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 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

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

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

More publications

Featured series

Cover of Global Investment Trends Monitor, No. 49

Global Investment Trends Monitor

Cover of Investment Policy Review of Tunisia

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

Coal power plant and wind turbines in Eemshaven port in the Netherlands

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

7 – 8 September 2025

Future Investment Conference 2025

3 September 2025

Webinar on enhancing sustainable investment flows in Africa: opportunities and challenges of investment facilitation through international agreements

21 August 2025

Africa launch of the World Investment Report 2025

All meetings and events

Documents

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

COMESA Investment Report 2025: Investment trends and policy insights

04 Dec 2025

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

14 Nov 2025

International investment in sustainable infrastructure: The role of public-private partnerships

Contact

For further information on this topic, please contact us.