U n i t e d N at i o n s C o n f e r e n c e o n T r a d e A n d D e v e l o p m e n t

Investment
Main Products and Enterprise
and Services
Division

I n v e s t i n g i n s u s t a i n a b l e d e v e l o p m e n t

Investment and a dynamic private sector are the building blocks of economic development and social
progress. They are also increasingly important as the global community seeks to eradicate poverty over the
next generation, as well as combat pressing challenges such as climate change.
The UNCTAD Investment and Enterprise Division is the focal point within the United Nations system for all issues related
to investment and enterprise development. As investment currently does not have any global institutional arrangement to
oversee its governance (unlike trade or finance), the Division plays a valuable role supporting the international investment
community.
A global centre of excellence, the Division conducts leading-edge policy analysis, provides technical assistance and
builds international consensus among the 193 United Nations Member States on investment and enterprise, as well as
promoting their contribution to the goal of sustainable and inclusive development.

“The post-2015 sustainable development goals will require a scaling up of investment – we need a global
‘New Deal’” – Dr. Mukhisa Kituyi, Secretary-General of UNCTAD.

To meet the needs of the growing global community of investment stakeholders, the Division’s work
is structured across two flagship products and seven core services.

Two flagship products

The World Investment Forum: The forum is a high-level, multi-stakeholder event designed
to facilitate dialogue and action on the world’s key and emerging investment-related challenges.
The forum shapes the future agenda for policymaking on investment for development and serves
as a launch pad for major international initiatives in this field. It is recognized by governments and
business leaders as one of the most important events for the international investment community,
providing an opportunity and platform to interact with global leaders, senior policymakers, CEOs,
investors, sovereign wealth fund executives, parliamentarians, capital market executives, investment
treaty negotiators, investment promotion agencies, academia, and civil society representatives
from countries around the world. The 2014 forum, in Geneva, Switzerland, brought together 3,000
investment stakeholders from 150 countries to participate in 50 events, and was organized in
collaboration with 35 partner organizations.

WORLD World Investment Report: The report provides leading-edge research and policy analysis on
INVESTMENT investment for development. It is recognized as the authoritative reference for investment-for-
REPORT development stakeholders, in particular for policymakers, including Heads of State and ministers.
The report includes comprehensive data on investment and transnational corporations (TNCs), an
assessment of global investment trends and policy developments, as well as a thematic section
on contemporary investment for development issues. The World Investment Report generates
extensive global media coverage with thousands of articles published in over 100 countries. The
report records average annual downloads of over 150,000 in 190 countries.
 Seven core services

1 Global investment information and research – An authoritative data source

Core data products and services: UNCTAD addresses countries’ data needs through its analysis and dissemination
of foreign direct investment (FDI) statistics, and by enhancing the capacity of government agencies to collect and report
FDI and TNC data. The organization maintains the largest global databases on FDI and TNC activities, containing
information on more than 200 economies covering a period of 40 years, and has acquired a reputation as the most
authoritative international source on FDI/TNC data. The system also comprises other analytical and statistical tools,
including the bilateral FDI database on flows and stocks, and the FDI Country Profiles and Country Fact Sheets (available
for 188 economies) that feature the latest data on mergers and acquisitions, largest TNCs, and regulatory changes.
Global Investment Monitors: To help policymakers formulate development-oriented investment policies, UNCTAD
regularly monitors the level, structure, and evolution of global investment and investment policies. The online product
has, from the outset, been recognized as a valuable resource by the international investment community and the
global media, generating an average of 400 press clippings per issue. Moreover, UNCTAD prepares monitoring
reports for specific regional groupings and global summits, such as the Reports on G20 Investment Measures.

2 Investment policies and treaties – Improving the investment climate

Investment Policy Reviews: These reviews assess the investment policies and strategies of developing countries
and economies in transition to help them attract higher levels of FDI while ensuring greater development benefits. All
reviews are conducted using UNCTAD’s Investment Policy Framework for Sustainable Development, which ensures
that all recommendations are in line with sustainable development principles. Among the 40 beneficiary countries,
many have seen improvements to their investment climate as well as increased and less volatile FDI inflows.
International investment agreements (IIAs): UNCTAD is the global focal point for all matters related to IIAs and
their development implications. This work includes analysing latest trends and key emerging issues in IIAs, building
the capacity of developing countries to negotiate and implement investment treaties that can foster sustainable
investment, and providing a platform for universal, inclusive and transparent stakeholder engagement on these
issues. UNCTAD has also been at the forefront of efforts to reform the international investment regime and has
provided valuable backstopping to this process.

3 Investment promotion and facilitation – Strengthening local institutions

Investment promotion: UNCTAD’s services in this area target investment promotion agencies and other institutions
that facilitate and promote investment at the regional, national and subnational levels. The programme provides
advisory services and training packages for investment promotion agencies and diplomats, and organizes investment
promotion and networking events. The programme especially encourages green investment through capacity-building
activities, the exchange of best practices, strategic advice and special tools, such as its online green FDI platform.
The UNCTAD annual Investment Promotion Awards also recognize outstanding achievements in promoting FDI in
sustainable development.
Business facilitation: UNCTAD has developed a series of e-government systems to help developing countries
and countries in transition improve their investment and business climate through transparency, simplification and
automation of rules and procedures relating to enterprise creation and operations. The eRegulations system is a
turnkey solution allowing administrations to publish their procedures online, helping developing countries promote
good governance. The Global Enterprise Registration Portal benchmarks countries’ company creation and registration
processes and provides direct access to online platforms. eRegulations and eRegistration systems have been installed
in more than 30 countries.
Investment guides: The online iGuides provide up-to-date information on the business and investment climate in
countries with often unfamiliar investment environments and under-reported opportunities for investment. iGuide
installations are key capacity-building projects for developing country investment authorities, enabling them to
autonomously monitor changes in their investment climate and to reflect them in their investor communications.

4 Responsible investment – Mainstreaming sustainable and inclusive principles

Corporate social responsibility and the Sustainable Stock Exchanges Initiative: The Sustainable Stock Exchanges
Initiative examines how stock exchanges can work together with investors, regulators, and companies to enhance corporate
transparency and encourage responsible long-term approaches to investment. Named by Forbes Magazine as one of the
“world’s best sustainability ideas”, 20 stock exchanges (including the NASDAQ and LSE), representing roughly 17,000 listed
companies with a market capitalization of $36 trillion, have signed up to promote sustainable development in their markets.
Principles for responsible agricultural investment: The principles on agricultural investment seek to promote
sustainable development in agriculture through economically, socially, and environmentally responsible investment.
The principles have been endorsed by the General Assembly of the United Nations, and subsequently have received
widespread support and endorsement from the G20, G8 and African Union, as well as governments and business.
Intellectual property for development: UNCTAD’s Intellectual Property Programme helps developing countries to
participate effectively in international discussions on intellectual property rights and to help ensure that their intellectual
property policies are in line with development objectives. The programme is recognized as a collaborative partner by
the World Intellectual Property Organization and the World Health Organization.
Enterprise development – Inspiring entrepreneurship and supporting small and medium-sized
enterprises
5
Entrepreneurship Policy Framework: UNCTAD promotes entrepreneurship in developing countries and economies
in transition through its Entrepreneurship Policy Framework and implementation guidance. This provides the basis
for a comprehensive, coordinated and inclusive approach to promoting entrepreneurship and the formulation and
implementation of national entrepreneurship strategies and policies.
Empretec and Business Linkages technical assistance programmes: Installed in 36 countries, the Empretec
programme has trained over 360,000 entrepreneurs since its inception in 1988. The Business Linkages programme
is operational in eight developing countries and assists local suppliers to partner with large enterprises operating in
the country, ensuring that value chains benefit the development of local productive capacities and a competitive small
and medium-sized enterprise sector. In the area of enterprise development, UNCTAD also runs capacity-building
programmes on insurance.

Accounting and reporting – Promoting high-quality reporting and corporate transparency

Intergovernmental Working Group of Experts on International Standards of Accounting and Reporting
6
(ISAR): UNCTAD is the United Nations focal point on accounting and reporting issues, which are both critical for
attracting investment and promoting financial stability. It conducts research and analysis on related issues, as well as
servicing ISAR, an intergovernmental working group devoted to improving quality and international comparability of
financial reporting and non-financial disclosure, such as environmental issues, corporate governance and corporate
social responsibility. Technical assistance is also provided by UNCTAD on capacity-building in this area based on its
Accounting Development Tool.

The World Investment Network – Connecting with the global investment-for-development

community
7
The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development strives to create an inclusive community of investment-
for-development stakeholders. Through the World Investment Network, the Investment and Enterprise Division
maintains contact and disseminates its work to a community of over 16,000 investment professionals. It also promotes
discussion and engagement through its investment policy hub website. Additionally, UNCTAD has in recent years built
links to new stakeholders through the creation of academic networks, and partnerships with new constituencies such
as capital market regulators and regional groupings such as the G20, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the
Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, and the Southern African Development Community.

Pro-poor investment for Mainstreaming Investing in the sustainable

inclusive development a gender perspective into development goals
the Division’s work

The poorest countries and The United Nations Conference Faced with common global economic,
communities have specific on Trade and Development social and environmental challenges,
needs with regards to undertakes research on TNCs the post-2015 development agenda
investment and enterprise and gender and the differential and the sustainable development goals
development: the investment impacts of value chains on (SDGs) require a significant scaling up
climate in these contexts women, and has launched a of investment. A transformative agenda
may be very different and global research project on gender has been proposed by UNCTAD
investor knowledge of these and investment. In the area of for investment in the SDGs that can
markets may be lacking. One enterprise development, the mobilize and channel investment into
way UNCTAD has tried to UNCTAD Women in Business SDG sectors and maximize its impact.
overcome this knowledge Awards and the organization’s The agenda comprises the Action
gap is through its programme contribution to the first TEDx held Plan on Private Investment in the
Business Schools for at the United Nations in Geneva SDGs and the UNCTAD Investment
Impact. The programme highlights the importance of Policy Framework for Sustainable
seeks to change mindsets in women’s entrepreneurship. A Development, consisting of a set
business schools, develop United Nations General Assembly of core principles for investment
new curricula, and expose resolution on “Entrepreneurship policymaking, guidelines for national
students to the opportunities for development” also recognized investment policies, and guidance
of investing in frontier the importance of the United for the design and negotiation of
markets. Nations work in this area. IIAs. Together they represent a new
generation of investment policies.
in figures

Each year, the Division:

- Produces over 90 publications, including books, manuals, reviews, reports, and issues papers;
- Organizes and services the UNCTAD Commission on Investment, Enterprise and Development and ISAR, and
provides on-demand servicing to other regional and global meetings, such as the G20 and the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations, as well as some 40 other conferences, symposia, expert meetings and workshops;
- Delivers an average of 60 training activities;
- Carries out 60 advisory, fact-finding and other missions;
- Maintains seven specialized databases.

Division Organigram

Director

Office of the Director

Investment Investment Policies Investment Capacity- World Investment Report

Trends and Issues Branch Enterprise Branch
Branch Building Branch Task Force

Trends and Data Section Policy Research Section Investment Promotion Entrepreneurship Section Word Investment Network
Section

International Investment Business Facilitation Accounting and Corporate World Investment Forum
Investment Issues Section
Agreements Section Section Governance Section Task Force

Investment Policy Review Intellectual Property Insurance Unit Responsible Investment

Section Unit Initiative

C o n ta c t s

• More information about the Division can be found on our website, including links to the World
Investment Forum and all our databases and publications: http://www.unctad.org/diae
• Follow us on Twitter for the latest news on global investment and enterprise, as well as information
about our meetings, publications and activities: @unctadwif
• Join the World Investment Network. Sign up for one of our newsletters targeting your specific
area of interest, at: http://unctad-worldinvestmentforum.org/
• Subscribe to our YouTube channel to watch the latest investment and enterprise presentations
and speeches: UNCTAD Investment
UNCTAD/DIAE/MISC/2015/6

• Enquiries: James X. Zhan

Director, Division on Investment and Enterprise, UNCTAD
tel. 41 22 917 5760
diae@unctad.org