Investment Facilitation for Development: Advancing the priorities of least developed countries and Small Island Developing States

About the Event

Global FDI and official development assistance (ODA) have declined in recent years and are expected to remain under pressure due to rising geopolitical tensions and investor uncertainty. This trend is increasing financing challenges for developing countries—particularly LDCs and SIDS—as they pursue their sustainable development goals. 

In response, many countries are adopting strategies to attract investment by advancing regulatory and governance reforms. One key initiative is the Joint Statement Initiative (JSI) on Investment Facilitation for Development at the World Trade Organization (WTO). 

This round table examined the evolving investment needs of LDCs and SIDS, explored current trends in investment governance, and assessed the potential role of the proposed investment facilitation agreement. Participants had the opportunity to share country experiences with needs assessments, implementation priorities, and review recent developments in the JSI process ahead of the WTO’s 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14) in Yaoundé, Cameroon. 

The event brought together WTO delegates from LDCs and SIDS, along with other relevant stakeholders.

Guiding questions include the following:

• How are global FDI and ODA trends evolving, particularly for LDCs and SIDS?
• What structural, economic, and geopolitical challenges will these countries face going forward?
• What policy responses should LDCs and SIDS consider, and how effective are investment facilitation measures in these contexts?
• From the perspective of LDCs and SIDS, what are the main benefits and challenges of these measures?