A global agenda for change in international investment law, policy and institutions

What’s New in Investment and Sustainable Development?

Announcement. We are pleased to announce that the Eighth Annual Forum of Developing Country Investment Negotiators will be held in Montreux, Switzerland from 5-7 November 2014. The event will be co-hosted by the Government of Liberia, the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and the South Centre. The annual forum is a platform for senior developing and emerging country government officials to discuss trends and perspectives in the current geo-political landscape of investment-related negotiations. At a time when industrialized countries are increasing pressure to accept long-term investment agreements aimed at broadening their access to developing country markets and natural resources, host states in Africa, Asia and Latin America are beginning to evaluate the potential risks and benefits. The forum offers a space for debate and exchange on the challenges and opportunities arising within regions and individual countries that are reaching for inclusive growth and sustainable development. By analyzing the most recent trends, the forum will assist developing countries in finding solutions, building on lessons learned by peers and strengthening practical South-South cooperation activities in the investment policy area.

This year’s forum builds on the success of the previous events. To learn more please visit the IISD website here .

IISD will be organizing a five-day training course entitled Building Capacity to Implement the Mining Policy Framework in the Dominican Republic. The seminar will take place on 15-19 September in Santo Domingo. With the participation of government agencies, companies, civil society, communities and miners, participants will develop greater awareness and technical knowledge regarding how to optimize social and economic benefits from mining and how to better manage and regulate artisanal and small-scale mining.

IISD applauds the UNCITRAL Secretariats establishment of a Transparency Registry that will function as a repository for the publication of information and documents in treaty-based investor-State arbitration. This important step follows the entry into force of the UNCITRAL Rules on Transparency in Treaty-based Investor-State Arbitration (the Transparency Rules) on April 1, 2014. The Transparency Registry will contain information on the commencement of an arbitration, and make available a wide range of documents, including transcripts of hearings; orders, decisions and awards of the arbitral tribunal; and submissions to the tribunal. The UNCITRAL Transparency Rules are an integral part of the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules and will apply on a default basis to UNCITRAL investor-State arbitrations conducted under investment treaties concluded after April 1, 2014.

IISD will be actively participating at the annual World Bank conference on land and poverty issues. We will be speaking in the panel, The African land policy initiative: Advances made and next steps, on 25 March. Later that evening IISD will also be a guest speaker at the Swiss reception, providing insights into how IISD’s investment programme is supporting efforts by governments and parliamentarians to improve investment in land, water and other natural resources.

IISD has been breaking new ground on investment and sustainable development issues since 1998.

Investment is critical for sustainable development, which requires fundamental changes in how we produce, distribute and dispose of goods. Today this kind of change must come mainly through investment in new technologies and new processes that can replace unsustainable practices. In developing countries, where domestic sources of capital are scarce, foreign direct investment plays a significant role.

But not all investment leads to sustainable development, and not all of the global rules and institutions relating to international investment have been conceived through a sustainable development lens. IISD’s work on investment and sustainable development focuses on this critical linkage, and provides new approaches to ensure that investment law and policy will make a positive contribution to sustainable development.