12th Annual Forum of Developing Country Investment Negotiators
The 12th Annual Forum of Developing Country Investment Negotiators was held in Cartagena, Colombia, from February 27 to March 1, 2019. It was co-hosted by the Government of Colombia, the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and the South Centre.
The Forum is the only global platform for government officials exclusively from developing and emerging economies to share experiences and lessons learned from investment negotiations. The Forum gives negotiators and experts an opportunity to discuss emerging issues, review recent legal developments in the field and engage in peer learning with fellow negotiators.
The theme of the 2019 Forum was “Shifting International Investment Law Toward Sustainable Development: Strategies for Renegotiation, Reform and Defence.” The three-day meeting featured a series of sessions devoted to substantive and procedural reforms of investment treaties and investor–state dispute settlement (ISDS).
Participants examined trends and developments in ongoing regional and multilateral reform processes, such as the Working Group III process on multilateral ISDS reform at the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), as well as the amendment process for the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) Convention. Participants also debated bilateral options such as the negotiation of new treaties and the termination and renegotiation of existing ones.
A full report on this year’s Forum is now available in English, French and Spanish. Additional background documents, including an event agenda, can also be found in the list below.
Event photos
The 12th Annual Forum of Developing Country Investment Negotiators was held in Cartagena, Colombia.
The event was co-hosted by the Government of Colombia, the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and the South Centre.
The Forum is the only global platform for government officials exclusively from developing and emerging economies to share experiences and lessons learned from investment negotiations.
The Forum gives negotiators and experts an opportunity to discuss emerging issues, review recent legal developments in the field and engage in peer learning with fellow negotiators.
The theme of this year’s Forum was “Shifting International Investment Law Toward Sustainable Development: Strategies for Renegotiation, Reform and Defence.”
The three-day meeting featured a series of sessions devoted to substantive and procedural reforms of investment treaties and investor–state dispute settlement (ISDS).
Upcoming events
Global Conference on The Future of Resource Taxation
Global event convening officials from ministries of mining, finance, and revenue authorities as well as industry, civil society, academia, and international organizations.
Measures to Enhance Forest Conservation and Reduce Deforestation: Viewpoints and Lessons from Producing Countries
This event will enhance understanding of developing economy domestic policy efforts and the evolving trade policy context, to address deforestation and enhance forest conservation.
Financing a Just Energy Transition Through Fossil Fuel Subsidy Reform
This official C20 side event, will discuss the challenges and opportunities of reforming fossil fuel subsidies for different G20 members.
Navigating India's Coal Transition: A macro view
This webinar, the first in a four part series, will examine the role of coal in India's power sector and identify the changes needed to support a just transition to clean energy.