12th Annual Forum of Developing Country Investment Negotiators
The theme of the Forum was Shifting International Investment Law Toward Sustainable Development: Strategies for Renegotiation, Reform and Defence.
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
Bridging the Gap Between Tax and Investment Communities: Understanding tax incentives in investment laws
Webinar bringing together tax and investment communities to discuss coordination challenges in the design, approval, and oversight of tax incentives.
2026 Investment Policy Forum
The 17th edition of IISD's Investment Policy Forum will take place from September 16 to 18, 2026, in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
The EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism: Vietnam exporters’ training
This workshop offers Viet Nam-based steel and aluminum exporters practical guidance on meeting their EU CBAM compliance obligations.
Fiscal Policy Responses to the Energy Price Shock – Session 2
The second webinar in a two-part Coalition of Finance Ministers for Climate Action series, this event will explore how short-term support measures can protect vulnerable households and businesses while preserving price signals, maintaining fiscal sustainability, and supporting longer-term energy transition objectives.