Section outline

  • Global FDI showed a strong rebound in 2021, even surpassing the pre-pandemic level. However, the recovery is highly uneven with significant variation across regions and sectors. Especially, investments in SDG-relevant sectors remain fragile. Renewable energy and utilities are the strongest growth sustainability sectors, but with a small number of large-scale projects in a limited number of countries. Least Developed Countries (LDCs), which were significantly affected during the pandemic with double-digit declines in almost all sectors, still show less favorable trends in SDG-relevant sectors.

    The course will discuss the ongoing reforms in international taxation and their implications for investment and investment policies. The discussion will focus on the adoption of a global minimum tax for multinational enterprises and other mechanisms to counter harmful tax practices. The course will also address the key issues arising from the complexity of the international investment regime and present the wide-range of UNCTAD’s tools to support the formulation of more balanced international investment policies.

    The short course will be based in the key findings from the World Investment Report 2022, insights from the intergovernmental debates on investment and development, and elements of UNCTAD’s investment policy framework for sustainable development (IPFSD). The programme will focus on:

    • analysing the recent trends in global cross-border investment,
    • exploring the relevant regional and sectoral trends, including in SDGs and climate change investment sectors,
    • discussing the latest developments on investment policy, with an especial focus on the reforms in international taxation and understand their implications,
    • understanding which reform actions are most relevant in order to make international investment agreements more effective in promoting and facilitating investment?
    • outlining best practices and tools for investment facilitation, to attract and retain FDI