Established in 2008, the World Investment Forum (WIF) is a high-level, biennial, multistakeholder gathering designed to facilitate dialogue and actions on key and emerging global investment-related challenges.
The Forum strives to fill a gap in the global economic governance architecture by establishing a global platform for engaging policymakers, the private sector, and other stakeholders at the highest level on investment issues. It offers participants a unique opportunity to influence investment-related policy making, shape the global investment environment, and network with global leaders in business and politics. It is recognized by governments and business leaders as the preeminent event for the international investment community.
The 8th WIF was held from 16 to 20 October 2023 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE), under the theme of Investing in Sustainable Development.
This Forum addressed the investment challenges stemming from the current polycrisis connecting food security, health, technology, sustainable finance, energy transition, and climate. It also included a segment dedicated to UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) preparatory events on climate finance and investment, along with 15 tracks covering gender equality, youth, academia, investment promotion and facilitation, public-private partnerships (PPPs), and sustainable finance.
The 8th WIF attracted 8,000 participants, including 1,000 speakers, 34 percent being women and over 60 percent from the global south. Attendees included eight heads of State and government leaders from Bangladesh, the Republic of Fiji, the Federal Republic of Germany, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, the Republic of Togo, the UAE, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan: 69 ministers and deputy ministers, 57 high-level representatives of international and regional organizations, and 700 private sector executives.
