High-Level Roundtable on Investment and Enterprise Development

World Investment Forum - Building productive capacity to transform economies  

Amphitheatre, KICC

The High-level Roundtable on Investment and Enterprise Development will focus on new directions for investment and entrepreneurship policy towards increased sustainability and inclusiveness for the attainment of the SDGs, with an emphasis on efforts to boost green growth, as well as initiatives like social enterprise and impact investment, and entrepreneurship for youth, women and vulnerable groups. Building on UNCTAD's Investment Policy Framework and UNCTAD's Entrepreneurship Policy Framework, the discussions will shed light on new dimensions of the investment and entrepreneurship policy interface including:

(1)           New ways and means to boost foreign investment and its interlinkages with the domestic economy through an Investment Facilitation Action Package,

(2)           New ideas for matching foreign investment with innovative financing and engagement with vulnerable groups,

(3)           New entrepreneurship strategies to reach vulnerable and marginalized groups, and

(4)           New strategies for public-private sector engagement for ensuring inclusive development.

Thematic Focus

Ministers will be joined by a select group of eminent panelists to lay the foundations of a future policy tool box as a pathway toward the SDGs. The following will be addressed:

•              What investment facilitation practices can be highlighted as exemplary for channeling private investment to SDG sectors and for building inclusive linkages that benefit vulnerable groups?

•              What are best practices in matching foreign investment with innovative financing and engagement with vulnerable groups?

•              What specific policy measures are needed to promote youth and women entrepreneurship, social and green entrepreneurship, as well as and entrepreneurship for people with disabilities and in post-conflict areas?

•              How policy makers can support companies’ efforts in building sustainable business models and operations, which include social and environmental sustainability as an integral part of companies’ core value chain operations, making an important contribution to the achievement of the SDGs? 

Recognizing the need for international coordination and cooperation, the session will convene a diverse range of experiences and perspectives — both public and private — to discuss the challenges and opportunities in global policy and business environments to further build productive capacity for sustainable and inclusive growth.

Expected outcome

The session will endeavor to outline contemporary policy needs to support private sector investment in sustainable development. Discussions will ultimately lead to the creation of a 'policy toolbox', embracing the UNCTAD Investment Policy Framework for Sustainable Development (IPFSD) and the Entrepreneurship Policy Framework (EPF) Compact, to assist countries in the formulation and implementation of pro-development, investment and enterprise policies. As such, the event is expected to contribute substantially to outlining the role of investment and enterprise activity in advancing the Post 2030 Development Agenda.