Resources
From WIDA participating organizations
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UNCTAD
UNCTAD produces more than 150 indicators and statistical time series essential for the analysis of: International trade, economic trends, foreign direct investment, external financial resources, population and labor force, commodities, information economy, creative economy and maritime transport.
The main policy tools in the Hub are: 1) Country Navigator: the entry point for all country-specific investment policy data; 2) Investment Policy Monitor: the latest developments in investment policies around the world; 3) Investment Laws Navigator: a comprehensive online database of national investment laws; 4) International Investment Agreements Navigator: a comprehensive free database of investment treaties and model agreements; 5) Investment Dispute Settlement Navigator: details on all publicly known treaty-based ISDS cases; 6) Investment Policy Review: evaluation of a country’s legal, regulatory and institutional framework to attract direct investments; 7) Investment Policy Framework: reference for policy-makers in formulating investment policies and negotiating investment agreements.
Investment facilitation & 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 Global Trade Helpdesk (GTH) is a multi-agency initiative jointly led by ITC, UNCTAD, and the WTO that aims to simplify market research for companies, and especially Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), by integrating trade and business information into a single online portal.
World FDI Policy Toolkit - OECD
The FDI Qualities Policy Toolkit complements the OECD Policy Framework for Investment by providing more detailed and tailored guidance on priorities for policy and institutional reforms that can enhance the impacts of investment in four areas of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): productivity and innovation, job quality and skills, gender equality, and decarbonisation.
WAIPA IPA Toolkit - WAIPA
This is a practical guide for Investment Promotion Agencies (IPAs) covering topics on investment promotion, investment facilitation and investor after care
World Bank Group - Investment Climate Team Homepage - World Bank Group
The World Bank Group Investment Climate team provides evidence-based support to help countries foster an “investment-grade” business environment, maximize the benefits of private investment, and secure a share in global value chains.
World Bank Group Data - World Bank Group
The World Bank provides free and open access to a comprehensive set of data about development in countries around the globe. Broad access to these data allow policymakers and advocacy groups to make better-informed decisions and measure improvements more accurately. They are also valuable tools to support research by journalists, academia and others, broadening understanding of global issues.
FDI Entry and Screening Tracker - World Bank Group
The FDI Entry and Screening Tracker was developed by the WBG's Investment Policy and Promotion team (EFI/Investment Climate) to systematically track investment policy measures related to the entry of foreign investors that are being adopted or considered by host economies in response to, or at least in the context of, the COVID crisis.
UNIDO Knowledge Hub - UNIDO
This e-learning platform is a knowledge and learning development platform composed of industrial development trainings on trade, innovation, and investment. The platform is essential for investment promotion stakeholders’ continuous development in investment promotion development subjects, specifically those related to the recently launched SDG-related investment project preparation and appraisal course, impact investing and international business alliances.
Invest in the ACP - UNIDO
UNIDO’s digital Invest-in-the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Platform is aimed to bring a fundamental change in how investment promotion agencies promote investment opportunities in their countries and related regions, also supporting investment mobilization efforts of domestic SMEs via traditional and new forms of finance. The Platform currently hosts more than 900 investment opportunity profile sheets, details about 127 IPA partners and 96 Industrial Parks and a repository of relevant brochures and legislation. The Platform is supported by a back-end solution, the Digital Investment Promotion System (DIPS) that empowers IPAs to self-manage content that appears on the Platform.
Investment targeting and promotion strategies in industrial policy formulation - UNIDO
In the areas of strategy-setting and industrial investment policy formulation, UNIDO has evidence-based and methodologically sound tools, as the UNIDO Competitive Industrial Performance (CIP) methodology or its Enhancing the Quality of Industrial Policy (EQuIP) toolbox (developed jointly with the GIZ). Stemming from UNIDO’s experience from earlier initiatives such as the African Investment Promotion Agencies Network (AfrIPANet), ongoing on-site IPA support assists in setting up modular and configurable online survey toolkits to gauge firm-level investment behavior and FDI SDG impact on priority value chains and sectors.
FDI Qualities Policy Toolkit - OECD
The FDI Qualities Policy Toolkit complements the PFI by providing more detailed and tailored guidance on priorities for policy and institutional reforms that can enhance the impacts of investment in four areas of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): productivity and innovation, job quality and skills, gender equality, and decarbonisation.
Global Action Menu for Investment Facilitation - UNCTAD
UNCTAD’s Global Action Menu for Investment Facilitation provides options for national and international policy needs, and it also proposes measures to support investment facilitation in low income countries.
This Comprehensive Investor Services Framework (CISF) is a catalog of specific services to meet investor needs. IPAs can use this investor-centric framework to design service offerings in line with their strategic focus and promotion capacity.
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She Trades Outlook - ITC
SheTrades Outlook is an interactive tool that helps assess, monitor, and improve women's participation in international trade.
Women and the Mine of the Future - IISD
Women and the Mine of the Future is a collaborative project to increase understanding of the status quo for women in mining, so stakeholders can anticipate, assess, and address gendered impacts as mining evolves. This initiative builds on New Tech, New Deal project research from the IGF Secretariat, hosted by IISD.
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Market Access Map - ITC
Market Access Map is a free analytical portal that allows users to Access, Compare, Analyse and Download customs tariffs, tariff-rate quotas, trade remedies and non-tariff measures applicable to a specific good in any market in the world.
Annual Forum of Developing Country Investment Negotiators - IISD
This initiative provides the world’s only global assembly on investment policy and negotiation exclusively for government officials from developing and emerging economies to attract responsible investment that advances sustainable development. It is a Unique Platform for Developing and emerging economies to Craft Sustainable Investment Policy reforms.
Investment Policy Best Practices Advisory Bulletins - IISD
This series aims to help level the playing field in international investment negotiations. It provides both developing and developed country negotiators with state-of-the-art options and approaches to address the new issues and controversies in investment treaties negotiations. Link: https://rb.gy/kny4dq
IIA Reform Accelerator and Reform Package - UNCTAD
The Accelerator aims to expedite the modernization of the existing stock of old-generation IIAs, operationalizing the idea of gradual innovation by focusing on the reform of the substantive provisions of IIAs in selected key areas. The related reform package is a coherent, sequenced and user-friendly set of options for countries engaging in IIA reform, which provides a road map for modernizing international investment treaty regimes worldwide.
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Sustainable FDI - UNCTAD
Online platform created by UNCTAD as a resource for investment promotion professionals, providing relevant content and tools to promote and facilitate investment for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This platform complements UNCTAD’s advisory work and exchanges of good practices, which are also featured on this site.
SDG Helpdesk - UNESCAP
This initiative provides the world’s only global assembly on investment policy and negotiation exclusively for government officials from developing and emerging economies to attract responsible investment that advances sustainable development. It is a Unique Platform for Developing and emerging economies to Craft Sustainable Investment Policy reforms.
IGF’s Mining ESIA Tool (MET) - IISD
The IGF Secretariat, hosted by IISD, has developed the Mining ESIA Tool (MET) to help member governments identify gaps in their institutional capacity, as well legal and policy frameworks and practices, pertaining to ESIAs specifically for the mining sector.The MET contains a quick scan for high-level diagnostics as well as a detailed scan that gives policymakers a more comprehensive understanding. Importantly, the MET process facilitates engagement and dialogue between diverse stakeholders in the mining, social, and environmental spheres. The tool is available in English, French, and Spanish by request.
The Future of Resource Taxation - IISD
Launched in 2020 by the the IGF Secretariat, hosted by IISD, in partnered with the African Tax Administration Forum (ATAF), The Future of Resource Taxation is a project that aims to rethink how developing countries benefit financially from their mineral resources. The project is a dedicated dialogue for governments, civil society, and industry to exchange ideas on how the current system of mining taxation can be improved and identify new, innovative fiscal options for resource-rich countries to maximize the returns from their mineral wealth.
Investment Policy Framework for Sustainable Development (IPFSD) - UNCTAD
The framework consists of a set of Core Principles for Investment Policymaking that serve as design criteria for three sets of operational guidelines or action menus: guidelines for national investment policies; guidance for the design and use of international investment agreements (IIAs); and an action menu for the promotion of investment in sectors related to the sustainable development goals.
World Economic Forum Sustainable Investment Framework - WEF
WEF’s work to support international investments is implemented based on a framework that can help align efforts among different actors, through an approach wherein sustainable investment comprises five complementary and mutually reinforcing dimensions: sustainable investment policies, sustainable finance mobilization, sustainable investment promotion, sustainable investment facilitation, and sustainable development impact.
The toolkit has been developed for policymakers, international organizations, companies, analysts, researchers and other stakeholders with an interest in OFDI, its effects and measures, and how to leverage OFDI for capacity, competitiveness, and as an additional channel for sustainable development.
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Business @ OECD - OECD
An officially recognized business voice to the OECD with over 50 years of experience conveying business perspectives and expertise to policymakers on a broad range of global economic governance and policy issues.
Export Potential Map - ITC
The Export Potential Map identifies products, markets, and suppliers with (untapped) export potential as well as opportunities for export diversification for 226 countries and territories and 4,376 products.
The State of Sustainability Initiatives (SSI) - IISD
The State of Sustainability Initiatives is an international research project that provides credible information about how voluntary sustainability standards can support better environmental and social performance in important commodity sectors. Through research, this initiative strives to improve the effectiveness of VSSs and raise awareness about their potential to foster sustainable production and consumption among all stakeholders—from smallholder farmers, end consumers, and large manufacturers to government officials and investment banks.
Subcontracting and Partnership Exchange (SPX) Programme - UNIDO
UNIDO’s SPX Programme strengthens the ability of domestic enterprises to capture emerging local and international subcontracting opportunities through improved productive capacity and performance assessment to increase the local content of major investment projects in SPX host countries. The methodology enhances the capacity of local enterprises through the establishment of an efficient matchmaking platform for B2B partnerships for suppliers and buyers to increase the competitiveness of local companies and accelerate industrial development activities of the countries.
Industrial Park Platform (IPP) - UNIDO
UNIDO’s IPP serves as a resource centre and reference point for industrial parks. It is host to essential guidelines, such as the International Guidelines for Industrial Parks and the Guidelines for Planning, Development and Management of Integrated Agro-Food Parks (IAFPs) and the Practitioner’s Handbook for Eco-Industrial Parks as well as other related training content for online and on-site capacity building. The learning content provides guidance for practitioners to ensure that Industrial park programmes remain market-driven, and respond to actual investor demands and their needs in becoming an active and productive tenant of an industrial park.
An Investment Perspective on Global Value Chains - WBG
This policy tool examines the role of foreign direct investment (FDI) in global value chains (GVCs), based on the understanding that to stimulate economic transformation through GVCs policy makers in developing countries need to better understand the strategies of multinational corporations (MNCs), internationalization pathways for domestic firms, and how policies can create a favorable environment for both types of firms.
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Investment and Technology Promotion Office (ITPO) Network - UNIDO
The UNIDO ITPO Network, comprising a total of nine offices in different countries (Bahrain, China (2*), Germany, Italy, Japan, Nigeria, Republic of Korea and Russian Federation), advances industrial productivity and technological change. UNIDO’s ITPOs promote investment and technology flows between investors and technology suppliers in their host countries and for potential partners in developing countries. An important initiative are the 2020, 2021 and 2022 editions of the Network’s Global Investment Call for green and innovative solutions in advanced digital production, green growth, medicine and health, and smart agriculture and food categories.
African Smart Finance and Digital Banking Initiative - AUC
It is a new initiative expected to support the African SMEs, women and youth to realize financial self-sustainability, build market and investor confidence, and ultimately accelerate the continent’s economic growth. It is expected to be a key lever to uplift Africans out of poverty and expand investments opportunities.
Digital FDI Policies, regulations and measures to attract FDI in the digital economy - WEF
It is designed to support public and private actors in their digital investment goals through three steps: a supply step; a demand step; and a step to connect the two and catalyze win-win investment flows for policy-makers and firms.
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Sustainable Asset Valuation (SAVi) - IISD
The Sustainable Asset Valuation (SAVi) helps policy-makers and investors make informed decisions on financing sustainable infrastructure. SAVi is an assessment methodology that provides policy-makers and investors with a comprehensive analysis of how much their infrastructure projects and portfolios will cost throughout their life cycles, taking into account risks that are overlooked in a traditional valuation. This assessment methodology that helps governments and investors steer capital towards sustainable infrastructure. SAVi uses a combination of system dynamics and project finance modelling to capture the full costs of environmental, social, economic and governance risks.
The Nature-Based Infrastructure Global Resource Centre - IISD
The Nature-based Infrastructure (NBI) Global Resources Centre is an initiative lead by IISD and supported by Global Environment Facility (GEF), the MAVA Foundation, and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), that aims to bring together key partners to establish a business case for nature-based infrastructure. It will provide data, training, and sector-specific valuations based on the latest innovations in systems thinking and financial modelling.
Computer Model for Feasibility Analysis and Reporting (COMFAR) - UNIDO
UNIDO’s long standing software product COMFAR is geared towards supporting individual firm-level or entrepreneurial actors in a given sector or value chain to improve their skills in investment project formulation and feasibility analysis techniques. COMFAR, together with the UNIDO feasibility analysis manual, is accepted as a standard for the preparation of bankable projects in many countries. The system comes with predefined templates for sectors such as industry, agriculture, infrastructure, environment, mining and tourism.