Investment | UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD)

An automobile assembly plant in Kedah, Malaysia.

2025: The most-read stories reflecting key forces in the global economy

From record trade flows and rapid advances in artificial intelligence to slowing investment and mounting debt pressures, 2025 sent strong and often contradictory signals about the state of the global economy.

Cover image for World Investment Report

World Investment Report

News

Downtown, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Eastern and Southern Africa: Foreign investment surged to record highs

Line chart showing investment trends for greenfield investment, project finance and mergers and aquisitions

Global foreign investment falls 3% in first half of 2025, hitting industry and infrastructure

Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan closes UNCTAD16

16th UN Conference on Trade and Development concludes with record participation and 'Geneva Consensus'

Doha, Qatar.

9th World Investment Forum set for 2026 in Qatar

Latest publications

Cover for Investment Policy Review of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa

Investment Policy Review of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa

Cover for The role of voluntary carbon markets in global climate action

The role of voluntary carbon markets in global climate action

Cover for International investment agreements toolbox on clean energy, digital transformation and public health: Insights from recent Group of 20 treaties

International investment agreements toolbox on clean energy, digital transformation and public health: Insights from recent Group of 20 treaties

Cover for Foreign direct investment trends in emerging markets: A focus on Africa

Foreign direct investment trends in emerging markets: A focus on Africa

More publications

Featured series

Cover of Global Investment Trends Monitor, No. 49

Global Investment Trends Monitor

Cover of Investment Policy Review of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa

Investment Policy Reviews

Cover of International investment in SDG-relevant sectors, excluding renewable energy, has stalled since 2015

SDG Investment Trends Monitor

Cover of Recent trends in investor–State arbitration cases

Investment Agreements - Issues Note

Videos and podcasts

World Investment Report 2025 press conference

Rethinking investment: Making money work for development

Antibiotics shortages: A looming health crisis

Taxing times: How fairer taxes can fund development

UNCTAD at 60: Célestin Monga on trade and transformation as the keys to development

Related

Areas of work

Special initiative

The Global Sustainable Finance Observatory
Promotes sustainability in global finance through stakeholder engagement.

Project

Attracting finance and investment for the energy transition in Africa

Meetings and events

Resilient Supply Chain

31 August – 4 September 2026

Investment, Enterprise and Development Commission, 16th session

Geneva, Switzerland

29 June – 3 July 2026

UNCTAD-AIB Award for Research on Investment and Development

Manchester, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

4 – 5 May 2026

Multi-year expert meeting on investment, innovation and entrepreneurship for productive capacity-building and sustainable development, 12th session

Geneva, Switzerland

1 December 2025

Capacity building workshop on key issues in international investment policymaking for BRICS countries

21 October 2025

UNCTAD16 ministerial roundtable: Strategic priorities and emerging directions for investment and entrepreneurship policy

Geneva, Switzerland

2 October 2025

World Investment Report 2025: EAEU in the spotlight

All meetings and events

Documents

19 Dec 2025

Examen de la politique d'investissement : Communauté économique et monétaire de l’Afrique centrale

16 Dec 2025

The role of voluntary carbon markets in global climate action

11 Dec 2025

International investment agreements toolbox on clean energy, digital transformation and public health: Insights from recent Group of 20 treaties

05 Dec 2025

Foreign direct investment trends in emerging markets: A focus on Africa

04 Dec 2025

Investor–State arbitration under investment laws: Risks and policy lessons

04 Dec 2025

COMESA Investment Report 2025: Investment trends and policy insights

Contact

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