Investment and Enterprise

The Division is recognized as a global centre of excellence on issues related to investment and enterprise for sustainable development.

Built on several decades of successful experience, its staff provide international expertise in research and policy analysis, inter-governmental consensus-building, and technical assistance to over 150 countries.

Its flagship product is the annual World Investment Report and its main global stakeholder event is the biennial World Investment Forum.

The Division maintains an interactive World Investment Network of over 9,000 members to disseminate and promote its work on investment and enterprise.

News

17 December 2013Tenth UNCTAD-OECD Report on G20 Investment Measures released

The report finds that G20 members, for the most part, have continued to honour their pledge not to introduce new restrictive policies for international investment.

02 December 2013Seizing the low-carbon investment opportunity in Africa

Governments that want to pursue a path to a green economy must develop a green growth vision, formulate enabling policies, and develop a strategy to promote green investment opportunities, said participants at an UNCTAD regional workshop in Durban, South Africa.

21 November 2013UNCTAD/UNDP workshop assists Lesotho on investment policy

High-level government officials of Lesotho have been presented with a draft National Investment Policy and have discussed investment reforms, during a one-day workshop held in the capital, Maseru.

11 November 2013Latest UNCTAD Investment Policy Monitor released

From January through October 2013, the overall share of more restrictive or regulatory investment policies continued to increase to reach 32 percent. At the international level, the trend to negotiate regional investment agreements continues.

07 November 2013Meeting on accounting standards stresses key role of corporate reporting in promoting investment

UNCTAD’s Secretary-General, government ministers, and other high-level officials stressed today that a sound corporate reporting infrastructure plays a crucial role in promoting investment, financial stability, and development.

30 October 2013Developing and transition economies attain a new record share of global FDI inflows

Global inflows of foreign direct investment (FDI) rose by 4 per cent in the first half of 2013 compared to the same period in 2012, with a diverging trend appearing between developing and transition economies on the one hand, and developed countries on the other.

30 October 2013Nigerian Stock Exchange joins United Nations Sustainable Stock Exchanges Initiative

The Nigerian Stock Exchange is the latest exchange to have joined the United Nations Sustainable Stock Exchanges (SSE) Initiative, at a bilateral meeting with UNCTAD on the sidelines of this year's annual conference of the World Federation of Exchanges, in Mexico City.

03 October 2013UNCTAD hosts GRULAC ambassadorial round table on corporate social responsibility

Eight ambassadors from Latin America gathered to share their countries' experiences with corporate social responsibility (CSR) at the United Nations in Geneva on 26 September 2013. "CSR is an increasingly relevant and core condition of development," Ambassador Balmaceda of Chile said.

19 September 2013Trade and Development Board discusses how developing countries can climb value chains

Astute decisions on investment are vital if developing countries want to reap higher returns from the production chains of transnational corporations (TNCs), experts have told the Trade and Development Board.

08 September 2013UNCTAD Chief says investment outlook subdued, urges investment for sustainable development

UNCTAD Secretary-General Mukhisa Kituyi warned Sunday that the road to global investment recovery remains bumpy, with investors reluctant to expand their businesses in the face of widespread economic fragility and policy uncertainty. According to the UNCTAD World Investment Report, global foreign direct investment (FDI) in 2012 contracted by 18 per cent.