BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:unctad.org BEGIN:VEVENT UID:6a722ea52272e DTSTART:20251021T093000Z SEQUENCE:0 TRANSP:OPAQUE DTEND:20251021T110000Z LOCATION:Geneva\, Switzerland SUMMARY:UNCTAD16 parallel event: Investment facilitation — progress\, pro spects and policy options CLASS:PUBLIC DESCRIPTION:Investment facilitation is increasingly recognized as a key too l to enhance private capital flows for advancing the 2030 Agenda for Susta inable Development. In the context of constrained fiscal space\, countries are adopting measures to enhance transparency\, streamline investment pro cedures and leverage digital tools - such as single windows - to lower tra nsaction costs and build more predictable\, efficient and accountable inve stment environments. These efforts contribute to sustainable development\, decent work and inclusive growth.Achieving the Sustainable Development Go als requires\, according to an UNCTAD estimate\, $4 trillion annually in a dditional investments\, underscoring the urgency of strengthening facilita tion frameworks that mobilize private capital.Momentum is growing national ly and internationally. A new generation of international investment polic ies routinely includes facilitation provisions\, and over 120 World Trade Organization members have endorsed the Investment Facilitation for Develop ment Agreement - the first global discipline focused on facilitation measu res. These developments reflect a shift towards seamless\, digital and tra nsparent investment ecosystem.Participants at this high-level session will take stock of recent milestones and examine forward-looking strategies to facilitate sustainable capital flows\, paving the way and contributing to the World Investment Forum 2026 and the 14th Ministerial Conference of th e World Trade Organization where investment facilitation will be high on t he agenda.Questions for discussion:What are the key lessons from recent na tional and international efforts to facilitate investment?How can internat ional treaties\, including the Investment Facilitation for Development Agr eement\, support implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals?Which digital tools have proven most effective in streamlining investment proce dures?What challenges do developing and least developed countries face in building facilitation ecosystems?How can development partners better suppo rt capacity-building for facilitation reforms?ProgrammeOpening remarks:Ped ro Manuel Moreno\, Deputy Secretary-General of UN Trade and Development (U NCTAD)Speakers:Jumoke Oduwole\, Minister of Industry\, Trade and Investmen t\, NigeriaJulio Moltó\, Minister of Commerce and Industry\, PanamaAhmed bin Mohammed Al-Sayed\, Minister of State for Foreign Trade Affairs\, Gove rnment of the State of QatarThomas Steffen\, State Secretary\, Federal Min istry for Economic Affairs and Energy\, GermanySung-yo Choi\, Ambassador\, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Republic of Korea Mission to the W TOXiangchen Zhang\, Deputy Director-General\, World Trade OrganizationJoan na Szychowska\, Director at the European Commission’s Directorate-Genera l for TradeModerator: Nan Li Collins\, Director\, Division of Investment and Enterprise<\;p>\;Investment facilitation is increasingly recognize d as a key tool to enhance private capital flows for advancing the 2030 Ag enda for Sustainable Development. In the context of constrained fiscal spa ce\, countries are adopting measures to enhance transparency\, streamline investment procedures and leverage digital tools - such as single windows - to lower transaction costs and build more predictable\, efficient and ac countable investment environments. These efforts contribute to sustainable development\, decent work and inclusive growth.<\;/p>\;<\;p>\;Ach ieving the Sustainable Development Goals requires\, according to an UNCTAD estimate\, $4 trillion annually in additional investments\, underscoring the urgency of strengthening facilitation frameworks that mobilize private capital.<\;/p>\;<\;p>\;Momentum is growing nationally and interna tionally. A new generation of international investment policies routinely includes facilitation provisions\, and over 120 World Trade Organization m embers have endorsed the Investment Facilitation for Development Agreement - the first global discipline focused on facilitation measures. These dev elopments reflect a shift towards seamless\, digital and transparent inves tment ecosystem.<\;/p>\;<\;p>\;Participants at this high-level ses sion will take stock of recent milestones and examine forward-looking stra tegies to facilitate sustainable capital flows\, paving the way and contri buting to the World Investment Forum 2026 and the 14th Ministerial Confere nce of the World Trade Organization where investment facilitation will be high on the agenda.<\;/p>\;<\;p>\;Questions for discussion:<\;/p >\;<\;ul>\;<\;li data-list-item-id="\;e3ae7b8c5681b16039425513 74f5566f7\n\nView meeting on unctad.org\nhttps://unctad.org/unctad16/inves tment-facilitation-progress-prospects-and-policy-options DTSTAMP:20260804T182541Z END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR