The World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies (WAIPA) concluded on Friday, 22 November its first annual conference, at the Palais des Nations in Geneva. The conference was attended by high-level representatives from investment promotion agencies (IPAs) of no less than 54 countries. During the meeting, five more IPAs joined WAIPA, bringing the membership to 78.
Leading international experts in investment promotion and representatives from the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) and the World Trade Organisation (WTO), together with corporate executives, took part in various panel sessions on best practices in investment promotion. They also participated in the informal discussions of UNCTAD´s Commission on Investment, Technology and Related Financial Issues on 18 and 19 November.
The WAIPA Assembly approved a work programme for 1997/1998. This will include regional and interregional training workshops on investment promotion policies and practices; the organization of study tours and fellowships for staff of WAIPA member countries; assistance in the organisation of sector-specific interregional investment promotion missions; and the production of the WAIPA newsletter and other publications.
The following agency representatives were elected office bearers of WAIPA for the period 1997/1998:
President
Vice-President
Steering Committee Member
The conference concluded with visits to two Swiss companies, Sandoz Nutrition, which operates in the agro-processing field, and Automated Systems and Communications (ASCOM), a telecommunications firm.
