by 2030.But many investment treaties, especially older ones, can hinder the transition. As countries try to cut ties with fossil fuels, oil and gas firms might use these treaties to challenge policy changes. An example is a coal phase-out claim against the Netherlands."Governments and the international investment community should intensify their efforts to reform investment treaties in support of the energy transition and to minimize risks of expensive legal disputes," says Hamed El-Kady, who heads UNCTAD’s international investment agreements section.UNCTAD has developed a toolbox to help countries transform IIAs to better support the energy transition.Old agreements hinder regulationMost IIAs belong to the “old regime”, as more than 89% of the 2,584 treaties currently in force were signed before 2012.These old-generation IIAs are behind almost all publicly known investor–State dispute settlement (ISDS) cases, according to a new UNCTAD report.Investors in both fossil fuels and renewable energy often turn to investment arbitration, together accounting for about a quarter of ISDS cases.The ISDS mechanism was designed to protect foreign investors from “excessive” government action. But it is also limiting countries’ abilities to regulate, even when pursuing legitimate public policy objectives, such as promoting renewable energy.Fossil fuel and renewable energy casesFossil fuel investors have initiated over 15% of all known treaty-based ISDS cases.A recent high-profile example is the RWE v. Netherlands case. German energy company RWE, the owner of coal-fired power plants in the Netherlands, has brought claims against the government following its decision to ban the burning of coal for electricity by 2030 in line with the country’s Paris Agreement commitments.Renewable energy is also in the legal spotlight. At least 8% of cases relate to cuts in clean energy incentives. These often concern feed-in-tariffs – a policy mechanism used to make renewable energy prices more competitive – like those used to boost solar energy investments. One such case is Infracapital v. Spain.While the cases cited were brought against developed countries, the same risks exist for developing nations.About 85% of the IIAs that are in force involve at least one developing country and create binding obligations for their governments that are enforceable through ISDS.A new toolboxUNCTAD’s new toolbox centres on four action areas.Promoting and facilitating sustainable energy investment: Novel IIA provisions that actively pursue such investment don’t need to be subject to investor–State arbitration. Countries could commit to measures such as removing obstacles for technologies and services in the renewable energy sector and offer preferential terms for such investments. Technology transfer and diffusion: States can cooperate on the transfer of sustainable technologies by explicitly including such provisions in IIAs. Regarding the protection of intellectual property rights, treaty parties should ensure that flexibilities available under the World Trade Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) can be used under IIAs and in ISDS cases. The right to regulate for climate action and the energy transition: Countries can refine investment protection standards to provide regulatory flexibility and exceptions for climate and energy concerns. Corporate social responsibility (CSR): IIAs can include binding CSR guidelines and help foster CSR compliance, particularly by requiring energy investors to adopt sustainable investment practices.“To utilize the new toolbox effectively, countries can amend or renegotiate current treaties,” Mr. El-Kady says.Countries can also terminate an IIA without replacing it, and it’s possible to do so on a unilateral basis. The toolbox says that countries can pursue the option of termination alongside attempts to negotiate a new agreement.World Investment ForumThe toolbox will be in the spotlight at UNCTAD’s World Investment Forum to be held from 16 to 20 October in Abu Dhabi, alongside other concrete solutions to reform the IIA regime to increase investment in sustainable energy and tackle the global climate crisis.The outcomes of the forum will feed into negotiations at the annual climate summit (COP28) scheduled to start in late November in Dubai.

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Update
28 August 2023

UNCTAD's 8th World Investment Forum partners with COP28 to advance dialogue on climate finance and investment

COP28’s second preparatory Global Dialogue and Investment-Focused Event will be held together with the forum, taking place in Abu Dhabi in October.UNCTAD’s eighth World Investment Forum is partnering with the COP28 UN climate summit and other key entities to advance dialogue on climate finance and investment.COP28’s second preparatory global dialogue and investment-focused event will be held in conjunction with the forum, taking place in Abu Dhabi from 16 to 20 October 2023.The dialogue and event will be organized by the COP28 incoming presidency, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), in partnership with UNCTAD and Abu Dhabi Global Markets (ADGM).The global dialogues and investment-focused events were agreed by the Parties at COP27, with the first global dialogue being held in Bonn in June. The overall outcome of deliberations will feed directly into COP28 negotiations.The global dialogue, to be held on 15 and 16 October in closed sessions at ADGM, will address the theme of accelerating a just energy transition in transport systems. Discussions will focus on identifying challenges, barriers and roadblocks in the transition, on developing actionable solutions and innovations for policies, institutional arrangements, finance and technologies, and on exploring opportunities to direct finance flows towards the implementation of mitigation projects on the ground.Subtopics will include deploying collective and non-motorized modes of transport, such as public transit systems and cycling, energy and resource improvements, the electrification of vehicles, and shifting to low or zero-carbon fuels, like green hydrogen and biofuels.The investment-focused event, taking place on 17 October, will explore unlocking finance for mitigation projects on the ground, overcoming barriers to access to finance, and identifying investment opportunities and actionable solutions informed by nationally determined contributions (NDCs) for public and private financiers, investors and international climate finance providers.Over 6,000 investment stakeholders from 160 countriesDelegates participating in COP28 negotiations will have access to major events featured in the forum’s comprehensive schedule, which includes leadership summits, ministerial meetings and an extensive array of approximately 150 discussions covering key issues from sustainable energy strategies and robust infrastructure to carbon markets and intelligent investment methods. Funding will be provided for selected delegates from developing countries.The UNCTAD World Investment Forum is the pre-eminent global platform for investment and development, bringing together over 6,000 investment stakeholders from 160 countries, including high-level participants from the global investment community, heads of state and government, ministers, lawmakers, business executives, sovereign wealth fund managers, investment treaty negotiators, heads of investment promotion agencies, international investment location experts, heads of international organizations, civil society representatives, eminent scholars and global media.Register now to attend the 8th World Investment Forum 2023: Investing in Sustainable Development.Delegates for the global dialogue and investment-focused events can register here.

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Update
16 May 2023

UAE reiterates support for joint efforts to ensure economic & social stability of Arab people

 The Economic and Social Council of the Arab League welcomed the UAE's impending hosting of the 8th World Investment Forum in Abu Dhabi from October 16 to 20, 2023. In addition, the Council called on Arab countries and investment and financing funds to participate in this forum, as it is the most important international platform for exchanging investment policies and global experiences in the field. 

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